Model apprentice becomes modular construction firm's MD

Former apprentice Chris Turner has been appointed as the new managing director of East Yorkshire modular construction specialist Integra Buildings.

Mr Turner, who joined the Paull-based firm 20 years ago, has progressed from the entry level role to take on day-to-day leadership of the fast-growing business. Most recently commercial director, he steps up as Gary Parker - who co-founded Integra five years before he began - becomes chief executive, with a more strategic remit.

Mr Parker has led the development of the company from a start-up business employing a handful of people to an employer of 160, delivering high-profile, multi-disciplinary projects across the UK. It provides a range of modular solutions for a variety of sectors, recently winning a place on the latest government framework.

Mr Turner said: “Becoming managing director is not something I could ever have expected when I joined the business 20 years ago, but I’m excited to take on the challenge.

“It’s also great that I will still be working closely with Gary in his new role. We have a shared vision for the further growth of the business and the continued evolution of our products.

“The modular construction sector has seen phenomenal growth over recent years and we’ve grown at an even faster rate. We see no reason for that to change, because modular building has so many advantages over traditional construction and is inherently more sustainable.

“We’re very well placed to continue to out-perform the market with our excellent team, strong pipeline of projects and exceptional track record of project delivery. I look forward to building on our very solid foundations as we move into a new chapter for the business.”

Integra Buildings chief executive Gary Parker, left, congratulates Chris Turner on his appointment as managing director, watched by fellow senior leadership team members, from left, Mike Marriott, technical director; Paul Tansey, safety, health, environment and quality director; Jim Butler, operations director, and Sarah Marshall, finance director. (R&R Studio)

Mr Turner studied Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Humberside University before joining Integra in 2003 as an apprentice technical draughtsman. He became estimating manager and commercial manager before being appointed as commercial director in 2012. Since then, Integra’s turnover has tripled from £14 million to £42 million in 2022.

He joined Mr Parker and safety, health environment and quality director Paul Tansey as a shareholder in the business last year, ahead of the planned leadership restructure. Mr Parker is to look at opportunities to extend the scope of the business, and potential acquisitions, as he remains fully committed. He is also leading the project to expand the Integra site, to create more production and storage space to support the company’s growth.

He said: “This feels like the right time to hand over the day-to-day running of the business to Chris and to reward him for the outstanding contribution he has made to our growth and development. Chris brings proven capability and commercial expertise to the role. He is loyal, hard-working, experienced and also highly respected - within the business and outside it - with our clients and partners. We’re proud that a homegrown talent has become our new MD. It’s a brilliant demonstration of our commitment to developing our people throughout the business and giving them the opportunity to grow with us.”

Several further promotions to senior roles are also being made “to ensure the business is positioned to push forward into the next phase of growth”.

“We believe this new leadership structure will enable us to realise our ambitions, including increasing our turnover to at least £60 million within the next five years,” Mr Parker added.

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