Jamie Wimpenny, 4th generation of the Wimpenny family, a leading Huddersfield based building and construction business, recently spoke with Charles Maltby our Programme Director. Whilst the original family firm was sold in 1990, Jamie is still actively engaged in and around the town identifying development land, building of new homes and being the Chair of Kirklees Development Consortium. The latter being a local body of some 80 local SMEs in the development industry working closely with Kirklees Council to improve how planning matters are dealt with and new land development opportunities are supported. Jamie can be contacted through his website.
1 – Tell us about you and your business story so far?
The family firm was started by my great grandfather back in 1884. As a member of the 4th generation, I had to qualify academically first and then I spent a number of years working in all aspects of the company’s activities, starting on day one with a shovel put in my hand! I was always fascinated by the fact there are a lot of buildings in the town that the company built, a number of which I subsequently personally worked on such as Civic Centre 3 and the large housing estate in Springwood behind the fire station when I was a student and I’m very proud of buildings such as the Huddersfield Library and art gallery that were built by the company in earlier times. It’s a wonderful feeling travelling around the town centre seeing the buildings built by the family and indeed a strange feeling now even seeing some of them being knocked down, making space for new initiatives. I launched Wimpenny Concrete Treatments, using a novel, locally developed method to overcome the “concrete cancer” then identified in older post war buildings and structures such as motorway bridges, restoring them for further and longer term use, a business which expanded considerably across the country during the 80’s/90’s period including work on the Tay Bridge in Dundee down as far as the South coast. In time, recognising that our medium sized business in this sector was vulnerable and facing competition from smaller companies without the level of overheads and the large nationals with more financial clout, it was decided to arrange a sale of the family business to Wilmott Dixon to ensure the future of the company and its employees. I then started the current firm with my wife focusing on remaining small and manageable, but actively concentrating on new quality housing. Today, a fair amount of my time is looking at seeking suitable sites for clients and inward investors with contacts around the world, sharing my 50 years experience. Something I have no plans to retire from!
2 – How has Huddersfield helped you be successful in business?
Knowing people. Huddersfield is the biggest village in the country. Everyone knows everyone and everyone knows everyone’s business, anything they don’t know is made up! I don’t claim to know all there is to know about building, but I do know I can access people with the right skills here in the town when I need them for different opportunities. It’s very important to engage with the people of the town.
3 – What advice would you give to someone looking to set up or relocate their business in Huddersfield?
The first thing is to consider the people, there is a pool of really good dedicated work people. It’s a lot more economic to set up here in Huddersfield and communications wise, where better – we are right in the middle of the country. There is the huge investment into the railway through the Transpennine Route Upgrade as well a good access to both the M1 and M62. The costs to locate in Huddersfield are lower as are the living costs for your employees. Increasing the quality of life for your workforce, the happier and more productive they will be leading to more success for your business. Five minutes out of town, you are in beautiful countryside.
4 – What future plans do you have for your business that involve investment into Huddersfield?
I will carry on building but continue to collaborate with inward investors. Doing consultancy for them, finding suitable places for them to develop, supporting them with my 50 years of contacts to get whatever help is necessary and ultimately needed to get the job done! Whilst ever I can use my skills and contacts and help people I will.
5 – What are Huddersfield’s strengths from a business point of view?
Many long established and good businesses as well as a generation of high tech businesses in the town helping to diversify from the established and continuing advanced engineering, manufacturing and textiles sectors. Once again access to the right and well skilled people within the town. A great geographical location with good and improving communications. Lower economic costs for the town yet being within 20 minutes each of Leeds and Manchester, and even just over 2 hours to London, emphasises the benefits of Huddersfield as a base.
6 – What do you think Huddersfield’s future holds?
There’s a good question! There needs to be a mood of political change, a need to stop being party political and focus on the changes needed in the local area. We need leaders who focus on the good of the town, promote it, help it grow, use the resources to provide what the people actually say they need to see and help the drive for prosperity. As an example, the planning authority, whilst facing extreme challenges of its own, needs to make decisions much more quickly, not ignoring their regulatory needs, but don’t kick things into the long grass, make the necessary decisions straight away. I am cautiously optimistic, although my biggest concern is regeneration of the town centre. I will do whatever I can to encourage more investment, including currently working with clients who own buildings in the town centre and are looking for the best approach to enhance what they have right now.
