Civil engineering firm builds for future with new premises

16.03.15

Family-owned Howard Civil Engineering has created a number of new jobs in the Leeds City Region following the completion of a major £545,000 building project.

The civil engineering company has purchased new premises and infrastructure in Seacroft, Leeds, to enable it to maintain and service its own plant and machinery for the first time.

An £80,000 grant from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership’s Business Growth Programme, which is supported by the government’s Regional Growth Fund, contributed to the total investment.

As well as saving the Leeds-based business money, the move to the 3,236 sq ft premises, which have been transformed into bespoke garages, has also helped it to create 10 new jobs, including two apprentices.

Councillor Wakefield, Chair of the LEP Investment Panel and Leader of Leeds City Council said: “I am delighted that this LEP funding has supported two young people to start an apprenticeship, equipping them with new skills and training and giving them the chance to work in a key business sector in the Leeds City Region.

“Support for projects like this gives a huge boost to the City Region’s economic growth, not only creating jobs within individual businesses, but also enabling further development at key investment sites in the region such as the Hammerson’s Victoria Gate retail development.”

Gerard Howard, finance director at Howard Civil Engineering, said the project was important to the company as it had enabled it to grow within the Leeds City Region and support local jobs.

Mr Howard said: “This strategic investment allows us to check ourselves that vehicles we use in projects are fully compliant with health and safety legislation. As a result this speeds up the time we can begin work on site, improves our cash flow and is already reaping rewards for the business.

“The support of the Business Growth Programme has been invaluable in making this project a reality and we forecast further expansion as the economic recovery continues.

“As a company established in Leeds in 2003, we are rightly proud of our achievements and growth to date. Employing people from the local area has been a key to our success and we are delighted that this investment has enabled us to continue this focus.”

Current projects Howard Civil Engineering and its 100-plus team of staff are involved in include Hammerson’s Victoria Gate retail development in Leeds and improvements to the A1 in North Yorkshire.

Roger Marsh, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, said: “Howard Civil Engineering is an example of a relatively young company that is firmly on a growth trajectory.

“The LEP is pleased to have helped a company in the construction sector to invest in a permanent base within the Leeds City Region. This is critical to the company’s growth and part of a wider strategy to ensure that the construction upturn we are currently seeing is serviced by local companies and local labour. “