Fleetwood's Brown & Jackson Becomes Eric Wright Construction

Brown and Jackson in Fleetwood was founded in 1923, but was purchased in 1979 by Eric Wright, who changed the company name to Eric Wright Construction. This laid the foundation for what is now the Eric Wright Group (EWG). From those early beginnings, the company has been dedicated to developing a culture of excellence across the sectors of: construction, civil engineering, facilities management, water infrastructure and property development.

Underpinned by a genuine belief in the value of establishing long-term relationships with partners and clients, the Group’s unique social focus and continued commercial success has also enabled them to consistently expand their support and engagement within the communities which they live and work. This embodies Eric’s passionate belief that businesses and their activities should be extrinsically linked to the communities in which they operate. Over the last 45 years they’ve been operating from their headquarters in Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancashire.

EWG has a long-standing and significant history with Blackpool, having delivered over £130 million in construction projects in the town over the past decade. This includes both government-led initiatives and various commercial, community, and infrastructure projects. In 2010, Eric Wright Construction partnered with Blackpool Council to form the Blackpool Local Education Partnership Limited, a joint venture for education projects dating back to 2007.

EWG has worked on a wide range of projects in Blackpool, including schools, community facilities, and commercial buildings. For example, they were involved in the Talbot Road Offices project, which achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating. They’ve emphasised community involvement, including working with Build Up and Blackpool and the Fylde College, employing and offering work experience to local people. They have a strong track record in the education sector, having worked on Highfield Humanities College and St Marys Catholic College. They also built the Enterprise Centre and Bispham Care Centre. They recently completed a new £8 million manufacturing building at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone, which is expected to “set the tone” for the area.

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
From the beginning, our primary goal was clear: ensure the survival of the newly formed company to sustain the jobs of the 200 employees who had supported its purchase. After five years of establishing stability, I turned to the long-term vision for the company—considering who would ultimately own it, who would benefit from its success, and how to secure its future for both the business and its people. My initial aim was straightforward: create opportunities for our employees to build lasting careers in construction, free from shareholder exploitation or the risk of sudden sale. To achieve this, the company needed to be profitable, ethical, and forward-thinking, with an ownership model that maximised stability and fairly distributed profits. This led to the decision to establish charitable shareholder status, which best aligned with these values. Over the years, I’ve seen myself as a custodian of a company built by the hard work of hundreds of colleagues. My legacy is to pass this responsibility to the next generation of managers, with my full support and best wishes for their continued success.

RE Wright, Chairman