Member Article

Promotion follows Essex water deal

Barry McDonald, Fastflow’s first employee 24 years ago, has been appointed Managing Director of Fastflow Pipeline Services Limited.

The promotion comes after the business secured a water network improvement, repair, reinstatement and meter installation contract worth £270 million, which includes services for 1.5 million people in Essex.

Barry was a key player in securing the work, which means Fastflow is now recruiting 40-50 new employees in the South East while retaining all 220 people in the North East where it serves 2.7 million customers.

The deal represents about 82% of the AMP6 clean water contracts awarded by Northumbrian Water – which includes Essex & Suffolk Water. The programme begins in April and is initially for three years but includes options to extend for two further three year periods.

Barry says: “I am delighted to have been offered the post at the end of an extremely busy and successful year for the business. The contracts were won in the face of stiff opposition from major players in the construction and infrastructure sector.

“I believe this is because of the value and quality of services we offer. This is not just in terms of price but the way we harness technology and innovation in our processes, our commitment to corporate responsibility but above all, the customer.”

Fastflow was created by North East Water in 1990. Recalling the early days, when his office was little more than a cupboard in the former Newcastle and Gateshead Water Company building, Barry added: “There was me, a telephone and a business plan and that was about it.

“If you had asked me then if I would still be here almost a quarter of a century later I would have said ‘no way.’ But being part of somethig which has grown and changed so much has been both exciting and challenging and I’m delighted to be taking on this new role at a time when the group is so well placed.”

Recruited to get Fastflow off the ground, Barry was there during the ‘French Connection’ when Lyonnaise de Eaux dipped its toe into the British Water industry and purchased Northumbrian Water. He remained a key player when current owner, Neil Armstrong, bought the business in 2005 and and has been instrumental in its growth to become a £35 million turnover concern.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Dobbie .