Rok plc

The company, which began trading under the name Exeter Building Contractors Ltd, was formed in 1939 to undertake government contracts being issued at the start of the Second World War.{{cite web |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/building-firm-lemmeleg-sold-to-rok-1-2424097 |title=Building firm Lemmeleg sold to Rok |date=7 July 2005 |work=Yorkshire Post |access-date=10 February 2018}} Its effectiveness during the conflict was such that it was decided to continue trading in peacetime. It soon adapted the name EBC Group and acquired several other regional businesses in the ensuring decades.{{Cite web |title=Company History |publisher=Rok plc |url=http://www.rokgroup.com/company/company_history.jsp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110212000/http://www.rokgroup.com/company/company_history.jsp |archive-date=2010-11-10 |url-status=dead }}

During 1981, EBC Group joined the Unlisted Securities Market of the London Stock Exchange; it was upgraded to the exchange's official list seven years later. Thereafter, the business expanded into the southern region, opening up an office in Eastleigh to support this and obtaining another in Reading via an acquisition.

The early 1990s proved to be a particularly lucrative era for the firm, generating good returns from both its contracting and property divisions.{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/30mar90-uk-ebc-group-announces-44-increase-in-pre-tax-profits-for-the-year-29-03-1990/ |title = 30Mar90 UK: EBC GROUP ANNOUNCES 44% INCREASE IN PRE-TAX PROFITS FOR THE YEAR |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 29 March 1990}} The decade presented new opportunities for EBC Group, including National Lottery-funded projects and the private finance initiative model.{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/ebc-finds-lottery-ticket-to-success-18-09-1997/ |title = EBC finds lottery ticket to success |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 18 September 1997}}

In mid 2000, shortly following the appointment of Garvis Snook as CEO, the company underwent a major reordering.{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/ebc-to-lose-90-jobs-in-rad-ical-overhaul-06-07-2000/ |title = EBC to lose 90 jobs in radical overhaul |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 6 July 2000 |first = KARL |last = WEST}} One year later, the firm was rebranded as Rok; this new name was accompanied by the slogan The Nation's Local Builder.{{cite web |url=http://citywire.co.uk/money/nation-s-local-builder-roks-on-with-54-operating-profit-rise/a286147 |title=Nation's local builder Roks on with 54% operating profit rise |publisher=Citywire |date=14 August 2007 |access-date=10 February 2018}}{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/rok-profit-surges-after-restructuring/1016313.article |title = Rok profit surges after restructuring |website = building.co.uk |date = 15 March 2002}}

The early 2000s were a time of considerable growth for the business, which involved a series of office openings and acquisitions, such as the Glasgow-based Retail Maintenance Services, Scottish firm John Dickie Construction, and the southern-focused Llewellyn Group. During late 2003, Rok issued a £116 million bid to acquire rival construction company Galliford Try; however, it was rejected by the board of the latter firm.{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/rok-pursues-galliford-despite-rejection-of-113m-bid/1031157.article |title = Rok pursues Galliford despite rejection of £113m bid |website = building.co.uk |first = Phil |last = Clark |date = 3 October 2003}}{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/rok-sights-set-on-bid-for-galliford-02-10-2003/ |title = Rok sights set on bid for Galliford |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 2 October 2003}}

During September 2006, Rok purchased the Inverness-based business Tulloch Construction for £31.3 million. All of Tulloch's 875 staff transferred to Rok, included The Corrie Group, Tulloch's engineering, plumbing and electrical division.{{cite news |title=Highlands construction firm sold |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/5384240.stm |access-date=12 May 2012 |newspaper=BBC News |date=27 September 2006}} Two months later, the company launched a restructuring that led to the departure of several senior London-based figured and deemphasised large contracts.{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/restructure-at-rok/3076893.article |title = Restructure at Rok |website = building.co.uk |first = Roxane |last = McMeeken |date = 9 November 2006}} One year later, Rok acquired the plumbing and electrical firm Avonside Services in exchange for £16.5 million.{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/rok-buys-avonside/3096676.article |title = Rok buys Avonside |website = building.co.uk |date = 5 October 2007}} In early 2008, it purchased the social housing contractor Richardson Projects for roughly £40.5 million.{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/rok-buys-contractor/3110811.article |title = Rok buys contractor |website = building.co.uk |date = 11 April 2008}}

The company was negatively impacted by the Great Recession, compelling it to reduce its new-build activities during mid 2009 as its recorded turnover fell by roughly third across the first half of the year.{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/turnover-drops-at-rok/3147471.article |title = Turnover drops at Rok |website = building.co.uk |date = 28 August 2009}} During the following year, Rok issued a profit warning and suspended its head of finance after having identified allegedly serious failings in the firm's financial controls.{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/rok-issues-profit-warning/3162826.article |title = Rok issues profit warning |website = building.co.uk |first = Tom |last = Bill |date = 30 April 2010}}{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/rok-suspends-finance-chief-/5004070.article |title = Rok suspends finance chief |website = building.co.uk |first = Emily |last = Wright |date = 11 August 2010}} In response to this fiscal pressure, the company opted to increase the amount of work being performed inhouse where it was feasible to do so.{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/rok-on-hunt-for-small-mande-firm/3159665.article |title = Rok on hunt for small M&E firm |website = building.co.uk |first = Joey |last = Gardiner |date = 12 March 2010}}

During November 2010, Rok went into administration after reporting a £3.8 million loss for the first half of the year;{{cite news |title=Rok enters administration |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11708451 |access-date=12 May 2012 |newspaper=BBC News |date=8 November 2010}}{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/focus/the-breaking-of-rok/5009303.article |title = The breaking of Rok |website = building.co.uk |first = Joey |last = Gardiner |date = 19 November 2010}} it reportedly owed £100 million to its suppliers,{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/contractors-wrestle-for-rok/5008953.article |title = Contractors wrestle for Rok |website = building.co.uk |first1 = Joey |last1 = Gardiner |first2 = Sarah |last2 = Richardson |date = 12 November 2010}} and had a £90 million deficit in its pension scheme.{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/rok-pension-has-90m-black-hole/5020592.article |title = Rok pension has £90m black hole |website = building.co.uk |first = Michael |last = Glackin |date = 27 June 2011}} The company proceeded to be broken up; Rok's affordable housing and construction businesses were bought by Balfour Beatty for £7 million. Balfour Beatty incorporated the acquires businesses and their 381 employees into Mansell, its regional construction business.{{cite web |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE6AI08Y20101119 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122082358/http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE6AI08Y20101119 |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 November 2010 |title=Balfour buys Rok businesses for £7 million |publisher= Reuters |date=19 November 2010 |access-date=10 February 2018}} A separate branch of Rok emerged as Topcon.{{cite web |url = https://www.building.co.uk/news/rok-arm-resurrected-by-local-management/5011885.article |title = Rok arm resurrected by local management |website = building.co.uk |first = David |last = Lowery |date = 19 January 2011}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Cite web |title=Company Homepage |publisher=Rok plc |url=http://www.rokgroup.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110212000/http://www.rokgroup.com |archive-date=10 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}

{{Construction industry of the United Kingdom}}

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Category:Defunct construction and civil engineering companies

Category:Construction and civil engineering companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Companies based in Exeter

Category:British companies disestablished in 2010

Category:1939 establishments in England

Category:2010 disestablishments in England

Category:British companies established in 1939

Category:Technology companies established in 1939

Category:Technology companies disestablished in 2010

Category:Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1939

Category:Construction and civil engineering companies disestablished in 2010

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