British residential construction company
Willmott Dixon
is a British privately owned contracting, residential development and property support business.
[3]
History
[
edit
]
The company was founded at
Bassingbourn
in
Cambridgeshire
by a bricklayer, John Willmott, in 1852. During the second half of the 19th century and much of the 20th century, the company remained small. However, by 1980, the company was earning revenue of nearly £30 million per annum and, in the early 1980s, the company bought a
motorhome
, made by
Winnebago Industries
, from which to conduct board meetings at regional locations and thereby keep in touch with local management. At that time the company expanded internationally, into Egypt and Portugal.
[4]
The company moved its headquarters from London to the
Spirella Building
in
Letchworth
in 2000.
[5]
In 2001, Rick Willmott became the fifth generation of the Willmott family to lead the business.
[4]
In January 2008, the company re-acquired its social housing business, Inspace, which it had floated on the
London Stock Exchange
in 2005.
[6]
In March 2013, Willmott Dixon invested £1 million in the 4Life Academy, located in
Perry Barr
,
Birmingham
.
[7]
In January 2024, Rick Willmott stepped down as group chief executive and became Willmott Dixon's new executive chairman. Chief financial officer Graham Dundas was promoted to chief executive.
[8]
Operations
[
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]
Willmott Dixon has several business streams including construction, residential construction and interior fit out and refurbishment.
[9]
In 2017, it sold a 70% stake in its London-based residential development business Be Living to Malaysia's EcoWorld International, creating EcoWorld London.
[10]
Major projects
[
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]
Major projects involving the company have included:
- Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
, completed in 2010
[11]
- University of Worcester Arena
, completed in 2013
[12]
- Woolwich Central
, the largest ever development by
Tesco
's in-house development business Spenhill, was completed in 2014.
[13]
The development was named Britain's worst new building, being awarded the '
Carbuncle Cup
' for a design judges described as "oppressive, defensive, arrogant and inept".
[14]
- Keynsham Civic Centre
, completed in 2015
[15]
- The refurbishment and fit out of the
Design Museum
in
Kensington
, completed in 2016
[16]
- A specialist building in
Exeter
, housing the
Met Office
's new supercomputer, completed in 2017
[17]
- The redevelopment of
Orchard Village
in
South Hornchurch
, completed in 2017.
[18]
Since its construction, Orchard Village has been beset with problems of build quality and estate management which have been reported in the media, in particular by the
Romford Recorder
[19]
[20]
[21]
- The fit out of the new hospitality suite in the East Stand at
Twickenham Stadium
, completed in 2018
[22]
- The refurbishment of
Alexandra Palace
, completed in 2018
[23]
- Brentford FC's
new
Community Stadium
at Lionel Road South in
Brentford
, London, completed in 2020
[24]
- Bassaleg School
,
Newport
, completed in 2023
[25]
The company is also working with
Poplar HARCA
to redevelop
Aberfeldy Village
in
Poplar
, London, due to complete in 2024.
[26]
Fire safety provisions
[
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]
Woolwich Central was the subject of a £46.7 million claim by Tesco against Willmott Dixon for cladding replacement;
[27]
Willmott Dixon then sought to reclaim the same amount from five members of its supply chain:
[28]
Lindner Exteriors and its subsidiary Prater, architect
Sheppard Robson
, AIS Surveyors, and fire engineer
AECOM
.
[29]
When the case was heard in February 2023,
[27]
two suppliers countered by saying the problems arose due to Willmott Dixon's negligence.
[30]
In June 2023, Willmott Dixon said its financial performance had been adversely affected by costs associated with Building Safety Act compliance. CEO Rick Willmott said: "The aggregate provision for these legacy issues stands at a very material £62 million and we naturally expect to recover a substantial portion of this from designers, fire engineers, supply chain and insurers who, so far, have not faced up to their responsibilities or obligations across those 'in scope' projects."
[31]
[32]
Awards
[
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]
The company was listed as No. 4 in the
East of England
Region of the mid range businesses of
The Sunday Times
Best Companies to Work For
in July 2019.
[33]
It also won the
Queen's Award for Enterprise
in 2014, 2018 and 2019.
[34]
Subsidiaries
[
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]
Willmott Dixon Holdings own a few subsidiaries, including:
[35]
Subsidiary name
|
Area of business
|
Willmott Dixon Construction
|
Construction company across various sectors
|
Willmott Dixon Interiors
|
Interior refurbishment and fit-out
|
Fortem
|
Planned and responsive maintenance to residential properties
|
EcoWorld London
|
Sustainable property development within London. Willmott Dixon hold a 30% share.
[36]
|
References
[
edit
]
- ^
The story of John Willmott & sons
, Willmott Dixon Group
- ^
a
b
c
"Annual Review 2021"
. Willmott Dixon
. Retrieved
30 March
2023
.
- ^
"2010 Sunday Times Top Track 100"
(PDF)
.
Sunday Times
. 20 June 2010. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 9 July 2011
. Retrieved
12 October
2011
.
- ^
a
b
"It does not take much to say well done"
.
Camden FB
. 15 December 2011
. Retrieved
5 February
2024
.
- ^
"70 new jobs as company expands Letchworth headquarters"
.
The Comet
. 9 February 2011
. Retrieved
5 February
2024
.
- ^
"Willmott buys 'undervalued' Inspace back for £148m"
.
Building
. 25 January 2008
. Retrieved
5 February
2024
.
- ^
"Birmingham leader commends Willmott Dixon's approach to skills in the city"
. Midland Business News. 22 March 2013
. Retrieved
22 August
2013
.
- ^
Morby, Aaron (2 January 2024).
"Willmott Dixon shuffles main board"
.
Construction Enquirer
. Retrieved
4 January
2024
.
- ^
"What we do"
. Willmott Dixon
. Retrieved
6 August
2015
.
- ^
Prior, Grant (2 August 2023).
"Ecoworld London to cut jobs as resi market stalls"
.
Construction Enquirer
. Retrieved
2 August
2023
.
- ^
"Aylesbury Waterside Theatre: Leading role"
. Building. 25 July 2008
. Retrieved
14 October
2019
.
- ^
"Willmott takes stage on £10m Worcester Arena"
. Construction Enquirer. 1 December 2010
. Retrieved
14 October
2019
.
- ^
"Spenhill's Woolwich Central construction workforce peaks at 700"
. Spenhill. 19 April 2012
. Retrieved
22 August
2013
.
- ^
Booth, Robert (3 September 2014).
"Tesco scoops Carbuncle Cup for 'inept, arrogant, oppressive' Woolwich store"
.
The Guardian
. Retrieved
28 May
2019
.
- ^
"Willmott Dixon picked for £34m Keynsham town hall development"
.
The Construction Index
. 26 January 2012
. Retrieved
15 May
2024
.
- ^
"Willmott Dixon to fit out Design Museum"
. Construction Index. 29 June 2015
. Retrieved
18 July
2019
.
- ^
"Project of the year: £20m to £50m"
. Construction News. 14 July 2017
. Retrieved
18 July
2019
.
- ^
"Made in Dagenham ? a construction epic / Orchard Village starts the countdown for the completion of Phase One"
. Circle. 8 November 2010
. Retrieved
22 August
2013
.
- ^
Farand, Chloe.
"Call for building inspection at 'nightmare' Orchard Village estate, Rainham"
.
Romford Recorder
.
- ^
Farand, Chloe.
"Watchdog opens investigation over 'shocking' energy bills at Orchard Village, Rainham"
.
Romford Recorder
. Retrieved
6 February
2017
.
- ^
Gelder, Sam.
"Nightmare new homes in Rainham estate have leaks, damp and bad wiring"
.
Ilford Recorder
. Retrieved
6 February
2017
.
- ^
"At least Twickenham's new hospitality is a winner"
. Building. 12 November 2018
. Retrieved
18 July
2019
.
- ^
"Willmott Dixon completes Alexandra Palace restoration"
. Development Finance Today. 10 December 2018
. Retrieved
18 July
2019
.
- ^
FC, Brentford.
"Brentford FC and Willmott Dixon sign Development Agreement for Brentford Community Stadium at Lionel Road South"
.
brentfordfc.co.uk
. Retrieved
8 June
2015
.
- ^
"Willmott Dixon wins £25m Newport school job"
.
Construction Enquirer
. Retrieved
1 December
2023
.
- ^
"Willmott Dixon to start on £250m East End estate"
. 13 July 2013
. Retrieved
22 August
2013
.
- ^
a
b
Vogel, Ben (27 January 2023).
"Willmott Dixon sues Aecom and Prater over high-rise cladding"
.
Construction News
. Retrieved
27 January
2023
.
- ^
Rogers, Dave (18 July 2022).
"Willmott Dixon rips into supply chain for 'dodging' £44m cladding repair bill"
.
Building
. Retrieved
19 July
2022
.
- ^
Gayne, Daniel (23 February 2023).
"Willmott Dixon keeps promise and hits firms with £47m writ for cladding repairs bill"
.
Building
. Retrieved
23 February
2023
.
- ^
Vogel, Ben (16 February 2023).
"Suppliers blame Willmott Dixon's 'negligence' in cladding court battle"
.
Construction News
. Retrieved
16 February
2023
.
- ^
Prior, Grant (22 June 2023).
"Willmott Dixon vows to recover building safety millions"
.
Construction Enquirer
. Retrieved
22 June
2023
.
- ^
Rogers, Dave (14 July 2023).
"Willmott Dixon bosses keep up pressure on firms it accuses of 'not facing up to' £62m cladding repair bill"
.
Building
. Retrieved
14 July
2023
.
- ^
"Best companies"
. Retrieved
23 July
2019
.
- ^
"Willmott Dixon marks Queen's Awards hat trick"
. UK Science Park Association
. Retrieved
23 July
2019
.
- ^
"Our structure"
.
Willmott Dixon
. Retrieved
27 January
2024
.
- ^
"Development - EcoWorld London"
.
Willmott Dixon
. Retrieved
27 January
2024
.
External links
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]