“We have put in place robust procedures and briefings around social distancing so that we can keep our people, supply chain partners, customers and the general public safe. However, we are very resilient, and we managed to set systems up quickly to enable our people to work from home and keep our sites going, for as many clients as possible. Paul said: “As has been the case for most organisations, this pandemic has created incredible challenges and it has put a massive strain on business. Many sites have been closed and tighter working restrictions have been established in a bid to stop the spread of the virus and keep workers safe. However, like every organisation, the biggest challenge at the moment is the effects on business due to the Coronavirus crisis. “We’re hoping that will stand us in good stead for the future – to be a great business to work for and a great business to work with.” We don’t have a big turnover of personnel and do invest a lot in training and are continually investing in our people. “Safety is number one for us – to deliver well and deliver safely. “We employ some fantastic people at Pod-Trak and they in turn provide us with an excellent work ethic and commitment to the Pod-Trak brand. “We are growing strongly because we spend time planning so that we can always deliver safely and deliver well. Our people are our biggest asset though and that is why we recruit well and plough as much as we can into training and development. Honesty is a big part in everything we do, and we believe that reinvestment in the latest technology alongside heavy plant and equipment is very important. We set the company up on very honest, modest beginnings. He said: “I am very proud of where we are. The company now has office locations across the UK and Ireland and has years of experience in delivering complex and specialist technical projects successfully, particularly in the railway, airport and civil engineering sectors. The first couple of years we literally planned and administered everything from our kitchen table.” “We knew it could be successful and we ran a very tight ship – and we operated like that for two years until 2009 when we moved into our first office. “A lot of hard went into the first couple of years, but I always believed we could make a success of the business.
“We weren’t married at the time and I was working longs shifts at night in Birmingham and shifts in London during the day – complying with the Hidden 18 recommendations of course. I was working out of a van myself while my fiancée was doing the books at the kitchen table,” he said “When we established Pod-Trak in 2007, I had 10 people working with me. The business all started in his kitchen, and it is in his home where he speaks via video link to us today due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Paul set up Pod-Trak after spending six years working throughout the UK and Ireland working on various rail and infrastructure projects. We’ve had a lot of support, guidance and advice over the years from some really good people.” Everything we have achieved so far has not just been done by just us. “We saw a real opportunity and worked closely with a lot of clients and they helped us develop, especially with our systems. “The idea for the business came about because we thought we could do things better ourselves than what we were seeing other contractors doing at the time. When I established Pod-Trak I only expected to become a subcontractor with a small team. “Where we are now has exceeded my original expectations. “It has been a bit of a rollercoaster from there to here with a lot of hard work and some ups and downs, but mainly ups,” he said. Paul has spoken to about the company’s journey so far. It opens up a whole new avenue of specialist works with the owners, operators and developers of Britain’s railway infrastructure. This builds on successes with the likes of Transport for London, Transport for Greater Manchester and Heathrow Airport. As well as taking into account the challenges everyone is facing with the COVID-19 crisis, the multidisciplinary engineering solutions provider has to find a way to build on the rapid success it has enjoyed since its inception in 2007.īut the specialists in the construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure have got off to an impressive start, having been accepted by Network Rail to act as a Principal Contractor.
It might be an unlucky number for some, but the founder and the Managing Director of Pod-Trak, Paul O’Donnell, hopes their 13th year since being established will be one of opportunity. Home > News | Media Centre > The MD of Pod-Trak on his optimism for the future The MD of Pod-Trak on his optimism for the future
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