Paul Richardson
Civils Construction Director
40+ years industry experience
Paul joined Knights Construction Group on a permanent basis in February 2020, having consulted on numerous projects in the years prior. Paul has worked in the construction industry for over forty years, amassing a wide range of experience within the Civil Engineering sector, including infrastructure, industrial buildings (both new and refurbished), groundworks, river works, drainage, large pipeline schemes and heavy civils.
He leads from the front and is often the first person on site and the last to leave. His passion for the industry remains undiminished and he continues to deliver numerous Civil Engineering and Building projects in industrial and commercial settings. His programming skills and management expertise have yielded significant time and cost savings for many clients and by adopting a flexible programme, enable the business to successfully adapt to evolving designs, tight time frames and a challenging working environment, delivering projects to budget and on time
He is an advocate of Value Engineering and has extensive experience in all aspects of the construction industry, from pre-construction through to completion, always working collaboratively with both clients and our trusted supply chain.
Above all Paul, enjoys Civil Engineering and his enthusiasm is contagious and ‘rubs off’ on all of his team, creating an empowered and dynamic division that always delivers projects in a non-adversarial environment.
A quick Q & A with Paul
How did you get into Construction?
I was interested as a youngster. After I left school, I joined a local authority highways department, before entering the contracting side of the industry
What is your favourite thing about working in the construction industry?
Turning a set of drawings into reality and getting recognition from a happy client.
In what ways has the industry changed during your professional career?
Health & safety has greatly improved over my years in the industry, but time frames are often tighter, with clients requesting a quicker turnaround on projects.
Summarise the impact COVID-19 has had on the industry and how the industry and Knights in particular has successfully adapted to the challenges faced?
Most of the construction industry in general appeared to shut down for a while during the first lockdown, due mainly to material suppliers closing, however this gradually improved and returned to normal. Due to working within the food industry, Knights have continued to operate throughout and have maintained turnover, but with cognisance of COVID-19 safety rules.
Are there any new innovative practices or developments coming on stream in the next 12-24 months that particularly excite you?
As a result of the upheaval from the pandemic, for me the priority for the industry is to concentrate on maintaining business for the foreseeable future.