All this week – as part of UK Construction Week – we’ll be hearing from our brilliant Bluebay colleagues, each sharing what they love about the construction industry. That includes Norman Cilliers, who reflects on his life in construction and shares why he’s excited about the future at Bluebay.
I began my career in construction back in South Africa, working on the retail side of the industry. In the 1990s, I travelled overseas and pursued another passion: becoming a golf professional. I spent 15 years in the golfing industry, but in 2016 I decided to return to construction – and it’s been a huge part of my life ever since.
Reflecting on that during UK Construction Week has been fun, especially in my much-loved role at Bluebay. I first applied here for the role of depot manager in Luton. I like to think I got the job because I interviewed well and brought plenty of construction experience from South Africa – not the golf, I hasten to add!
That said, running my own business as a golf professional for 15 years gave me a strong business edge. It’s a mindset I carry into my work at Bluebay, always striving to go above and beyond, especially for our customers who invest in our knowledge and service.
Fast forward nine years, and I’m still here. The industry has changed dramatically since I first started. The introduction of new technologies has transformed construction, enhancing the way projects are delivered. Every build is different, and the need to adapt and develop keeps me motivated in my role.
Personally, I’ve grown through experiences working with a variety of clients, from housebuilders to tier-one national contracts including HS2. Each project brings different challenges, and overcoming them is what drives me. I love working with people, and customer satisfaction is what I really enjoy, we do a job and do it to the best of our ability, and seeing the results of that hard work come to fruition is hugely rewarding.
At Bluebay, we’ve seen big changes too, changes that have helped us respond to the pace of the industry. Being taken over by The Wolseley Group in January for example has brought huge opportunities and created visible company-wide and personal growth. While the appointment of our Managing Director Lucy Furnival back at the start of the year signalled the start of big team growth too.
It’s an exciting time to be at Bluebay, and an exciting time for the construction sector. I’m very positive about the changes so far and those still to come.
