“I’m Jake Nicholls, CEO of the Tru7 Group. We have a deep-rooted passion for excellence and a relentless focus on progress. Incorporating new technology and embracing new ways of working, whilst still maintaining our core values is important to us. Our apprenticeships give aspiring professionals a clear route into our industry, encouraging longevity not only in our own workforce, but across our sectors as a whole.”
“We’re a very diverse business now. My grandad - one of 13 brothers and sisters - started up by himself. He left school long before he should have; he couldn’t read or write, but he knew how to buy and sell things. My Dad came in at a young age and started buying and selling vehicles and plant equipment, before turning it into a rental business - the largest telehandler business in the country - with 5000+ bits of equipment and six different depots.
“My grandad died in our yard in Ipswich at the age of 63 and left my dad (aged 31) and his sister the business. Across nearly three decades it grew exponentially before its sale in 2015.
“My dad lasted three weeks at home after the sale! He then purchased our current yard. Back then it was a quarry with both recycling and water extraction licences. He started a completely different business to keep himself busy. He had a dream of an out-of-town yard, and this was the perfect opportunity to start something new - nationwide equipment hire.
Where industry meets opportunity - Tru7 HQ.
“The last year I would say we have made a conscious effort of continuing to expand our team of operators for large-scale earthworks and operated hire. I’m only 35, but in the eight years I’ve been here I’ve realised the serious problem with loss of labour in our industry, and the need to do something about it.
“I mentioned apprenticeships and my Dad said “they’ll go and work elsewhere or be hard work”. It’s really tough for me to challenge someone of his stature - he built this business - but I said, look, we may still need to bring them into the industry generally. If we lose 75% and keep the rest, the best, we still have to do it.”
“We’ve taken on 32 apprentices in the last 18 months. Our social media output is making this business look attractive and cool to aspiring operators, fitters, engineers etc. I am immensely proud of our first batch of apprentices, the people around them, the teams, the works managers, the supervisors who’ve invested time into these young people and guiding them in the first steps of their careers."
"We recently built an agricultural reservoir in Stradbroke and one lad, fresh out of the Bircham Newton college, was operating a roller, just compacting the banks. Now he’s driving a 40-tonne digger!”
“I have a great deal to do with everything that’s a pain in the **** for this business. So, the fact that I don’t personally have a lot to do with AF is a good thing! We’re spending millions of pounds on fuel each year, it’s the life blood of this business. AF gives security on price and the service we require. Another thing important to me is networking with other AF Members to collaborate with them on their big projects. I attended AF’s open event and learned a lot about what AF does and certainly in the energy sector, carbon offsetting - all of that is a huge for us.
“We need partners like AF to open our eyes. That’s where I see the future for our relationship. AF enlightening us on where we can be better.”
“Continue to be better at what we do. Our contracting divisions are growing, taking on new and exciting projects, including a number of agricultural reservoirs and the preliminary earthworks for agricultural buildings, AD plants, large commercial and residential developments. We are always investing in every arm of the business, not only in machinery and equipment, but also in our people.
“We must keep attracting people to come into the business and into the industry - that’s really important. We’ve got a lot of good senior people here that I’ve learned a hell of a lot from; but we need to ensure that other people can learn from them too. I’ve got years left here and I want Tru7 continue to grow. I’ve also got two young girls that I’d love to think will be the 4th generation in this business in the years to come!”
Visit www.tru7.com to learn more.
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