Business Background
Established in 1977 by Gerald Harries, as a haulage business, GD Harries is now the largest producer of quarried aggregates in West Wales, offering services that incorporate anything to do with aggregates, from raw stone to added value products such as tarmacadam, concrete, as well as associated haulage, plant hire, a commercial vehicle service centre and decorative aggregates.
Today, GD Harries is owned and managed by Gerald’s son Ian and wife Julie. A natural entrepreneur, Ian’s vision and determination has seen the business develop into the multi-pound organisation it is today. Ian maintains the key to his success has been responding to customers’ needs and making the most of what’s around him; Ian does not see barriers he sees only opportunities!
In keeping with the business’s high growth and further ambition, GD Harries recruited a competent management team to assist with its strategic aims, together they make cohesive and quick decisions.
By making wise investments and taking calculated risks, GD Harries now comprises of seven quarries, three tar plants and six concrete plants. GD Harries places its regional workforce, suppliers and customers at the top of its strategic priorities. As a business whose commodities are available worldwide, the business continues to diversify and add value to remain the supplier of choice within its areas of operation. The business is able to meet customers’ needs by having its own guaranteed supply of products, enabling it to control its supply chain; this provides considerable competitive advantage in terms of flexibility, responsiveness and pricing.
GD Harries has an extensive client base corresponding to its wide range of services. Blue chip clients include the various Welsh unitary authorities, Costain, Sisk and WRE to name but a few. Work is largely dependent on mid-range and significant civil engineering projects across a broad range of sectors. Often the business provides a turnkey approach for clients which accounts for 75% of its custom comes from repeat clients.
Business Growth
GD Harries has evolved considerably since start-up from a haulage business that employed 16 staff to a multi-dimensional business that now employs over 230 people. During this time acquisitions have contributed to the high growth of the business, significantly the purchase of FH Gilman in 2011 which included five quarries, two tar plants and two concrete plants.
The purchase of FH Gilman was a major risk for GD Harries and the business encountered a few obstacles along the way - Nevertheless Ian and Julie's management team had faith in what they could achieve and were clear on the bigger picture; they persisted and managed to acquire Gilman’s, doubling the business’s turnover overnight from £10 million to £20 million!
Accelerated Growth Intervention
GD Harries first registered onto the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, during the summer of 2015 and did so, as it wanted independent and expert support, to supplement its already stretched internal resources. It also wanted complementary help, in areas where it had insufficient expertise. Support received is market sensitive but broadly focused on preparation of strategic business plans, project specific assistance to access external grant funds and detailed advice and input around raising finance for specialist requirements.
GD Harries joined the Accelerated Growth Programme, as they recognised that the support available matched its particular needs and was being delivered by consultants, with market leading expertise.
Janet Phillips, the firm’s General Manager said “When we require external help, from any organisation, we want it to not only do the job required but to add value to our business. The coaching we have received from the Accelerated Growth Programme was very insightful and provocative and helped in a number of key areas. We look forward to engaging with it further going forward, as both market opportunity and uncertainty will require us to access specialist skills we don’t have in-house. We are aware that there is a broad and capable consultancy skillset available from AGP and will not hesitate to call our Relationship Manager, as and when new requirements emerge. Tapping into such a depth of expertise will help ensure we make the best decisions for the business. We know in return for receiving this expert help that we have to continue to grow, create new jobs and market our services beyond Wales”.
What does the future hold?
GD Harries remains a confident and ambitious business. It plans to develop eastwards beyond the Principality and is increasing its capability to win and deliver larger and more complex projects. The firm see no limits and constant change is part of its DNA.
Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme.