Outsourced services specialist Smart Solutions has launched a new division dedicated to working with businesses in the building sector, and has appointed a managing director to drive it forward, reflecting the upturn in the construction industry.

Chris Raybould joins Smart Solutions with more than 10 years’ experience in helping to grow organisations to achieve domestic and international expansion.

Prior to his latest appointment, Mr Raybould has established and run his own management consulting business, Centric Global, for 10 years and worked as director for Manpower, where he was responsible for the growth of the multi-million pound business in the UK developing recruitment and retention strategies.

Wales-born Mr Raybould, who has been a non-executive board member of Smart Solutions for the past two years, is now responsible for growing the newly-launched building services division, which supplies labour and training to businesses in the construction and facilities management sectors.

The building services division has already won a number of new contracts with leading construction firms including R&M Williams, Cuddy Construction and the labour management contract for the £325m development project in Ebbw Vale, the Circuit of Wales.

Mr Raybould said: “The time is ripe to launch Smart’s building services division as the construction sector emerges from the recession and shows positive signs of recovery.

“Latest figures from the Construction Industry Training Board show that construction output in Wales is expected to grow by an average of 5.8 per cent annually to 2020, with an estimated total increase in employment of 12.8 per cent. That equates to around 5,320 people on top of the already significant flexible workforce in the building sector, and is a barometer of the positive movement the sector is now experiencing.

“The challenge for employers will now be in making sure they can meet the growing labour demand with a skilled and trained workforce, and also provide reports to clients about the candidates who make up their workforce as well as the community and economic impacts of large scale projects that they are working on. This is where our building services division, with its unique online workforce management portal, can really help.”

Joining Mr Raybould to grow the building services offering is Phil Cook, who has been appointed as divisional head after working at Smart Solutions for four years in various roles including operations manager and regional director.

The creation of the building services division comes after Smart Solutions enjoyed a record turnover of £56m for the last financial year of 2013/14 and is on track to turn over £72m for this financial year.

The building services division is the third division to have been launched by Smart Solutions this year, with the business already announcing new driving and permanent recruitment services.

Nathan Bowles, chief executive of Smart Solutions, said: “The establishment of Smart Solutions building services is an important milestone for the business.

“Infrastructure projects and the private housing sector are key drivers of the growth of the construction industry in Wales, with major projects such as the M4 Relief Road and the £1.2bn Coed Darcy development near Neath providing particular boosts.

“I’m delighted to bring Chris on board as a full-time member of staff at Smart Solutions. His sector experience gained in his consultancy roles will be invaluable to delivering a quality service to our clients.”

Smart Solutions offers a range of managed services including recruitment, personnel development, training, waste management, managed services, consultancy and commodities trading.

Established in 2007, Smart Solutions has become one of Wales’ most successful emerging brands, and is the only business in Wales to have received a Fast Growth 50 award four times. It was also ranked in the top 50 recruitment firms by Recruiter Magazine in 2015 and was featured as one of the London Stock Exchange’s ‘1000 companies that inspire Britain’ earlier this year.