Four years at Deanhouse: Neil Addyman on growth and ambition

Four years at Deanhouse: A conversation with Neil Addyman

On 4th July 2022, Neil Addyman took over Deanhouse Group with a clear ambition: to build on an established business, invest in its people and capabilities, and take the company into its next stage of growth. Four years on, Deanhouse has continued to scale, bringing together bespoke joinery manufacturing and specialist interior fit-out while working on projects across some of the UK's most high-profile commercial, hospitality and sporting environments. We sat down with Neil to reflect on his journey so far, discussing what attracted him to Deanhouse, the business today, and the projects that have stood out, the team's ambitions for the years ahead and the values and advice that continue to shape the business.

Q. What was the reason you acquired Deanhouse Group?

A. For the challenge. It was a well-established trading business that had achieved a certain level of turnover, staff and size but I felt that I could grow it with my knowledge, experience and contacts within the industry. The business already had good people, it just needed somebody new to come in and take over from the previous owners who were ready to retire.

Q. For someone hearing about Deanhouse Group for the first time, how would you describe what you do?

A. There are two sides to the business; bespoke joinery manufacturing and specialist interior fit-out. We have onsite manufacturing facilities which means we can deliver full bespoke joinery for commercial interiors as well as full interior fit-out packages - everything from walls, floors, ceilings and electrical work. We have the manufacturing capabilities and resource to deliver a full turnkey project from start to finish.

Q. What is the most memorable project you have worked on at Deanhouse and what did it entail?

A. It has to be Manchester City Football Club - we've now been their official joinery partner for three years. It’s an honour to work with such a top-end Premier League football club and it’s hard to highlight one specific project because we've done so many. It’s ranged from hospitality suite turnarounds in 17 days mid-season, to full-scale refurbishments over summer across the club's hospitality suites, lockers and the women's team facilities.

Q. Where are your ambitions for Deanhouse over the next three to five years?

A. To keep scaling. We’ve had a fantastic growth trajectory over the last four years and want to keep reaching new heights. That will come through a mixture of investing in new equipment to boost our production capabilities, investing in the team’s development and continuing to grow our staff numbers overall. We’re also keen to bring further specialisms into the Group to help us expand and become a true group of companies. That's going to help us offer our clients a one-stop service where we can do everything for them.

Q. If you could describe Deanhouse in three words, what would they be?

A. The three words I would use to describe Deanhouse are; craft, commitment and ambition. Craft, because that’s the essence of what we do; we craft creative interiors. Commitment because the culture at the heart of our business is everyone being 100% committed to providing the best service to our clients. And ambition, as I’ve mentioned, because this is key to growing our company. We also employ people with ambition; people that want to grow with the company, rather than come in and sit and do the day-to-day job with no drive.

Q. What's the best piece of business advice you've ever been given?

A. Surround yourself with people who you can trust and rely on. People who you can ask to do the work without micro-managing. The business isn't run just by me; it's run by a team of people. Having an A-Team around you to help you do that is how we've got to where we are and how we've continued to grow.

Four years on, the ambition that brought Neil to Deanhouse remains firmly in place. That same drive is still shaping what comes next: continued investment in people and capabilities, and a wider group built through the specialisms Neil wants to bring in-house. For Neil, however, continued growth comes back to having the right foundations in place: a strong team, a commitment to doing things properly and the drive to keep moving forward. With craft, commitment and ambition at the heart of the business, the next four years look set to be just as focused on growth as the last.

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