No brickbats, just praise for firm

Marshall Errock scoops top award
MARSHALL Errock Construction Ltd has been voted the number one in the UK at the National Construction Awards . . . and it came as a total surprise.

The High Street, Lees, brick and blockwork specialist received the accolade at the Grosvenor Square Hotel, London, an event attended by all the major construction companies throughout Great Britain.

Sadly, no one was present from MEC, the company having been nominated by the architect involved in a 14-storey apartment project, Quayside Lofts in Newcastle, which involved some intricate brickwork.

Managing director Paul Errock said: “It came as a total surprise, which made our success all the sweeter. I just wish I had known so I could have been there on the night.”

The annual Brick Awards are one of the longest established and most widely respected design presentations in the country, recognising excellence in design and construction using brick.

Each year hundreds of entries are submitted with 14 prestigious trophies and more than 50 certificates issued to successful projects. The architect/designer, brick manufacturer and specialist brickwork contractor are acknowledged on each project.

Mr Errock, from Grasscroft, added: “To be declared as the UK’s number one in the category, in the most recognised prestigious awards of the building industry, is fantastic.”

Mr Errock added: “The standards of the entrants were exemplary and this makes the award such a privilege.

“It is a phenomenal achievement by all the staff at MEC and they should be proud. Their contribution at all levels has been inspirational.”

Founded in 1983, MEC has 120 employees, of which around half are full-time working from offices in Oldham, Edinburgh and Liverpool. The company was involved in the construction of the Reebok Stadium, Bolton, as the preferred contractor to build the new Skipton Building Society headquarters in West Yorkshire and the Sandbrook Business Park development in Rochdale.

As a direct result of this award, MEC has already secured work from, among others, Skanska (a five-year prison project), Sir Robert McAlpine ( a hospital) Laing O’Rourke (four -new-build schools).

Mr Errock added: “In these times of doom and gloom it is pleasant to have good news to report that both our workload and staff numbers will double in the next 12-months on orders already received, primarily as a result of being the recipient of this award.

“This has placed us in a different category of recognition throughout the industry and is the ultimate reference.”

Mr Errock acknowledged the support of Phil Woolas MP, Mr Safran Afraz and Robert Barber, from the joint Oldham-Rochdale J21 Project, saying: “I cannot praise enough Bob Barber’s contribution to our being awarded this privileged accolade.”