It’s hard to believe that another year has passed, but this December feels different. 2022 was something of a rebirth for Delmec, as we headed back into the office, travelled overseas and expanded our team, operations and client list further than ever. Now that we’re close to the end of the year, I’m taking a moment to review the last 12 months and chart the amazing progress of the Delmec team.

On the road again

In a stark contrast to last year, I spent much of 2022 some 30,000 feet high in the sky. The last eight weeks have seen me visit Oman, South Africa, the UAE, the DRC, Tanzania, Pakistan, Malaysia, Malawi and Singapore. Some of the most enjoyable trips were to TowerXchange meet-ups. Over the years, our presence at these global events has grown and now our contingent of expert speakers, panellists and representatives are among the most popular draws. Our reputation is preceding us at this point, and we find audiences are eager to hear about the innovative ways that Delmec is solving our industry’s most pressing problems.

While travel has its own challenges, and it’s hard being away from my wife and children, I do enjoy being back in a room with clients and colleagues again. There’s nothing like meeting with our teams on the ground, seeing our designs come to life on sites, and discussing future projects and plans around a table. We were very fortunate to have been able to pivot so quickly to remote services in the past, but I hope to be able to continue this hybrid approach in 2023 and beyond.

Exciting growth

While the last three years have been tumultuous to say the least, I’m particularly proud of the fact that Delmec rose to meet every challenge head-on and capitalised on every opportunity our industry afforded us. As a result, our growth has been exceptional, an upward trajectory that’s poised to continue into the new year.

2022 also saw Delmec acquire the assets, projects, and expertise of FocusPlus Ltd. in Ireland. This acquisition brings into the fold a global mobile infrastructure specialist and telecoms design services company with vast experience and familiarity with diverse planning regulations. This move will help to expand our capabilities, offering our clients independent site design and planning services.

It’s been a pleasure welcoming our highly capable FocusPlus colleagues into the Delmec family, and we’ve found that already we’re learning from each other, helping to strengthen and extend our skills. No doubt the upcoming Christmas party season will help to cement the relationship even further!

An award-winning team

This year saw Delmec’s collection of awards grow bigger, with the Deloitte 2022 Best in Innovation Award as well as County Carlow Chamber‘s 2022 Business Award for Research Innovation and Technology.  We were also named as one of Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies in Ireland for the fifth time — making us one of their Gold Standard winners.
Speaking to the Sunday Business Post about the Deloitte innovation award, I recalled that the process helped our team focus on the key areas of strategy, capability and innovation, culture and commitment, as well as governance and financials. It’s heartening to think that we excelled across all of these fields, despite all the challenges posed by the changing economic environment. We’ve always made it our mission to stay ahead of the curve — no easy feat in the fast-moving telecommunications industry — and to be recognised for this was a proud moment for us all here at Delmec.

Turning 50 together

By a strange quirk of fate, both Delmec and I are celebrating five decades this year. The company has come a long way since its origins as a steel engineering and fabrication firm in the 1970s. I’ve followed a similarly changeable path, moving from an engineer to a manager, and then a CEO.  While I tend to focus on the road ahead, always moving forward, this big birthday has given me pause for thought — a chance to reflect on all that we’ve done together, Delmec and I.

From establishing overseas offices in Africa to a pivotal partnership with Helios Towers, the last half-century in particular has been one of exceptional progress, driven in no small part by our extraordinarily committed team. Ending this year with the news that together we grew our company by more than 50% is all the birthday present I could ask for.

We close this year in a great position as a company, with a solid strategy for development across multiple markets in the coming years. A huge thank you to everybody in Delmec — as well as our supportive families and friends — for driving this incredible growth.

I’m very aware that the most valuable asset in our company is our people. For us here at Delmec, synergy shapes success is not just a tagline — it’s a way of life. Here’s to our great people, to an exciting year, and to an even better 2023.