Paul Ruddick, founder of Reds10, has transformed his company from humble beginnings into one of the United Kingdom’s leading modular construction firms, specializing in the design and manufacture of public sector buildings such as schools, hospitals, and military accommodations. The company operates six factories in East Yorkshire, where building components are prefabricated before being assembled on site.

Ruddick’s career shift came in 2006 after he was passed over for a promotion at a construction firm where he had contributed to multimillion-pound school projects. Starting anew, he undertook manual and small-scale jobs—including moving furniture and installing pinboards—to establish his own business. Despite initial skepticism from peers, he persevered, working long hours and gradually building a client base through personal relationships. Within the first year, he had saved £50,000, a sum greater than he had ever held before.

Reds10, which directly employs over 900 people rather than relying heavily on subcontractors common in the industry, reported turnover of £144.7 million in the year ending March 2025, generating a pre-tax profit of £7 million. The company anticipates revenue to rise to approximately £160 million this year, backed by a project pipeline exceeding £350 million. Among its recent contracts is a £20 million special educational needs and disabilities school in Sutton, south London, commissioned by the Department for Education and scheduled for completion next year. Reds10 also recently secured a £100 million military accommodation project.

The business is family-run, with Ruddick holding the majority stake alongside his siblings, who are actively involved in operations, as is his wife in the firm’s furniture division. The group encompasses nine entities covering areas such as interior design and installation services. The family supports apprenticeships and actively employs individuals returning to the workforce, including career changers and prisoners on day release, with most staff residing locally to avoid prolonged periods away on construction sites.

Ruddick credits a critical turning point to a difficult deal made about twelve years ago when Reds10 agreed to a joint arrangement with a supplier in Hull who intended to open his own factory. Although the deal strained the company’s capital and caused several challenging years, Ruddick eventually acquired full control of the manufacturing site, which has since become central to Reds10’s operations.

The company employs a modular construction approach, manufacturing building sections off-site to promote efficiency—a model Ruddick argues is long overdue in an industry he sees as lagging behind industrial advancements. Looking ahead, Reds10 aims to expand into social housing, developing affordable schemes in London to address the UK’s housing shortage. Ruddick has expressed a focus on expanding key-worker and affordable housing rather than private residential developments.

Currently preparing for a potential listing on the London Stock Exchange next year, Ruddick sees Reds10 positioned to influence meaningful change within the construction sector. Reflecting on his journey, he regards persistence and reinvestment as vital to the company’s growth and resilience over nearly two decades.