M&A

Demand for electric-vehicle charging, renewable energy connections, grid upgrades and electric heating schemes are all providing a healthy pipeline of work for mechanical and electrical (M&E) specialists. Aggregate revenue among the largest 10 firms in the sector has risen by 13 per cent, from £2.68bn to £3.04bn, in this year’s…

The 10 biggest ground engineering (GE) firms recorded the second-lowest combined turnover of any specialism in this year’s index, although there were still sizeable increases in turnover and pre-tax profit since the previous year. Total revenue has shot up by 29 per cent compared with the previous year’s table, while…

A new company sits atop the envelope contractor table for the first time since 2018. London-based Stanmore’s sharp revenue growth, from £96.1m to £142.9m, sees it overtake Permasteelisa, which itself achieved a 12 per cent turnover rise. Stanmore’s accounts attribute its rapid growth to a relaxation of Covid restrictions, the…

The UK’s 10 largest demolition firms bounced back from the impact of the pandemic. Following a 5 per cent drop in turnover in the 2021 Specialists Index and a flat performance last year, the sector’s big names posted a combined 11 per cent hike this year. National Federation of Demolition…

By Keith Cooper The leading concrete specialists improved their aggregate financial performance, although inflation hit profits and margins. Three of the top 10 firms posted losses, in contrast with the previous year, which saw only one firm in the red. Third-placed PJ Carey’s £48.1m deficit was the biggest by far,…

Jonathan Parker is development director at national framework provider Pagabo This year has seen several big names in the construction industry hit financial difficulty, and prevailing wisdom suggests that the list is only going to grow longer. Indeed, data from the Insolvency Service shows a 19 per cent rise in…

It’s faced bankruptcy and sold its most profitable arm, but the firm is now growing again The first line of the introduction to Kier’s latest results reads: “Over the last two years, Kier has undergone a transformation.” At a glance, this claim could look wrong. The company’s share price has…

Despite continued economic turmoil, the release of pent-up demand got the industry back on track, with combined turnover and profit both surpassing pre-Covid levels Remember 2019? At the time it seemed chaotic, with the UK construction sector – along with the rest of the business community – facing a lack…

Andy Beard is global head of cost and commercial management at Mace. In the first of a two-part analysis, he looks at the ongoing impact of inflation and high interest rates on the construction sector With personal finances taking a beating, interest-rate rises and inflation are topics on the lips…

Gerard Toplass is group chief executive of The 55 Group, parent company of framework provider Pagabo  If the latest pay figures are anything to go by, private sector employers are responding to wage rises in a knee-jerk fashion and should act more prudently when looking after staff. Don’t get me…