21 February 2023

Quartzelec’s MD Stephen Morrison is celebrating 10‑years of service with the Rugby headquartered international provider of engineering services, having originally joined the business as General Manager for the group’s Hamilton based operations in 2013.

Continuity of personnel has played a hugely important role in the longevity and success of Quartzelec with many employees still going on to celebrate 30, 40 and even 50 years of loyal service – a rarity for most companies today.

Operational as a key employer for 100+ years its heritage can be traced back through engineering giants which includes the names of BTH, GEC, AEI, ALSTOM and Cegelec, before the incumbent management team led a buyout in 2006 and saw the company gain independence as Quartzelec, investing in a purpose built 90,000ft2, £9m flagship facility in Rugby, where the HQ function is based.

The past 12 months has seen a number of the Quartzelec team achieve long service awards, and it is now Stephen’s turn to join this illustrious group. Having joined the business in 2013 he brought with him extensive experience from the field of electrical contracting within construction having started his career as an apprentice electrician in Glasgow in the Mid-1980s. His most recent appointment to the position of Managing Director in January 2020 is a clear example of the company philosophy that believes in developing its personnel and promoting from within; which, when combined with the depth of knowledge and experience staff have and the continuity and benefits this brings to customers, clearly indicates why Quartzelec continues to succeed.

Over the past three years, Quartzelec has increased its market share along with geographical and sector penetration, and, grown revenue whilst delivering world class solutions ensuring lifetime customer value is maintained, as well as enthusiastically supporting the Group’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Stephen stated: “I’ve been really fortunate in having a great team here at Quartzelec, which in turn has helped develop growth in key areas and contributed to our success in a number of key target markets. The last few years have of course been quite challenging; Brexit came into full effect on 31 January 2020 just as my appointment as MD was confirmed and within weeks of taking on the role the UK was in COVID lockdown. Together they have had unanticipated consequences including global resource shortages, and supply chain issues along with escalating costs… but we have dealt with this sensibly as a business making mine an often challenging but always rewarding role”.

Whilst Stephen leads the business, the operating philosophy puts customers and people at the forefront of the organisation. And when it comes to people the focus has always been on effective training, development and recruitment with increased investment in both apprentice and graduate schemes. This ensures that the right number of the right people with the right skills are developed and retained to take the business forwards.

He continued: “We have had the privilege of welcoming over 30 apprentices this past year helping keep skilled jobs within our local communities where we have a workshop presence, and we plan to increase this focus year-on-year”.

Commenting on Stephen’s time at Quartzelec, Daniel Laval, the outgoing MD and now Quartzelec’s Chairman added: “These have probably been the most economically challenging years we have seen, however, over the last year alone orders received have grown by 22%, hitting an all-time high at over £80m; Turnover is up 8% despite latent, external pressures; and whilst gross margin is slightly down, operating profits before tax have improved.”

But it’s not all about baseline profits. Quartzelec places significant focus on supporting the local communities. Great emphasis is placed throughout the business on improving working practices; on positive environmental practices and adopting green working solutions where possible; setting the highest standards when it comes to safety, training and quality; and also giving back to communities and individuals through the various welfare initiatives that are supported.

Quartzelec, for example, acknowledges a 10-year service milestone for employees with a one-off remuneration, however, Stephen decided to gift his service reward to Hope 4, a charity for the relief of poverty particularly among homeless and temporarily housed people or those in food poverty in Rugby. Hope 4 are also partners with the Trussell Trust foodbank, another of Quartzelec’s chosen charities, and in this instance Quartzelec has chosen to match fund Stephen’s personal donation.

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