Portland Consultancy Engineers reflects on a successful two decades – and reveals what’s in store as it looks towards a new and exciting era of business.
Business growth and development
As the practice looks to the future, it does so with a strategic business plan that focuses on improvement and becoming more efficient.
The overarching aim is to continue providing engineering services to existing and new clients to allow sustainable growth of the business.
Key objectives include reducing over-reliance on primary sector clients to limit the risk of sector downturn and increasing the number and value of projects in other sectors through active engagement with existing clients along with new opportunities through introductions to others.
In addition, the practice aims to increase the average value of commissions over the business plan period, as well as increasing the profitability of commissions through more robust management of fee proposals and job costing.
Finally, exploring opportunities to provide new services to existing clients when appropriate will remain a priority as the practice looks to the future.
Long-standing relationships, repeat business and friendships
Throughout the last 20 years, Portland has enjoyed long-standing relationships with a number of leading North East companies. These cover a wide spectrum of disciplines within the construction industry including architects, quality surveyors, registered social landlords and private developers. The longevity of these relationships is testament to the company’s values led service, which encourages the formation of close bonds on projects, fostering life-long relationships.
Social value
Portland’s focus on providing additional social value remains as strong as ever and has seen it support a number of cultural events and grassroots sports over the years.
It has been a regular sponsor of the Gateshead Beer Festival since 2019 and has witnessed the festival expand and grow year on year to become one of the key events in the region.
In the world of sport, the practice has provided sponsorship to Sunderland County Council for friendly cricket matches with local community groups and continues to sponsor local boxing gyms to help them cover the cost of putting on local exhibitions and shows.
It has also sponsored kits for junior sports clubs – most recently the winter coats for Westerhope Under 8’s football team – and has previously sponsored shirts for Rockcliffe RFC.
Portland remains supportive of local charitable causes, enjoying a long-standing relationship with the Lord’s Taverners and undertaking a sponsored ‘Hike up Helvellyn’ to support North East charitable trust, Daft as a Brush Cancer Care.
Portland is passionate about developing the next generation of civil & structural engineers. The company works closely with Education Partnership North East and has attended various careers events at college campuses within the group, such as Sunderland and Hartlepool Sixth Form College.
The consultancy works as part of the Housing Innovation Construction Skills Academy Employers Forum, which aims to provide young people with the necessary skills needed in the modern day construction industry.
Net-Zero carbon plan for 2035
As we look to the future, many businesses are aiming to improve their efforts in, and strengthen their commitment to, creating a more eco-conscious working environment – and Portland is no exception.
Developed in collaboration with Smartcarbon, its Net-Zero pathway will see the practice phase out the use of natural gas to heat its office and move to the newly-installed electric aid conditioning/climate control system.
It will also look to transition to a renewable electricity tariff and is exploring the possibility of installing a solar panel at the office – which already utilises energy-efficient LED lighting – to generate up to 10% of its electricity use.
Keen to involve team members in it’s plans, Portland company policy specifies that all company vehicles are to be, at minimum, a hybrid vehicle. The company’s fleet comprises a mixture of hybrid and fully electric vehicles.
In addition to these changes made to the office, Portland continues to examine methods to reduce the environmental impact of the projects it works on. The company bases this from its ‘Green Design Principles’. The consultancy has done extensive work in the repurposing of disused buildings, which produces reduced emissions.
Portland is keen to embrace lower carbon materials and methods of construction, with staff undertaking CPD seminars on topics such as net-zero design and low carbon concrete. The company is experienced in working with lower carbon Modern Methods of Construction.
Rebrand
Reaching 20 years in business is a significant milestone and in doing so has provided Portland with an opportunity to not only celebrate its achievements so far, but to also look to the future, developing strategies to help steer the business forward and take the steps in its journey.
Its recent rebrand, which included a brand new logo, a new and improved website and a new suite of technical and marketing documents, reflects a considered refresh of the practice’s overall look, with a focus on its strength and solidity.
Its new avatar reflects its status as a progressive, forward-thinking company and a one that is always looking to the future to consistently progress, develop and grow.
New management structure
Portland moves forward with a desire to strengthen its management team and, to do so, has introduced a new structure to not only create a more efficient business model, but to also encourage existing staff to progress in their careers.
In the future, it hopes to welcome new additions to its team, which will ultimately allow for a clear path of succession for all at Portland.
Turnover and project value figures
In each of the past two years, Portland has turned over £1.5 million, indicating a solid base, though it is looking to increase that figure this year – and continue improving in the future.
In the realms of project values, the practice is now working on schemes of up to £30 million project value.
Awards
Portland is proud to have won numerous awards over the last two decades – all of which are in recognition of its innovative schemes, the quality and delivery of its services and its reputation as one of the region’s leading civil and structuring engineering consultancies.
Among many others, highlights include winning the Innovation & Collaborative Working award for the Day Treatment Centre at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital at the 2023 Constructing Excellence Awards, the Small Project Award for High Urpeth at the 2022 IStructE Structural Awards and the Commercial Development of the Year award for Tees Advanced Manufacturing Park, Middlesbrough, at the 2021 Insider Property Awards.
Most recently, the company has been shortlisted in the 2024 Constructing Excellence in the North-East Awards in the category of ‘SME of the Year’.
Sector involvement changes
In the beginning, Portland’s roots were in the social housing and industrial/manufacturing sectors, which the company became well known for. As the years have gone by, the company has evolved and diversified its portfolio of work, expanding into the commercial, health, leisure and retail sectors.
The changes have come about through an expansion in the internal technical expertise within the team along with client introductions.
Throughout this process, Portland has always taken great care to remember where it started from and appreciate those who have supported the business on its journey so far.The company recognises the importance of those clients, reflected in the fact that Portland continues to enjoy successful working relationships with several of them to this day.
For more information, visit portlandconsulting.co.uk
