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MHJ Electrical: Bright spark lighting up the recession
Electrician Michael Hind started out as a sole trader in 2005. Four years later, his company reported in excess of £1 million turnover in its last financial year.
Electrician Michael Hind started out as a sole trader in 2005. Four years later, his company reported in excess of 1 million turnover in its last financial year.MHJ Electrical has already hit its three-year business plan in two years and expects to exceed the five-year target this year, which is two years early.
These figures suggest that MHJ Electrical is not only beating the recession, but is also growing strongly.
Michael (31) is continuing to re-invest in the electrical arm, but also in the mechanical engineering section of his contracting company, forging ahead with new major contracts – including a sizeable renewable energy scheme for a well-known furniture retailer on a national basis – expanding his team and looking to rebrand the business in the coming months.
"In addition to our national contracts, we have the potential to become an established electrical and mechanical contractor in Peterborough," he said. "We are being inundated with tenders for opportunities of work and receiving considerable positive feedback from our enquiries."
MHJ Electrical employs more than 30 people – seven who are office-based as well as electricians, apprentices, labourers and mechanical engineers – and with key projects in the pipeline, there is the possibility of generating up to 20 more jobs.
New to the team are HR and business development manager Jenna Blood and electrical manager Adam Kawelec, who brings a strong focus on renewable energy. They complement the current management team of company director Michael Hind, project manager/H&S co-ordinator Neville Holmes and operations manager Dusan Obradovic.
Michael said: "It is important that even in the current economic climate we continue to plough forward with the same drive and determination we always have.
"Whereas we started out as a pure electrical contracting company focusing on the commercial, industrial and domestic market, we have now expanded into several different areas including mechanical engineering covering plumbing, heating and ventilation and renewable energy, and are already very successful in these areas. As a result of our rapid growth, the business is gathering momentum – we will be rebranding as a complete service company later on this year."
With new contracts having been awarded to the company on a national basis, MHJ is calling for new qualified electrical and mechanical engineers to join the team to help build up this success.
In addition to the contract for renewable lighting for the global furniture retailer – where work will span across 12 stores from Glasgow to London – there are a couple of substantially sized domestic projects on the books, which involve installing a ground source heat pump system, integrating an air conditioning system, swimming pool, hot water and underfloor heating, and cover a period of three to four months, as well as continued and valued work with new and existing clients on reactive maintenance work.
It's a measure of the company's current standing and growth strategy and is a far cry from the early days.
In 2005, the work centred on reactive maintenance such as replacing faulty sockets, rewiring and the like. A major refurbishment job may have netted the company 30,000.
A turning point came when Michael secured a large telecoms exchange contract in London. It was an initial 15,000 project that developed into 110,000.
After three months, Michael took on another electrician, and after a year, there were six employees including apprentices and labourers.
In 2007, Michael left his home base and moved into the 1,500sq ft premises at Saracen Business park, in Newark Road, Peterborough.
"This gave us a much-needed presence and prestige," he said.
A year ago, the company added the mechanical engineering arm to the business.
"It was natural progression – mechanical and electrical functions go hand in hand," said Michael. "I realised it was crazy to turn away jobs simply because we didn't have a mechanical side to the operation."
The company is continuing to expand its workforce as it grows in strength year on year, from its Peterborough base, including further development opportunities where possible.
Michael added: "In addition, while most of our large contracts have been nationally based, we are committed to and want to retain our existing customers, let the local area know that we are here to stay, what we are about, and what we can do. We are very proud to be a part of Peterborough's local and businesses communities and want to build on this further.
"These are certainly exciting times for the company."
For further information, call 020 7195 2222 or info@mhjelectrical.co.uk
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