Month: March 2013

O’Brien Contractors provides best-practice, cost-effective design and build services for sports facilities and, in a contract worth £400K, has been chosen to deliver a new hockey pitch at Oswestry School.

The 15-week project, which commences on 22 April 2013, will see construction of a 6,300m² sand-dressed synthetic grass hockey pitch and includes earth modelling, fencing and floodlighting.

Founded in 1407, Oswestry School is one of the oldest non-denominational schools in England and is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school for pupils between the ages of 4 and 18.

Steve Hillman, General Manager at O’Brien Contractors, will be jointly managing the project and said: “This is a great opportunity for O’Brien to work with the prestigious Oswestry School and we are delighted to have been successful in winning this project.”

“As a company, we are committed to providing excellent service and are looking forward to working with Oswestry to upgrade their sporting facilities with the addition of a first-class hockey pitch.”

As part of its commitment to continual improvement, leading civil engineering and groundworks contractor, O’Brien, has achieved a 20% increase in its client satisfaction rating in just one year. The increase has seen customer satisfaction go from 72% in 2012 to 92% in 2013. In recognition the company has been awarded the Diamond Standard for Customer Service from BenchmarQ, a division of QMS International.

The survey carried out by BenchmarQ has seen O’Brien awarded an overall score of 92 out of 100 across a number of services and categories:

• Marketing: 83%
• Staff Performance: 95%
• Service: 91%

For many of the questions, O’Brien’s customers awarded them the highest level of four (excellent) – showing that the company’s determination to improve all aspects of their work and relationships has paid dividends.

O’Brien Contractors’ Managing Director, Peter O’Brien said: “Customer satisfaction and continual improvement is at the core of everything we do. It is embedded throughout the company and at the forefront of all our employees’ minds.”

“We will always strive to offer the best quality, knowledge and skills and this award recognises the commitment we have made to that work ethic; and to working more collaboratively with our clients. All of us at O’Brien are very proud of our achievement.”

The customer feedback that helped O’Brien achieve this prestigious award includes:

 Staff Performance: 95%

• “Excellent.”
• “They’re very friendly.”
• “They’re very professional. They have good project management, good skills and a good work force.”

 Service: 91%

• “They’re very proactive.”
• “Definitely a four.”

 Price: 91%

“A four, as they won a competitive tender for a £2.5 million pound construction job.”

“They compare favourably.”

 Overall

“They’re easy to deal with and they do exactly what needs to be done.”

O’Brien Contractors were contracted by St Finbarr’s to deliver a 3G sports pitch at St Finbarr’s Sports and Social Club, Coventry.

The new pitch was developed after recognising that more accessible training areas were needed, the report by Coventry City Council showed the current area could not cope with the level of sport being played, older pitches were of a poor standard and St Finbarr’s 3G would be a welcomed addition to the local area and community.

O’Brien’s 8 week contract involved; earthworks, drainage, sub base, fencing, lighting and surfacing for the sports club. The new pitch had a Desso IDNA 3G laid and a central dividing curtain to allow for multiple 5-aside games to be played.

The feedback on the project has been positive with Leisure Leagues naming it as: “The best 3G pitch in Coventry”.

Steve Hillman, General Manager – Sports Division at O’Brien Contractors, said: “This has been a great opportunity for O’Brien to show off its sport pitch capabilities. The new 3G pitch looks great, the project was a major success, coming in on time and within budget. St Finbarr’s is extremely pleased with the finished result”.