Grove Site Services Acquires First Vehicle as it Plans for Growth

Above: Rob Clarke from Vanaways, left, with Jake Hudson from Grove Site Services

A growing South Wales recruitment specialist for the construction industry has begun a new round of investment with the purchase of its first company vehicle.

Grove Site Services was established in Barry four years ago and has since grown steadily, now employing five people full time and placing around 50 tradespeople a day into work.

Over the next two years it expects to double staff numbers and rise recruitment numbers to some 150 per day.

Revenue is currently increasing by 15 per cent per year and is forecast to increase by 27 per cent in 2024/25, with the aspiration of 40 per cent turnover growth in ensuing years.

To support the growth Grove Site Services is working with Bristol-based vehicles broker Vanaways, to begin the acquisition of a fleet of company vehicles. It has started with a white Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2.0 with a full Predator bodykit, with a variety of uses planned for the vehicle.

“The vehicle will be crucial for supporting our mobile teams, logistically but also in becoming a high-profile presence that ensures our brand is known by those we work with, by our clients and by those communities for which we are helping create vital infrastructure,” said company sales director Jake Hudson.

“We are also planning outreach programmes to charitable groups and local colleges, where we can help train and advise apprentices on becoming our next generation of construction workers.

“While this is our first vehicle purchase we intend to increase the number we run until we get to four or five. The speed of fleet expansion will be linked to the benefits this first one delivers, however we do forsee that we’ll be ordering our second one soon.

“If we can sustain our current growth rates and meet our forecast growth targets, we will expand to further sectors – primarily linked to construction but potentially expanding into new ones.

“So our new addition is all about making a visual impact, raising our brand, enhancing our capabilities and capturing attention on every job.

“As such it’s been great working with Vanaways, as their attention to detail and understanding of our business goals has been outstanding. They share our commitment to quality and customer service, so they’re a natural fit and we look forward to partnering with them in future.”

Vanaways is itself undergoing spectacular current growth, having moved into new offices in Ham Green near the M5 at Bristol early last year.

Company turnover has risen dramatically in 2023, while the business is on track to deliver sales of more than 6,000 vehicles in 2024. In June this year the company was listed at 60 on The Sunday Times Hundred list of the UK’s fastest-growing companies.

Rob Clarke, sales team leader at Vanaways, said: “As a growing business we understand the pressures and demands on the SME sector, so it’s great to be able to help Jake and the team.

“Our success is based on doing what works best for the customer, rather than having an agenda to provide a certain type of vehicle. So we’ll look forward to providing more cost-effective, bespoke vehicles for Grove Site Services as they continue their exciting growth journey.”