2024 - A big year...
2024 was a monumental year for blu-3. We achieved remarkable growth, launched three major international data centre projects for leading tech-clients, and are forecasting a 110% revenue increase. We also celebrated our 20th anniversary in style, marking two decades of excellence. With these achievements in mind, it’s only right to reflect on the lessons learned in the past year and how they will shape our future in 2025 and beyond.
While many industries are navigating uncertainty, the construction sector is seeing a resurgence. According to PwC UK’s latest Construction and Housebuilding Outlook, the sector is expected to grow by 2.9% in 2025, overcoming challenges like high interest rates and investor caution. For blu-3, our mission remains to scale in line with market growth, but as our Founder and CEO Danny Chaney puts it: “Whilst we continue to grow and develop into the general contractor role, it is important that we stay true to our underlying values through developing and nurturing our employees” In 2025, our focus remains on nurturing our people and maintaining our strong ethical foundation.
Our leadership team, who guided us through the challenges of 2024, have shared their insights for the year ahead, illustrating how we continue to learn, adapt, and grow.
Key Focus For 2025
2024 has set the stage for continuous improvement across multiple challenges in 2025
1. The Battle for Top Talent Continues...
Richard Hope our Chief Delivery Officer notes our major learning from 2024 has been “the ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining talent for critically skilled roles and the impact it can have on a projects success”. This is not a problem unique to blu-3 or indeed the UK, in the US it was reported 456,000 roles in the construction sector remained unfilled in February 2024, the highest it had been in two decades.
Richard Hope, Chief Delivery Officer notes the goal for 2025 will be to
At blu-3, our commitment to training, continuous development, and offering apprenticeships to up-skill our employees is central to addressing this challenge. We’ve seen great success with our evolving Graduate Programme and will continue to expand internal mobility, not only within the UK but across EMEA. We also remain open to recruiting from outside the sector, which has been a successful strategy in diversifying our talent pool.
2. A Sustainable Approach – Actions Speak Louder Than Words...
As construction businesses face increasing pressure to meet higher sustainability standards, blu-3 is committed to going beyond mere compliance. Sustainability is no longer a passing trend it’s a fundamental expectation from clients, who are now looking for tangible evidence of sustainable practices, both in project delivery and at a company-wide level.
In 2024, we strengthened our sustainability efforts, and this focus will intensify in 2025. From waste segregation and spill prevention to concrete washout practices, we remain dedicated to minimising our environmental impact. Our aggressive sustainability roadmap includes targets such as 70% of our equipment being hybrid or a diesel-alternative, 100% of offices powered by renewable energy, and 75% of our fleet vans being electric by the end of 2025.
“In 2024, we saw a growing demand for stronger sustainability evidence in tenders. Our goal for 2025 is to continue adapting to the Procurement Act 2023 and leverage this new legislation to further advance our sustainability initiatives, including ensuring that 75% of company cars are fully electric.”
3. Digital Innovation to Mitigate Risk...
The construction industry’s digital transformation accelerated in 2024, and blu-3 has embraced this shift. We recognise the importance of using digital tools to mitigate risk and enhance project delivery, ensuring we stay ahead of market shifts.
Our Chief Financial Officer, Ramnik Kapur, emphasises that successful digital adoption requires more than just investing in technology it’s about maximising the potential of these tools. “Success lies in preparation,” she says.
"By prioritising the well-being and resilience of our people, we create a foundation strong enough to withstand market fluctuations."
In 2025, blu-3 will continue to push the boundaries of digital innovation, equipping our staff with the best tools and fostering a culture of continuous learning to drive value.
4. Established Leaders of Data Centre Construction...
The global demand for technology, especially driven by AI growth, continues to fuel the expansion of data centres. Major tech players, including Microsoft, have invested over £100 billion in maintaining and developing these critical infrastructures.
Having successfully launched three data centre projects across EMEA in 2024, blu-3 is positioning itself as a leader in this rapidly growing market.
“The data centre market is an exciting and fast-evolving sector, presenting significant challenges and opportunities. Attracting and retaining the right talent is key to driving innovation and sustainability in our industry. As we look ahead to 2025, we remain committed to building high-performing teams that are not only scalable but also passionate about shaping a more sustainable digital future.”
With proven success in delivering high-profile data centre projects, blu-3 is well-positioned to continue its growth in this sector and further cement its place as a leader in executing these projects.
Looking ahead to 2025
Talent, Sustainability, Digital Transformation and Data Centre Construction
2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for blu-3, with clear strategies in place to address the key challenges of talent acquisition, sustainability, digital transformation, and data centre construction. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead and the continued growth of our business.
If you are interested in learning more about blu-3, our culture, and working in our business please message our recruitment team at: recruitment@blu-3.co.uk
