Tamworth company marks 50th anniversary
D&C Engineers, Tamworth-based turnkey provider of concrete batching plants for major UK infrastructure projects, is celebrating its 50th anniversary - and puts its success down to staff loyalty.
Founded in 1973 by John Dale and Geoff Chatterley, D&C Engineers specialises in concrete plants for large-scale infrastructure projects.
Starting out as just two people carrying out maintenance and servicing to the concrete, quarry and asphalt industries, D&C Engineers branched out into construction of concrete batching plants, later evolving to encompass both the design stages and the electrical elements of projects in order to deliver turnkey solutions to its broad customer base.
The business has now grown to more than 40 staff members and has worked on major projects including HS1, HS2, Hinkley Point, the Elizabeth and Jubilee lines of the London Underground, Thames Tideway and several motorway infrastructure projects. Priding themselves on delivering bespoke solutions for clients, D&C Engineers develops its own plant design using its in-house engineers.
Originally based in St Peters Place off Broad Street in Birmingham, the company moved to Fazeley and finally settled in Tamworth in 1980.
Several D&C Engineers ' staff have passed their 25th work anniversaries, with Company Director Bryn Dixon having joined from school now celebrating over 43 years. A large number of employees have worked at D&C Engineering for more than a decade.
Managing director Geoff Chatterley still at the helm 50 years later, said he was thrilled to be celebrating the milestone with the team: “Things certainly have changed since I started out in the early 1970s, but I 'm so proud to be celebrating D&C Engineers ' 50th anniversary. Looking back at what has been achieved, its actually quite startling to see the evolution of the business over the decades.
“Our plants are renowned in the UK for their ease of operation and reliability, backed up by our full-service agreements. This hands-on approach, coupled with total in-house design and manufacture of all mechanical and electrical components, gives us many distinguishing benefits over other manufacturers.
“Working on major projects such as Hinkley Point, Thames Tideway, HS1 and HS2, I often think 'did we really achieve all this? ' Now, still managing director at 77, D&C Engineers is a second home for me and I 'm so proud to see the development of the staff and all that they achieve on a daily basis. “Having staff that have been with me since the 1980s and 90s is a privilege and I think staff longevity is key to our success.
"Unlike fifty years ago, it 's no longer just me running the day-to-day operations, I am backed by our other company director Bryn Dixon, electrical director Lee Egginton, alongside Martin Brunt site manager, workshop manager Mitch Stringer and all the teams that support them, so I know the company is in good reliable hands for the future.
“While there 's little chance of me slowing down any time soon, I do have my grandson Oscar on board, working his way from the bottom up in the hope that one day he too will be on the board of D&C Engineers.
“Perhaps one day I 'll retire, but for now, I 'm looking forward to what the projects in our pipeline have in store. ”
Pictured: Geoff Chatterley and grandson Oscar Young