All eyes were on construction in recent days as the industry gathered for UK Construction Week, with leaders debating the challenges and opportunities shaping a fast-changing sector.
Our Managing Director Lucy Furnival kept track of the conversations, and in this blog she reflects on the key themes and what lies ahead.
Construction has changed a lot over the course of my career, but this year the conversation has been particularly focused on growth. That feels very relevant for me personally; I stepped into the role of Managing Director at Bluebay in January, dovetailing with our acquisition by The Wolseley Group, which set us up for an exciting new chapter.
Since then, I’ve been building a brilliant team. I’ve welcomed Emma Ward as our National Sales Director and Mark Siney as Finance Director, alongside an array of talented colleagues across the business. We’ve also strengthened our product offer through partnerships with global brands like Rawlplug and Nevoga.
For me, growth is about more than scale. We’re evolving beyond being a product supplier, working with our customers much earlier in their projects – advising on specification and installation – to make sure our solutions help them deliver on their priorities. That could be everything from sustainability targets, compliance with changing legislation, or efficiency on site.
It’s encouraging that many of these same themes platformed at UK Construction Week; the skills shortage and the need to build a capable workforce is a priority I feel strongly about, especially as we’ve welcomed so many new colleagues this year. Product standards and the outcomes of the Construction Products Green Paper reform are also on everyone’s minds, and rightly so.
As the week draws to a close, I feel optimistic. Construction has never been more collaborative, ambitious, or open to innovation. The conversations I saw from afar this week reflect how far we’ve come – but also how much more we can achieve.
At Bluebay, we’re ready to play our part in that future: by growing strong teams, building lasting partnerships, and supporting our customers through change.