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If I Knew Then: Adam Griffiths
Adam Griffiths is the managing director of Unitary Engineering Services (UES), a company set up by his father Roger in 1986. UES is a growing building services and renewables specialist, operating across the south of England and south Wales. The firm employs 20 staff from its base near St George, Bristol.
In 2024, the Easton-based engineering firm received B-Corp status in recognition of its long-term commitment to innovation, sustainability and community impact.
How did you start your career?
“I started off working at the airport. It was close to my childhood home in Backwell and I’d always loved the feel and vibe of travelling through the airport on holidays. When an opportunity came up to work with the ground handling agent on the check-in desk, I jumped at the chance.
As part of its journey towards B Corp status, UES joined forces with Vanaways to electrify its fleet
I spent two years checking in holidaymakers before being promoted to aircraft dispatcher, with responsibility for turning aircraft around on the ground, working with all the key teams that make sure the plane is unloaded, reloaded and ready to go in a timely fashion. The work had a real family feel and it left me with some great memories. I still keep in touch with a lot of the people I met, although I don’t miss the shift work.”
If you knew then what you know now, what mistakes would you have avoided?
“I’d try not to be afraid to ask more questions. Sometimes it’s a struggle to find things out by yourself. I now know, from experience, that there are no silly questions. If anything, they’re the ones that no one else is brave enough to ask. Working with lots of apprentices at UES means it’s great to see senior team members sharing their knowledge.”
What advice would you give yourself when starting out?
“Don’t try to be someone else. It’s great to learn, to grow as a person, to continue to educate yourself and add more skills. But stay true to who you are. I like to think you can run a good business, do good things and not get wrapped up in your own selfish output.”
One of the biggest undertakings of UES in its 40-year history was the electrification of the First Bus depot in Taunton
If you knew then what you know now, would you still be sitting here?
“Yes, I believe I would. There is a great deal to be said for being part of a family business with strong values which permeate an organisation.”
What do you know now that you didn’t know then?
“Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of communicating with clients to keep them informed on every part of the project process. On the rare occasions we’ve had issues on the job, it’s usually down to a misunderstanding of what has been communicated or agreed upon.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far?
“Take one thing at a time. Focus and do it well. As you grow into leadership, you’ll become bombarded with dozens of things to do each day. I find the best way of working, particularly when you have a list of priorities, is to concentrate on one thing, complete it properly, and then move on to the next one.”
What is your career highlight?
“I’ve had lots of highs and enjoyed working with some amazing clients. One that really stood out was the Olympics in London in 2012. We had the opportunity to do work on a stand in the Olympic Village, installing a temporary drainage setup for easy installation and disconnection. Feeling the buzz and atmosphere in and around the Stadium was something I’ll never forget.”
What is your career low point?
“We’ve had occasional instances of being severely let down by unscrupulous companies – it’s business, there’s risk involved, and it’s easy to trust people too much and be taken advantage of. Mistakes aren’t nice when they happen, but it’s important to learn from them.”
What keeps you awake?
“I think a lot about the next day’s workload, being able to get through the list of jobs and trying not to stress about it too much.”
What’s changed from when you started out?
“I tend to tell my dad, who started the company, that the biggest change from when he was involved is the speed of doing business. In his day, he’d often get proposals via Royal Mail and wait for an order to arrive, usually from the fax machine or back in the post, in a week or more. These days it can take minutes by email. That’s great for growth potential, but it means you have to be able to quickly and flexibly manage more clients while adapting to higher productivity too.”
What’s still on your to-do list?
“Long term, I’d like to build a legacy business which I can hand on to the next generation. More immediately, it’s invoicing. It’s always on my list, a weekly task that needs to be checked off through the CRM. It’s vital to business – as Dad always said, you need to make sure the cash flow is topped up to ensure you can continue to deliver new projects.”
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What’s next for you in business and personally?
“The next steps for the business are to support our clients with an introduction to our industry’s world of renewables. There are so many new technologies being developed each year.
I see UES as a partner in advising what will work best for our customers, so we can provide the perfect solution. On a personal note, now our kids are a bit older I’m looking forward to seeing more of the world with the family and going exploring.”
All photos: UES
This article is taken from the May/June 2025 Bristol24/7 magazine
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