Member Article

Four former students promoted to post of director at progressive civil engineering firm

A leading civil engineering contractor has promoted four high-performing employees to the position of contracts director.

With a head count of 360, Ruthin-based Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK is one of the UK’s leading independent contractors.

The four civil engineers now joining a new generation of leaders at the company all started their careers with Jones Bros as teenagers. Between them, they already have 70 years’ service with the family firm.

They are:

Eryl Roberts joined as a student in 2001, aged 18.

With experience primarily in renewable energy and highways, the majority of Eryl’s work in the last decade has been delivering infrastructure for wind farms across the UK, for clients such Vattenfall, CGNEE, Eneco and Innogy.

Most recently, he project managed the infrastructure for the 76-turbine Pen Y Cymoedd wind farm, south Wales, the biggest in England and Wales.

Eryl said: “I am very proud to be promoted to contracts director and look forward to playing a key part in the continued growth of this exciting company.”

Garod Evans joined in 2010 as a project manager, having completed summer placements at Jones Bros, as a student from 1994-97.

His experience has encompassed highways, rail and coastal developments, onshore wind farms, and on-shore infrastructure for offshore wind farms, for clients including SSE, Fred Olsen, Orsted and Element Power.

Key projects include: the 54-turbine Clyde wind farm, and onshore infrastructure for Walney wind farm. He recently secured a new contract to develop a heliport at Barrow in Furness.

Garod said: “In an independent company, there is a family feel, where you have more input into decision making than in a big organisation. I’m managing multiple projects now all with their own technical challenges

“I’ve had the opportunities to work as senior project manager on big renewables schemes throughout the UK. There’s a lot more diversity of work at Jones Bros. You can be overseeing construction works on one scheme, design development on another and manging tenders for future works all at the same time, which I really enjoy.”

Geraint Thomas started in 2000 as a student.

His experience has included managing sea defence works at Tywyn and Clacton, waste management contracts across the UK, major renewables schemes, and the A41 Greatmoor access road, for clients such as Veolia, Hills, Tarmac and the state of Jersey.

He is also responsible for delivering national waste management framework contracts for FCC and Viridor.

Geraint said: “I’m proud to have grown our waste management portfolio to a greater proportion of turnover. Jones Bros has an excellent team, and securing repeat business is our biggest achievement.”

Hefin Lloyd Davies joined in 1993 as a project civil engineer, after completing a HND in civil engineering.

He has project managed schemes in highways and infrastructure, marine and coastal defences and renewables schemes, for clients including the Welsh Government, Stenaline, Horizon, Airbus and Conygar.

Key projects have included Cefn Croes wind farm, Parc Bryn Cegin and Parc Cybi employment parks in Bangor and Holyhead, the Porthmadog By-pass, and managing the Jones Bros’ North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency framework for more than ten years.

Hefin said: “As a junior engineer, I learned a lot from experienced colleagues in the company. A fulfilling part of my current role, is that I am now able to pass on my own experience to others.

“I am very pleased to be part of how Jones Bros has grown into a market-leading company, and to now be a contracts director is testament to how they have promoted from within.”

Jones Bros managing director, John Dielhof, said:

“The promotion of these four team members to contract director reflects their leadership roles, both in terms of winning work and project delivery.

“All four started their careers at Jones Bros, with three having dedicated their whole career to the company. All are a great example of what the combination of dedication and opportunity in the business can achieve.

“I congratulate Eryl, Garod, Geraint and Hefin.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .