Operations Director Tony Shaw has been appointed to the board of a new major contractors’ group at the National Federation of Builders (NFB).

Tony will join representatives from Stepnell, Vinci, Wildgoose Construction and Deeley on the board. Formation of the new major contractors’ group was announced in May and is being set up to represent firms who are members of the NFB and have a turnover of £40m or more.

The new group aims to share intelligence, improve government understanding of larger construction businesses and find solutions to existing barriers within the industry. It will start by tackling carbon emissions within the industry by finding solutions and best practice to deal with the carbon net zero challenge.

Mark Wakeford, Joint Managing Director of Stepnell said; “It will be different from other trade bodies because it can provide ‘real solutions’ for the industry. The contractors around the board table will tell you that no forum is providing collective wisdom to tackle some of these industry issues, particularly one with its feet on the ground and its aspirations in the air.”

“Like the [existing part of the] NFB, we are a group that wants solutions on the table, rather than just hot air and talking. There are things the industry should be starting to get to grips with now, and we will give some direction to main contractors in the industry."

Currently, over 30 contractors have signed up to the new group, and it will officially launch in November.

I am pleased to be involved in a group with like minded individuals. We aim to look at the challenges that the industry faces in both the immediate and longer-term future and work out the best way of implementing sustainable change that is both viable and deliverable in the local communities where we work. We will lobby the government at both local and national level to make sure that our collective voice is heard.

Tony Shaw, Operations Director, Henry Boot Construction