2021 marks 75 years since Gratte Brothers opened for business and unfortunately, celebrations like many others during the pandemic had to be postponed this year.
The company was founded as an Electrical Contracting business by brothers Derrick and André Gratte on 22nd May 1946 with a starting capital of £100, a sum equivalent then to 20 weeks’ wages for a skilled tradesman. André operated from a Nissan hut in the family’s garden in Knebworth whilst Derrick established the London branch in a room above a café in Holborn. Derrick described it as “a bare room with one table and a Tate Sugar box to sit on, surrounded with coils of cable!“
Company turnover in the first 6 months was £4,825, 7s and 10d. Since those humble beginnings, the company has grown into a thriving concern with 5 divisions offering a full range of building services, over 500 staff and 6 offices as well as its own prefabrication unit in Chelmsford, all headed by the third generation of the Gratte family. The family ethos still pervades everything we do and the company’s success and longevity would not have been possible without the loyalty and dedication of every member of our teams.
Unfortunately, celebrations like many others during the pandemic will have to be postponed this year but we couldn’t let this important milestone pass by without us acknowledging this wonderful achievement so take a look at the video below to see how far Gratte Brothers has grown since 1946!
Transcript: 75 Year Anniversary Video
Text on screen: “Gratte Brothers”
Visual: The Gratte Brothers logo appears on a white background.
Text on screen: “From humble beginnings as an electrical contractor”
Visual: A black-and-white photograph of three men, including founding partners Derrick and Andre Gratte, standing side by side.
Text on screen: “Started by two brothers in the post-war years”
Visual: Derrick and Andre Gratte shaking hands and smiling at the camera in another black-and-white image.
Text on screen: “Gratte Brothers is now one of the UK’s leading building services companies”
Visual: A contemporary photo of the front of Gratte Brothers’ London headquarters.
Text on screen: “Proudly remaining a family business”
Visual: A group photo of five Gratte family members from two different generations.
Visual: Three members of the third generation of the Gratte family pose together, smiling.
Text on screen: “Powered by our people”
Visual: Staff members reviewing printed documents around a table.
Text on screen: “Striving to exceed our clients’ expectations”
Visual: Two site workers in branded high-vis jackets and helmets, viewed from behind, reviewing plans.
Text on screen: “Whilst the processes may have changed”
Visual: Archival photo of a staff member drafting technical drawings by hand (circa 1990s), followed by a modern image of an employee working on CAD drawings at a computer.
Text on screen: “Our commitment to service excellence endures”
Visual: A site worker operating construction machinery, followed by another employee pushing a pallet trolley through a warehouse.
Text on screen: “We strive to be a market leader across all of our services”
Visual: Two site workers in hard hats under a blue sky, followed by a photo of access barriers in a public space, then a professional stainless-steel kitchen installation.
Text on screen: “Building long-term relationships with our clients”
Visual: Group Managing Director David Gratte speaks silently to the camera outside company headquarters. This is followed by a montage: escalators in a public venue, two site workers in high-vis jackets, an empty Wimbledon Centre Court, and two more workers in hard hats.
Text on screen: “Delivering innovative projects”
Visual: A clip of the assembly area at Gratte Brothers’ prefabrication facility.
Text on screen: “Investing in our people”
Visual: Engineers assembling equipment in the prefabrication facility, followed by two office workers reviewing printed and on-screen documents.
Text on screen: “Placing safety at the forefront”
Visual: An engineer works on equipment, followed by a welder in action.
Text on screen: “Acting as a responsible business”
Visual: Company representatives interact with schoolchildren at a careers event, then a photo of a food bank donation collection.
Text on screen: “Mechanical & Electrical”
Visual: A photograph of a detailed plant room installation.
Text on screen: “M&E Maintenance”
Visual: The interior of a data centre, showcasing clean and organised cable management.
Text on screen: “Security Systems & Software”
Visual: A secure entry system mounted on a wall.
Text on screen: “Commercial Catering Equipment”
Visual: An empty restaurant area in a garden centre, featuring modern catering equipment.
Text on screen: “Design Services”
Visual: A screen displaying technical drawings, captured in a slow pan.
Text on screen: “Our heritage is the foundation of our future”
Visual: A black-and-white image of a formal dinner event, followed by four small archival video clips: three of office staff at work, one of a branded van exiting the staff car park.
Final visual: The screen fades to black and is replaced by the Gratte Brothers logo.