STRABAG has taken on more than 15 senior members of the former Buckingham Group who have joined its growing UK business to establish a new building unit.

The move has accelerated STRABAG UK’s plans to enter the building sector by more than a year. 

The new part of the business will enable STRABAG UK to replicate the successes of its experience in mainland Europe and across the world in providing end-to-end capability services for UK customers.  

It is anticipated that the new building unit will include the construction of light industrial and logistic centres, data centres, advanced manufacturing facilities and commercial developments. 

Joint managing directors for STRABAG UK, Simon Wild and Andy Dixon, said: “We have been looking to expand the UK business in this area and to be able to recruit such a talented pool of staff immediately was an opportunity we could not miss.

“We believe that STRABAG Group’s financial stability, combined with its extensive experience, will be extremely attractive to future UK customers.”

Ian Burford, newly appointed director of the new building unit, added: “My ex-colleagues from Buckingham Group are thrilled to be joining STRABAG UK. To be part of such a major international company at such an exciting time, where the UK business is growing from strength to strength, is a fantastic opportunity.”

STRABAG UK has established a new office in Solihull, Birmingham to ensure continuity for staff joining and to further expand its geographical presence across the UK. 

The announcement follows news earlier this month that Kier Group had agreed to acquire the rail assets of Buckingham Group

It becomes part of the Kier Transportation business, which designs, builds and maintains infrastructure for the highways, rail, aviation and ports sectors.  

The deal saved 180 Buckingham Group jobs and has strengthened Kier’s position in the UK rail market, which has projects spanning the country.  

Buckingham Group Contracting, a construction business based in Buckinghamshire and with operations throughout the UK, went into administration on September 4.