Exploring PERI UK’s legacy of innovation and sustainability in the construction industry
Renowned for its broad range of cutting-edge construction equipment and services, PERI UK Ltd is a prominent player in the construction industry. For three decades, PERI UK’s mission has been to enhance its clients’ construction processes by prioritising efficiency, speed, and safety. This is made possible through the company’s extensive portfolio, which encompasses scaffolding, formwork, digital products, panel products, construction accessories, cleaning and repairs, and fabrication, as well as onsite training services. With a diverse market presence spanning commercial, industrial, civil, healthcare, education, and residential sectors, PERI UK caters to various construction needs, ensuring optimal results and customer satisfaction. Ian Hayes, Managing Director, shares insights on PERI UK’s history.
“PERI Group was founded in 1969 by Artur and Christl Schwörer in a small German town called Weissenhorn. To this day, the global business is still owned by the Schwörer family, with Artur’s son, Christian, acting as Group CEO. With a vision to support the construction industry on a global scale, the business gradually expanded outside of Germany. It now operates in over 65 countries with a combined turnover of about 1.6 billion euros. PERI UK was the eighth subsidiary to be established and currently ranks as the fifth largest in terms of turnover among our global subsidiaries. Our UK division started from humble beginnings in 1989 in Dartford and grew during the 1990s. Since then, we have expanded our presence nationwide with six offices, including three large depots. Our main customer hub is in Brentwood and our head office is in Rugby. We also have a large training facility and exhibition hall,” he begins.
Extensive product portfolio
Over decades of expansion and growth, PERI UK has developed a vast range of services to support its customers and give them the best experience possible. Ian provides a brief overview of the company’s core services that allow the business to stand out in the industry. “To provide some context, typically, our customers are involved in construction projects worldwide, including buildings, tunnels, bridges and more. Almost all of these projects require wet concrete to form some of the structures; be it the substructure, superstructure or even architectural elements. Our role is to provide clients with structural support until the concrete solidifies, as well as provide the equipment that shapes the concrete.
“While we face knowledgeable competitors, our advantage lies in the wide range of products we offer, which caters to nearly every possible application or construction method required. One of our most unique advantages is our fabrication service, which not many temporary works specialists offer. This type of service can help contractors conserve space on site and frees up the workforce for other tasks, ultimately accelerating a project’s progress,” he says.
In addition, PERI UK has about 50 engineers nationwide who create specific solutions for every project. “Moreover, we believe our products are of the highest quality, which is what we pride ourselves on. PERI UK offers unique, tailored solutions for complex projects, but is also a very efficient partner on regular projects. With our proficiency in designing efficiently and helping customers construct safely, we are often deemed world leaders in our sector, and we strive to maintain that distinction. Nonetheless, we operate in a highly competitive industry where we must work hard to secure projects,” Ian enlightens.
Reducing environmental impact
Upholding rigorous standards to provide high-quality, safe equipment is crucial to PERI UK. However, equally important is the implementation of sustainable practices across its operations. “Our customers can either rent or buy from us depending on their requirements. We also offer a repair and maintenance service for customers purchasing PERI equipment. This service maximises the value of their investment, the longevity of our products and helps make our solutions more sustainable, as customers can use their equipment again and again. Our rental products also undergo maintenance at the end of their hire period to extend their service life, so we can ensure each customer experiences high-quality performance on every project. This also eliminates the need to manufacture something new for every requirement as we can engineer bespoke solutions using our off-the-shelf systems and components.
“We are committed to reducing our impact on the environment by implementing sustainble changes in our business without compromising on the quality we offer. For instance, in 2020, we started transitioning to an all-electric fleet by introducing electric forklift trucks. Since then, we have integrated a range of electric cars into our company car fleet, and we are looking to expand this further. We’ve also explored ways to generate our own electricity. Last year, we spent €1.2 million on photovoltaic cells across our three depots around the country. Subsequently, by August or September 2023, we had generated 61 per cent of our energy needs through our own photovoltaic cells. Notably, our photovoltaic cells supplied up to 88 per cent of our Glasgow facilities’ energy during daylight hours. As of this year, the amount of carbon we have saved is equivalent to planting around 400 trees. To further enhance our sustainability efforts, we plan to invest in battery technology. This would enable us to generate electricity in the summer, store it, and use it during the darker days, and even winter if we collect enough energy. This puts us on the right track to becoming a greener company,” Ian says.
“Looking ahead,” he continues. “I see the industry benefiting from high-quality customer service, be that the ability to react with speed at short notice, faster turnarounds, onsite support, training and educating site teams or ultimately increasing safety standards across every sector. I believe that we provide great service at PERI, but I am constantly seeking new ways in which to work with our customers to do that every time and at speed—to always be the supplier of choice in every situation,” Ian ends.
PERI UK’s dedication to innovation, sustainability leadership and exceptional customer service throughout all project stages has cemented its position as a pioneer in the construction industry. With its comprehensive range of services designed to support customers, the company empowers clients to realise even the most complex builds efficiently and safely.