Ryebridge’s 12 Days of Christmas
To mark this year’s festive season, we wanted to reflect on some of the work the company has been involved with in our local communities, and also look ahead at what 2025 has in store.
On the sixth day of Christmas…
We’re investing in a new base in Southampton
With plans in place for Ryebridge to open a new base of operations in Southampton, we look back on the company’s successful links to the port redevelopment.
Back in August 2022, Ryebridge won the tender to build the Solent Rail Terminal, a joint initiative between Associated British Ports (ABP) and Solent Stevedores which expanded the existing intermodal rail transport site to offer additional laden and empty container handling, storage, maintenance, and repair.
The success of this project, the first of its type Ryebridge had worked on, led ABP to engage our services on Marchwood Phase 1, the redevelopment of the port for trading, including the construction of a vast vehicular storage hard-surface area with all kerbs, surfacing, drainage, ducts and manholes.
Additionally, the company built a new security gatehouse and entrance ready for when the site is fully operational, with Phase 1 expected to be completed in the next few weeks.
The project, which got underway in October 2023, involved the demolition of existing site buildings and off-site highway upgrades, alongside the realignment of the internal highway network and upgraded railway crossing points, and the installation of new high mast lights, site CCTV and the electrical infrastructure.
In a company first for environmental excellence, Ryebridge transported the 13,000t of material needed for the work on two boats, eliminating 3,800 lorry movements and the generation of 307 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions (based on 25 tonne vehicles each travelling 10 miles).
Although this meant double-handling the material as it was loaded onto and off the boats, it was deemed to be worth the effort to ensure there was minimal impact on the local community.
This activity was one of the reasons why Ryebridge was shortlisted in the sustainability category of the 2025 Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Awards.
Ryebridge’s ongoing commitment to Southampton has seen the company’s workforce grow from 10 local people and sub-contractors in 2022 to a staff of more than 50 people fully employed and drawn from the local workforce.
Recruiting first through agencies, we soon found we could pick up staff through local resources and referrals, and we have recently invested in our first apprentice, training him in the operation of a forklift and dumper truck.
We have recently been appointed by DP World to work at their base at the port and are progressing with drainage improvements and concrete works. These works will be completed to budget and on time in advance of the Christmas break.
Ryebridge has achieved SafeContractor status, a SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) accreditation whereby a company’s details are verified across health, safety, financial and ethical practices – right down to specific areas such as permits to work at height, or hazardous material handling. All accredited businesses are searchable via a website portal.
The company is an ISO:9001 accredited organisation, which recognises our quality processes and focus on continuous improvement, and is also a Living Wage Accredited organisation. Basic fairness is at the heart of what the Living Wage campaign is trying to achieve, and this is why Ryebridge chooses to go further than the Government minimum.
In Ryebridge’s hometown of Luton, the company was recently recognised as a ‘hero stakeholder’ for the socio-economic value created because of its work with London Luton Airport, the town and the surrounding region.
Ryebridge was highlighted for a good balance of impact across the four key areas of work, economy, community, planet, which included having apprentices, hiring local people, supporting local schools and colleges, and spending with local businesses.
The company also incorporates a wellbeing programme for staff, invests in equality, diversity and inclusion training, manages waste responsibly and supports local community projects.
It is this model of operations which Ryebridge is keen to introduce in Southampton, embedding ourselves deeper into the city community and ensuring our name is synonymous with boosting the local economy, creating local jobs and supporting local charities.
This has already got underway, with Ryebridge sponsoring the Ringwood Seals swimming club, taking part in the Utilita charity golf day in the summer to help support people out of fuel and food poverty, and donating surplus materials to a local boxing gym for training equipment.
These activities are just the start of the company’s drive to give something back to the wider community, with talks already underway with Street Angels (Southampton) to help support their work with homeless rough sleepers.
Now Ryebridge is looking to establish a permanent base of operations in Southampton, providing job security for its locally-based workforce, and showing our commitment to a long-term future in the region.
Managing director Sean Scully said: “We’re confident that we can make a Southampton operation sustainable and so we’re looking at setting down roots in the city. Make no odds about it, Ryebridge is here to stay!”
Ryebridge has been transforming the Marchwood port site.
Ryebridge on the Marchwood site.
Delivering materials by sea to avoid lorry movements.
Ryebridge is also working for DP World in Southampton.
Ryebridge’s work on the Solent Rail Terminal was a big success.