Civil engineering firm is building on success

This week, we meet Stephen Rowland, who is a director at RDA Consulting Ltd. The firm of structural and civil engineers is based in Macdowall Street, Paisley.

What does your business do?

RDA Consulting Ltd is a structural and civil engineering company based in Paisley that operates throughout Scotland.

RDA Consulting Ltd is a well established, professional body providing a range of comprehensive structural and civil engineering services, assisting clients from the earliest stages of a project through to its completion and handover.

The scope of work encompasses all aspects of construction – from desktop and site investigation to Structural Engineers Registration certification and final design.

Our team of highly-qualified engineers have many years’ project experience in all aspects of engineering, including preliminary planning and construction management, supplementary services and construction-deficiency management upon completion.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your company?

I am very proud and honoured to be taking RDA Consulting Ltd forward from my father, who has spent most of his career in making the company the success it is today.

As a company ,we are proud of our reputation and history. This has allowed us to become a long-standing business that has enabled us to be the success we are today.

What do you find most enjoyable in day-to-day business life?

We deal with a wide range of projects and this can be enjoyable as you do not necessarily know what is coming on any given day. We can be working on a multi-million pound development one day and the next, we can be working on a small extension for a house. When undertaking inspections it can be interesting and enjoyable to gain access to hidden areas of public/ commercial buildings where you can get to see how they are put together.

Also, at a moment’s notice, we can be asked by a client to drop everything and attend site because of something they have found or something that has happened that would affect the overall structure.

What are your ambitions for the future?

We have been through a lot of changes in the last few years, but as a company I hope to be able to keep improving the business and its reputation within the industry. We also aim to continue our growth and ambition within Renfrewshire.

How has the business changed over the years?

Our company was established in 1990 as Rowland Design Associates and rebranded to RDA Consulting Ltd in 2005.

In 2016, I was appointed as a company director alongside my father, who was the founder of the company.

Since my appointment as director, my father has been able to retire.

I have made numerous changes, from rebranding the company to most recently moving into a larger office to accommodate the increase in staff that recently has been required due to increased workloads.

What are your top three priorities?

Our top three priorities for the business are to pursue excellence by delivering outstanding customer service and experiences.

Secondly, to ensure each project is given individual consideration with regard to the clients’ interests and objectives; commitment to budget and programme, careful coordination and control, safety, value for money and quality of service and product.

Finally, to ensure that we are up to date with most current legislation and procedures.

Can you offer three tips to new-start businesses?

Having only recently taken over the running of the business, my main tip would be to ensure that you are dedicated and passionate for the business to succeed.

Secondly having the right team structure, and finally, being ready to accept change and new ideas.

Not every idea works the first time and so trying new ideas can help to grow your business even more.

Why is Renfrewshire a great place to run a business?

There are so many great opportunities within Renfrewshire and everyone has the same vision, to make Paisley and Renfrewshire a success.

Has anything weird or wonderful happened in your working life?

We have been involved in numerous projects that have had unusual elements to them, including the relocation of a steel-framed building from one area within our client’s site to another.

This involved discussions with the specialist contractors to come up with a suitable scheme for relocating the building. On the day of the move, a number of people were on site to watch what was going on as it’s not every day that you get to be involved in moving a building.

Another client asked us to look at a support system for fossilised dinosaur footprints, which were millions of years old.

Another project involved the expansion of a cemetery.

Thinking about headstone foundations and drainage was certainly novel.

For the most part, our projects are based in Scotland and the rest of the UK, but we have had some projects in development in Mexico and Iceland.

What is the main thing you have learned since being involved in the business?

To enable a business to succeed you must have a strong team you can rely on, be prepared to change things to make them better, listen to your staff ideas and suggestions, as happy staff are more productive.