Merit continues growth with board member appointment

April 3, 2023

Merit, the Northumberland-based offsite construction and manufacturing specialist, has appointed Steve Barrett to the role of Operations Director. The appointment comes after Merit recently announced a record financial year in which overall revenues climbed by 44% to £60,220,482, and total profits rose by 256% to £3,730,676, following a string of major project wins and completions.

With more than 20 years of operations experience, Steve joined Merit in 2021 as Project Director. Having previously worked in senior operational roles at Jacobs, the international consultancy, and Laing O’Rourke, Steve is tasked with overall responsibility for project delivery and planning.

As one of the UK’s offsite construction specialists for technically complex, zero-carbon emission buildings, the creation of the new senior role recognises Merit’s strong upward trajectory, and the need to scale operational efficiencies to facilitate standardised project delivery and support further commercial growth.

Merit’s CEO, Tony Wells, says: “Our newest appointment to Merit’s Board of Directors cements our commitment to delivering the highest rates of productivity within the construction industry. Having already made an impact in his role as Project Director, we are delighted to welcome Steve into his new role as Operations Director to support Merit’s high period of growth.”

He adds: “With operational efficiency, innovation and health and safety in mind, Steve’s extensive expertise will play a major role in further enhancing Merit’s offsite manufacturing capabilities.”

Steve Barrett, Operations Director at Merit comments: “I’ve held operations roles in construction and engineering for over two decades now and am all too aware of the limitations and challenges that hamper traditional construction.

“Since joining Merit in 2021, I’ve been hugely impressed by its commitment to innovation and the thrill that comes with being part of a thriving business that is revolutionising the sector. Merit’s investment in R&D is way ahead of traditional construction, and I’m looking forward to playing a leading role in implementing this expertise by sharpening and standardising our approach.

He adds: “There has never been a greater opportunity to transform how we deliver building projects in our industry. I look forward to working with the rest of the team as we continue to deliver projects faster, more efficiently and more sustainably across the UK.”

Merit is a well-respected and trusted expert in its field, serving a variety of sectors and specialising in the use of offsite manufacturing to allow buildings to be built with quality, speed, and sustainability in mind.

Unlike the traditional construction model, which fails to drive measurable productivity growth, Merit’s vertically integrated and innovative product-based approach offers high-quality solutions to meet a range of customer requirements.

As well as being able to complete a build in half the time compared to a traditional build with significantly less disruption to the local area, Merit’s approach maximises material efficiency, lowers capital and revenue costs and significantly reduces professional consultant fees.

Recent contract wins include Moderna’s new clinical biomarker laboratory project in Oxfordshire and the construction of the new £35m Berwick Hospital with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust. In early 2023, Merit announced a 4000m2 expansion at its Cramlington site, to accommodate its plans for continued growth.

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