No 5: STS Group

Specialising in electrical, instrumentation and commissioning services, STS Group has been on an impressive growth trajectory of late. Having made substantial investments locally and internationally across its two main areas of focus – life sciences/pharma and data centres – the firm now has 1,600-plus personnel delivering what business development director Liam Linehan describes as “some of the most challenging and prestigious projects with world-renowned brands”.

Total Turnover:

€255M

ROI Turnover:

€85M

International Turnover:

€170M

In terms of sectoral spread, 2021 saw the firm carry out about 55% of its work in the data centre area and 35% in life sciences/pharma, with the balance spread across food/beverage and energy/utilities. Geographically, about 40% of STS’ business was generated in Ireland, with the rest from various parts of Europe as well as the Middle East.

Diversity & Inclusion at STS Group

Committed to a culture of inclusion, STS has a diverse staff across all age groups – from young people entering trades to people at senior management level with up to four decades of experience. Meanwhile, Pride Month has become an opportunity for the firm to promote diversity in the workplace.

This year, once again, STS launched a companywide awareness campaign for the entire month, during which, for example, employees from across the group came together to enjoy a coffee morning. This was completed with cupcakes inspired by the iconic Pride flag so that participants could learn about its origin, what it represents and why it is celebrated in the month of June each year.

Community at STS Group

Recognising itself as a stakeholder in the communities where it works, STS engages with and supports numerous local initiatives, including GAA and rugby teams, as well as sponsoring local and national charities. Over the past year, the company has supported Ceim Eile, part of the Brothers Of Charity non-profit organisation, participated in the Irish Heart Foundation’s Love Run and undertook the 100-mile challenge associated with The Mater Foundation. It is also an official corporate supporter of the construction industry charity, The Lighthouse Club.

Health, safety & wellbeing

According to Liam Linehan, “Health, safety, and wellbeing are central to the STS culture and an area in which, all companies need to be constantly proactive. With the pressures of the modern world ongoing, STS Group recognises the importance of supporting its employees, and we offer a comprehensive wellbeing programme that is active throughout the year,” he says.

For example, on National Workplace Wellbeing Day this year, the company hosted a healthy breakfast for all its employees – the idea being to drive home the importance of eating well and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“Events like this are scheduled regularly throughout the year,” adds Linehan.

STS Group outlook

“The availability of people – or lack thereof – is a common theme for the whole construction ecosystem,” Liam Linehan comments. “For us, it is critically important to effectively manage and plan against the peaks and the troughs in terms of our personnel and project schedules.”

Long gone, he says, are the days when ramping up with new hires was possible.

“Now it’s about focusing on opportunities that fall in line with our available capacity, which we monitor on a weekly basis.

“While the past year was not without its challenges, it was a success overall. The key takeaway from 2021 was that we must continue to recognise that we are fortunate to have some of the best people in the industry, who continue to work to exceed our clients’ expectations.”

This is something STS Group takes seriously.

“We will continue to work to ensure that we retain our great people and attract new talent. I would encourage anyone who is interested – or who knows someone who would be interested – in working with an industry-leading engineering contractor to please get in touch with our talent acquisition team,” Liam Linehan concludes.

To learn more about careers at STS Group, email careers@stsgroup.ie or visit www.stsgroup.ie