US-based modular giant Volumetric Building Companies (VBC) has expanded its UK management team as part of what it described as “aggressive” growth plans.
Tim Uttley has joined the firm as commercial director for the UK and special markets. He will lead VBC’s business development activities in the UK as well as emerging markets in Europe and the Middle East.
VBC UK director Andy Smith said Construction news: “Tim’s appointment is strategic for our development.”
Smith added that he was optimistic despite the failure of a number of modular companies in recent years, as his company takes a “completely different approach”.
Uttley previously worked for seven years as commercial director of Caledonian Modular, the Midlands-based company which collapsed last year.
In 2022, a modular spin-off company from Manchester-based developer Urban Splash also entered administration and Legal & General said last month it would stop producing modular homes after its factory became unprofitable.
However, Smith said he believed there was a “healthy future,” commenting that “we’re still looking at pretty aggressive growth plans.”
He said VBC’s ambitions were supported by its large-scale work, with “the first involvement of our design team”.
“Rather than looking at a site and then saying ‘how can we modulate this’, our approach is to invest in technology and also take a design-first approach,” he added.
He also noted that VBC was backed by private equity firm Pimco, which provides it with “healthy working capital.”
Uttley’s work in previous roles has included a £53m contract to provide accommodation for workers at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station and a £35m package of prison projects.
Commenting on his appointment, Uttley said: “The UK’s leading modular manufacturers have a very similar offering in terms of product and service. VBC is well established in the US and doing really interesting and innovative work internationally. That’s really appealed to me at this stage in my career.”
He added that VBC was a “technology-led business with highly automated factories and genuinely lean manufacturing”.
“When you add the scale of VBC’s operations across continents, its strong brand identity and robust financial stability and support, it has a truly attractive proposition for developers, construction clients and other partners in both the public and private sectors “.
VBC Chief Commercial Officer David Fetzer said: “We are delighted to welcome Tim to VBC and to expand our UK leadership and engagement team. He has fantastic experience in our target sectors where we can delivering huge benefits to construction clients – from student accommodation and affordable housing developers, to defence, custody and hotels.
“VBC has the resources and proven experience in the industrialization of construction. I have no doubt that Tim will help us secure a strong order pipeline in the UK and beyond. I am pleased to report that we are already in advanced discussions about some really exciting opportunities and collaborations.”
VBC said last year it was aiming to raise its profile in the UK ahead of a planned expansion into Western Europe. It aims to “secure a strong order pipeline” over the next three years in its UK target sectors, which include student accommodation, build to let and affordable housing.
The Philadelphia-based company uses “innovative” steel-frame wood and modular construction technology to speed up the construction process. It also manufactures components such as bathrooms and kitchen cabinets in-house.
