21st Apr 2022
Following on from our Q&A with Jon Pike last week, we welcome another Jon this week! Jon Turnbull is the latest addition to the company and joins us as Contracts Manager.
Joining us with substantial experience, Jon has truly hit the ground running getting stuck in to some fantastic new projects. Read his Q&A below to learn more about his background, experience and new role!
Busy – leaving one company and heading straight into another is always a daunting task but being busy helps!
With over 15 years in the sports building industry I started as a ground worker, building facilities, then progressed to become Operations Director at another well known sports construction company. A particular highlight was working in Angola, building several natural grass pitches for the Africa cup of nations in 2009.
I am joining as one of S&C Slatter’s dedicated Contract Managers, with a team of Site Managers and Site Supervisors.
Back when I started, the sports industry was a very much a ‘summertime’ business and over the winter months you prepared for that. Now it seems there is the extremely busy period and then the very busy period instead!
In my eyes the pandemic didn’t affect us as much as other trades, luckily. We adapted well to allow works to continue onsite – we just needed to sanitise more!
Price increases would be one – particularly with all the changes going on in the world – but I find that planning is becoming more rigorous, with more conditions having to be met prior any build starts.
Organising and finding sub-contractors suitable for our standards of work to match our in-house teams during busy times. Luckily, I have some good relationships with many specialist contractors to help me overcome this. Placing orders early to avoid disappointment is also a challenge we manage, especially with shortages and delays in the current climate.
Having worked at the same company for 11 years, you only really get to see how one company operates and does things in terms of building sports facilities. For me I saw this role as an opportunity to see how another company operates in this field and as a new challenge for me personally.
Get advice from people who know sports facility construction, they can advise on many things including planning.
I’m a big DIY enthusiast and also like off road quad bike endurance racing, 2.5 hour races in some challenging terrain!
Thanks to Jon for taking the time out of his (already busy!) schedule to do this Q&A, welcome to the team!
Our contracts managers oversee our projects across the country. Working with their site managers and site supervisors, they work collaboratively with clients and on-site teams to keep programmes on track.
If you’re considering a sports construction project and want to ensure maximum quality with minimal risk, get in touch with our team on 01635 345 21 or email info@sandcslatter.com.
