Huw Richards, Group MD of Walters Group talks to Peter Haddock about skills, HS2, technology and the future of the earthworks sector

Huw Richards has been the Group Managing Director of the Walters Group for over 27 years, having started his earthworks career when he was just 18. With a vast amount of experience, he is the latest leader to share his thoughts with Peter Haddock for our Content With Media 'Podcast With Leadership' Series. This edition and those remaining in the series are sponsored by LiuGong Direct UK. It's one of the UK's leading construction equipment suppliers with direct sales and service support to its customers. They also support a similar series of articles in the print edition of Earthmovers Magazine. In this edition, Huw talks about the Walters Group focus on safety with his recent safety tour and how the business has grown to employ over 500 people, with a fleet of 600 machines. It has also diversified from its original base in Wales to now operate in the quarrying, waste management, infrastructure and construction sectors, throughout the UK. With its operators averaging eight years of service, Huw talks about how the business is also investing in staff skills development, with the use of specialist Cat Simulators.  Huw goes on to talk about industry collaboration with the A14 and how it will be important moving forward with projects like HS2. When it comes to technology, Huw explains the importance of site managers, using data to benchmark performance and how the business is focusing on delivering positive outcomes, when it comes to its carbon impact. With some of its operators handling equipment worth over £350,000, with the very latest technologies on board, it's certainly not an industry which is just about oil and grease any more.  We hope you enjoy listening. If you want to get in touch with Content With Media email [email protected]