Fourth-generation owners look to the future as they adapt to the changing needs of customers
WHEN Hervey Myers started his house-building business in 1929 he had no idea that 90 years later it would be reporting a turnover of £50 million and would employ more than 350 people from across the region.
His journey was setting the foundations for one of Yorkshire’s leading independent family-owned businesses, which would see his great-grandchildren taking responsibility thanks to his legacy.
Fast-forward 90 years and Myers Group – which incorporates subsidiaries Myers Building Supplies, with 14 sites throughout the North; Myers Skip Hire; Johnsons Wellfield, the famous Wellfield Quarries that were acquired by Myers Group 1978; and Readymix Huddersfield – has become a recognizable name within the building and construction sector.
As a full-service suppliers of quality products to house builders and renovators, Myers Group offer everything from skip hire, aggregates and ready-mixed concrete through to kitchens, bathrooms and timber.
Responsible for some of the most iconic constructions in the country, including Emley Mast, sections of the M62 motorway and the National Maritime Museum, the organization has secured its position as one of the leading providers within the construction market.
Growing up with the company and working whenever and wherever they could, James and Katie Berry learnt all they could about the business and were very aware of the challenges that they would need to embrace if they were to become the fourth generation to take the business forward.
Having graduated with a degree in engineering and business, respectively, the brother and sister became directors of the company in 2012, becoming equal shareholders.
James Berry commented: ‘We have a very close family and are so proud to be celebrating 90 years of a business that has evolved over the generations. Myers Group has a history that dates back beyond the Second World War and the one thing that still resonates is our values and commitment to delivering quality, not only in the products we produce but also in the way we interact and engage with our customers.
‘We don’t believe our great-grandad really set out with plans to create a business that would transition from one generation to the next, but it has now become a legacy that we can build upon and pass on to our children.’
Reporting an increase in turnover of 10% last year, Myers Group have a lot to celebrate as they continue to look at opportunities that will allow them to grow and incorporate new sales channels.
Katie Berry commented: ‘The focus now is on growing the business with a great team around us that we can rely on and who will help us to become Yorkshire’s leading independent business, not necessarily in terms of sales, but certainly in relation to quality, service and values.
‘That is what we stand for and that is what has resonated throughout the history of the Myers Group. We attract ‘Myers people’; those that have ambition, determination and a desire to do the right thing for our customers and communities. That is what we believe sets us apart and differentiates us from others in the market.’
As customers’ buying behaviours have continued to change, the company is looking at new ways in which it can engage with them, whilst also attracting a new audience. It is working through plans to help the organization adapt to meet the different needs of customers.
James Berry said: ‘Construction has been a relatively stable sector as there has always been a need for building materials, but we do see the need to be agile and to adapt with the times. We may be a 90-year-old business, but we have a strong future ahead and we intend to retain that for the 350 people that rely on us. We also need to think about the next generation that will continue the journey and add a further chapter to the Myers family story.’
Myers Group, who are headquartered in Huddersfield, have 14 builders’ merchant branches and four ready-mixed concrete sites across Yorkshire, a skip service and Johnsons Wellfield Quarries, who manufacture high-quality Yorkstone.
