West Sussex-based Pilbeam Construction has announced a management buy-out which sees Alan Corbett and Andrew Arrow take over the business from owner Simon Pilbeam, following his retirement.
The family business, headquartered in Southwick, has been run by Simon since 1994, having been founded by his father Alan in 1955, and will retain its name and traditional family feel.
Simon said: “I’m so proud of Pilbeam Construction and what we have achieved over the years, and I’m confident that the business will be in safe hands under Alan and Andrew, who I’m sure will continue to drive it forward.
“It’s not an easy decision to stand down when your business has been such a big part of your life and you are blessed with such loyal staff, but it’s a lot easier when you know the people taking over understand its values and will continue to provide our customers with outstanding service.”
Alan will take on the role of managing director with Andrew as director continuing with his pre-construction role and taking on the lead with business development.
Andrew said: “This is a big day for me because I’ve been involved with the company since 1993. It’s in my heart. Alan has been here since 2015, too, and for Simon to trust us to move the business forward is a real honour.”
Alan added: “Our message to our customers is that we are totally committed to upholding the values and culture of the business and to providing them with the same service, quality and professionalism they are used to.
“It’s an exciting time. We have an ambition to deliver controlled growth and we are recruiting to help achieve that aim.
“Already this year we are seeing a rise in enquiries and have secured significant contract wins across heritage, modern methods of construction (MMC) and design and build (D&B) projects.
“We are confident that 2024 will see a steady increase in turnover and that we can continue to take the business forward.”
Pilbeam Construction has built its reputation on being able to deliver quality large and medium-sized builds across multiple sectors – benefitting from a long-standing supply chain relationship.
Key people across the business, including Alan and Andrew, are professionally qualified, with a policy of hiring senior management from a mix of backgrounds, including carpentry and traditional trades.
Andrew said: “Everyone in the business knows how to build, how to manage a build and how to deliver it. We are a traditional contractor run by traditional construction managers and we do not intend to change that.
“It makes us both proud that Simon has so much confidence in us to look after and treasure this wonderful business, and we’re determined to do so.”
