Scottish fit-out contractor Morris & Spottiswood is reporting rapid growth with turnover surging to £88 million.

Latest audited accounts for the Glasgow and Edinburgh firm reveal a strong year with turnover increasing from £74m in the 2014 financial year to £88m, and up to £104m including inter-company trading.

Morris & Spottiswood’s sales in the North of England have seen the greatest increase growing from £10m in 2012 to £44m in 2015. The firm’s employment figures have also risen sharply from 329 in 2015 to 375, including 24 apprentices.

Meanwhile Jon Dunwell, who has been promoted to UK Group managing director, said ambitious expansion plans are underway at the Leeds site which could pave the way for 60 new recruits within the year.

Mr Dunwell said the company is now launching a new strategy for 2016 targeting maintenance, facilities management and technical services contracts. And in a bid to capitalise on growth opportunities the firm has also launched a specialist team targeting national framework agreements and reinforced its M&E (Mechanical and Electrical) flooring and maintenance divisions.

“We have experienced considerable growth in the last two years driving turnover from £69.4millon in 2013,” said Mr Dunwell. “This has been achieved by focussing on core sectors and untapped markets across north west, north east and southern England together with the expansion of the M&E business. One of Morris & Spottiswood’s greatest strengths is the ability to combine a national delivery model with highly skilled local service providers. This ensures our clients get a consistent and reliable service from local tradesmen who can draw on their local connections and provide high level support and tailor made solutions.

“Due to this model we offer something unique to the market – a complete fit-out solution at great value. By offering experienced M&E and flooring as part of our fit-out services we can give clients better value, we can plan jobs more efficiently and we can react faster to their needs. Our package is further supported by expertise in maintenance, facilities management and technical services.

“We are actively looking to recruit more experienced construction industry professionals in 2016 in full-time and sub-contractor roles, to support our ambitious growth plans. We currently have 11 vacancies from our Warrington, Edinburgh and Glasgow offices including builders, joiners, painters, supervisors, estimators and administration positions.”

Mr Dunwell started his career as an electrician at D. B. Haigh Ltd. He then moved to Rotary Group Ltd. He invested 14 years at the firm working through the ranks as foreman, estimator, projects and contracts manager to director and managing director roles.

He joined Morris & Spottiswood in 2012 as M&E director which has seen sales grow from £4m to £17m in the last three years. Mr Dunwell took responsibility for national delivery across England in 2013 based out of the Warrington office which recorded £44m in sales last year, half of total turnover.

“We have exciting expansion plans on the horizon and are showing our commitment by purchasing our Leeds office as the next strategic base to widen our footprint in the North East region,” said Mr Dunwell. “We strongly believe in serving local markets with a local supply chain, and directly employing local people in our regional offices, and we expect to announce additional recruitment shortly.

“Our staff are the backbone of the business and we are very keen on talent management at Morris & Spottiswood. We look to reward the efforts of our team, by promoting from within and working on career paths to ensure employees are constantly developing skills and realising their ambitions. In recent weeks we promoted four people from site managers to contract managers. We recognise that our staff represent the future of the firm and we want to ensure they have the knowledge, desire, confidence and support to take it on.”

Morris & Spottiswood has recently completed projects for Edinburgh Airport, Scottish Poetry Library, Boots, Hugo Boss, Regus, Superdrug, Standard Life, Places for People, Warburtons and several high street banks. Core sectors for growth include healthcare, education, banking, retail and commercial offices.