Contractor looks to R&M sector to offset 鈥榲olatile鈥 offices market

Andy Steele

The boss of 拢340m-turnover contractor Osborne has said the firm is targeting more repair and maintenance work as it seeks to offset a slowdown in the 鈥渧olatile鈥 offices market.

Chief executive Andy Steele (pictured) told 好色先生TV the offices market had 鈥渕assively slowed鈥 since the Brexit vote last summer as developers鈥 confidence was rocked by the resulting uncertainty.

He added: 鈥淧eople have taken a pause [鈥 It鈥檚 individual client driven.鈥

Osborne鈥檚 other key markets - affordable housing, infrastructure and education - are looking more stable, Steele said. But in housing repair and maintenance Osborne is gearing up and 鈥渟ees some growth in that market鈥, he added.

When it comes to tackling the contracting industry-at-large鈥檚 inefficiency, Steele believes the biggest help would be having more visible, long-term pipelines from clients.