Five minutes with... James Bullock of ConSpare

At a basic level, we supply equipment and spares for concrete batching plants. We’re experts in each of the five stages of the concrete production process, and ConSpare has been the market leading supplier to the industry for nearly 50 years. There are roughly 2,000 concrete plants in the UK, and we work with the vast majority of them, so we have a really close understanding of what is needed in the industry on a national basis.

In more recent years, we’ve started to use that knowledge to help the industry to address key pain points in a more proactive way. We wanted to help our customers find the bottlenecks in their processes, and foster that sense of process improvement at every step of the production process to maximise efficiency.

However, the industry is changing, and we’ve seen a significant shift towards sustainability and protecting both planet and people. We have listened to the needs of our customers, and by transitioning from MD to CEO, I have started to carve out the time and space needed to ensure that ConSpare contributes to helping the industry achieve its sustainability goals, through reducing environmental impact and improving the working lives of site teams

There is a huge opportunity for the industry to reduce its impact by adopting best practice, and this is something I’m very passionate about. It’s important that we use our expertise for the greater good – not only for now – but for the benefit of future generations and to leave the planet in a better place than when we found it.

This inspired us to go back and analyse a wide range of our case studies from an environmental perspective, and we found that CO2 can be cut by improving the performance of concrete batch plants and employing smart maintenance solutions. We published our findings in a white paper on the topic that explores how reducing the use of raw materials, power and maintenance interventions can go a long way to progressing the industry’s collective journey to net zero.

We’ve also assessed our own operations and delivered a project to install a 100kW solar array on our building, so we're seeing firsthand how this has reduced our carbon footprint. We recently won the Solids Handling and Processing Association (SHAPA) sustainability award for the project, and are working with other businesses and our local supply chain to support them in implementing similar installations.

The environmental challenges are clearly huge, however, we’ve seen a recent shift towards the Social impact of the industry, or the ‘S’ of ESG, in our conversations with industry partners and stakeholders. I would say that this is one of the biggest challenges for the concrete industry, but I also believe this is an area where we can make a real difference.

After gathering research and speaking with plant managers, supervisors and operators, we realised that there is a strong link between concrete batching plant performance and the quality of life of site staff working on the front lines. Staff retention and attracting the best talent is also a well-known problem in our industry, with the top recruits often ‘shining brightly but briefly’. We recently published our second white paper, which explores the impact that the removal of hazards, the avoidance of repetitive, unpleasant and unproductive tasks can have on site staff wellbeing.

The average length of service for ConSpare employees is 9 years, and we see the value in having vastly experienced staff every day, so it’s critical that we solve this issue as an industry.

For me, the best teams I’ve worked in have been well-balanced, combining people with complimentary skillsets that bring a cross-section of experience. It’s important that a team has clear leadership, goals and values, so that everyone pulls in the same direction. It’s hard to define what a good team looks like, but when you see one in action, you know it.

Teams can move mountains, and being part of a good one is a great feeling when everyone is engaged, aligned and motivated. Over the years at ConSpare, there have been many instances of teams really clicking, and it’s always very rewarding.

In my role as president of the Materials Handling Engineers’ Association (MHEA), I implemented a new organisational structure and as a result the association has gone from strength to strength. We’ve created focused sub-committees and feedback loops to encourage information sharing, and it has made me realise just how important structure is in getting the best out of teams.

For over 40 years now I’ve been involved in the sport of target rifle shooting. It has really helped me to have something outside of my working life to focus on, and switch off from the day job. I’ve represented Great Britain at international level, and I’ve just been selected to shoot for GB in Canada in 2025, 25 years after my first tour! My son Tom has also been selected for the same team, which is quite rare, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to sharing the experience with him. 

One of my mottos in life has been to ‘take a little from everyone you meet’, so I’ve always been keen to expose myself to new thinking and new ideas. As part of this, I recently enjoyed attending DO Wales, a creative festival that brings together disruptors and changemakers to share inspiring stories and cultivate the sense of learning outside of work.