Steve Clark
Clark Contracts
Born in Paisley and brought up in Foxbar, a council estate in Paisley, Steve left school at 15 years old and started his working life weighing bales of wool at Scottish Wool Growers. Not knowing what he wanted to do with his life he moved on to Peacocks making chalk lines for the building industry then on to a local sawmill, cutting wood. After working at the sawmill, he started at the Neilston Road branch of Galbraith’s stores, a chain of small supermarkets. Next he took the exam to become an electrician – which he failed miserably!
Finally Steve’s father, who was a foreman joiner at Wimpey, managed to get him an interview for a joinery apprenticeship with the company and he went on to serve his time there until the age of 20. From Wimpey, Steve went to work with McAlpine in the oil rig construction yard at Ardyne Point, near Dunoon before being made redundant after 2 years when the yards closed down.
After leaving the yard he started to do odd jobs for friends and family then started advertising for more work in local post office windows. When work started to pick up it was suggested that he would have to set up a legitimate business. So in June 1978 at the age of 24 years old, Steve formed Clark Contracts and the rest is history…
Today, Clark Contracts has a turnover of £46million and employs over 250 people across Scotland.
Although Steve has no formal qualifications, and failed his 11 Plus exam, he believes in the importance of education and continual training. The company values are respect, honesty, accountability, approachability and trust.