Pave Aways celebrates 50 years of success

A hugely-successful building company is celebrating 50 golden years of success.

Award-winning Pave Aways, which is based in Knockin in Shropshire and has offices in Newtown and Wrexham, was incorporated on October 1, 1973.

The company started life as a groundworks contractor before moving into building maintenance and construction and becoming one of the region’s most successful privately-owned construction firms.

Managing director Steven Owen said: “Fifty years is a fabulous achievement and everyone at Pave Aways is rightly proud of this landmark anniversary.

“Pave Aways has delivered high quality and excellent customer service for five decades and our superb reputation is key to our success. As a company, we make sure we invest in our own people and in the communities in which we work, as well as making a huge contribution to the local economy through our supply lines and contractors.

“I’m looking forward to continuing with the growth we have enjoyed so far and to positioning Pave Aways for another 50 years of success.”

For the first 24 years, Pave Aways was based at Park Hall in Oswestry, before the business moved to Knockin in 1997.

From its early beginnings, founded and led by Cliff Evans, the firm started to win building maintenance contracts at military sites and other establishments and building construction became a far bigger part of the business.

In 2011, Steven Owen led a management buyout to build on the work of Peter Jackson and Roy Evans, which provided a renewed vigour for growth.

Victoria Lawson and Jamie Evans – who had both been with Pave Aways for more than ten years – became directors in 2015 and 2016 respectively and were joined by Charlotte Davies in 2022.

Steven added: “The name Pave Aways no longer really reflects what we do – we've come a long way from driveways and access roads! But I’m proud that the Pave Aways name is firmly tied to our reputation as a good building company with an experienced management team, a proven workforce and sound business procedure.

“While today’s Pave Aways projects are more likely to be multi-million pound school buildings with the latest eco-friendly and sustainable technologies, our passion for excellence and giving back to the community have never changed.”

Pave Aways now has around 80 employees and has won numerous awards, including being named SME of the Year at the Constructing Excellence Midlands awards this year.

Its recent high-profile developments in Shropshire include the conversion of the former keep at Copthorne Barracks into luxury apartments, a new boarding house for girls at Shrewsbury School and new school buildings or extensions at four further schools.