Beard steps up quality control after record year

Beard Construction has announced a senior appointment to a newly created role for managing quality across its portfolio of work. 

Paul Wills has been appointed as quality manager, working across all five of Beard’s offices including Swindon, Bristol, Oxford, Guildford and Southampton. 

A member of the Chartered Quality Institute, Wills has worked on site as well as in quality management roles for national construction firms, bringing practical experience and theoretical knowledge. 

He will ensure all projects strive to meet the highest standards as well as implementing continuous improvement processes to enhance construction practices and minimise defects. 

Wills said: “My role focuses on being proactive in our approach to managing quality and mitigating defects, rather than reactively and retrospectively responding. 

“I am responsible for bringing continuity across Beard’s approach to quality in every element of the build process.  

“I want to support Beard colleagues and sub-contractors and work collaboratively on processes and procedures across the business, from site teams to commercial and finance, to our approach to training and recruitment.” 

Wills’ appointment follows Beard reporting a record year of growth back in March. 

Accounts for the family-owned company for the year ended 31 December 2023 showed pre-tax profits of £4.3 million and turnover of £179 million.  

Sales in the period were up by 9 per cent on FY2022, with profitability also improving year on year.   

Sixty-five new staff have joined the firm in 2024, growing the team to more than 350. 

Kirsty Lever, head of business improvement, said: “The construction industry has seen a cultural shift in its approach to quality in recent years, driven by new regulations and evolving client expectations.  

“Having a dedicated specialist focusing on this, we are positioning ourselves to stay ahead of these changes – proactively identifying root causes of issues or defects, addressing gaps in design or process and ensuring the highest standards are maintained across every project.” 

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