‘Tenacity is key’: Contractor chair celebrates 50th birthday of company he founded

What made you set up your own business?

“In 1968 I met Jim Chisholm who was doing formwork and reinforcement for his company Shuttering Ltd. In 1973, we decided to team up and form Chisholm & Winch, with me offering the specialisms of carpentry, joinery and construction, with Jim bringing his experience of civils, reinforcing and concrete.

“Our first project was a shop fit-out in Catford. During the early days of the business, most of our jobs were small construction works like extensions, then we added painting and decorating, and, later, a profitable MEP side of the business, Chisholm & Winch Building Services, which ran for 10 years.”

What was your biggest breakthrough?

“In 1991, we began working with Bovis at Heathrow Airport. We were responsible for fitting out the shell and core of the Commercially Important People (CIP) lounges, as well as construction and fit-out at terminals one and two, then every new terminal thereafter. This client win was a game-changer for our company and led to the establishment of a dedicated team based at Heathrow for the last three decades.

“The Millenium boom brought about a transformation for Chisholm & Winch, as we worked on prestigious contracts like the British Museum, Maritime Museum, and the Royal Opera House. Collaborations with celebrated architects became a defining aspect of our work, including David Chipperfield and Sir Norman Foster on high end residential projects.

“We also worked with Richard Rogers on the fit-out of the River Café where the young Jamie Oliver was discovered by Channel 4.”

What has been key to the business’s longevity?

“I believe the secret to our success lies in our tenacity. We’ve ridden the construction rollercoaster over the years and have made the sacrifices and hard decisions during the challenging times, as well as enjoying the fruits of the golden ones.

“We collaborate closely, negotiate openly - always in the spirit of achieving the optimum result for all involved - and prioritise profitability over turnover. In the last couple of years, we have identified key growth sectors like data halls and we are perfectly set up to deliver the fit out of these enormous facilities. Also, post pandemic, collaborative workspaces where the shift towards flexible working has led to a demand for agile environments, breakout spaces.”

What has changed most in construction over the last 50 years?

“I’ve seen evolution in procurement methods, adoption of digitalisation, a sharper focus on quality control and of course health and safety.

“But I’m still here as chairman, although Jim left in 1994. Our MD Simon Castle has been with us for 28 years. Jason Winch (my son) has been in the business for 25 years and is our procurement and health and safety director, and we have extremely high staff retention across the board.

“And I still wake up at the same time every morning – 4am! – thinking about my 'to do' list for the day ahead. I’ve always been a workaholic but I’m not a worrier. I feel so lucky to have founded and stayed at the helm of Chisholm & Winch for 50 years.”