Everyone loves a success story in construction. So how about 10?
Here is a rundown of some of the biggest contractors in the sector and how these heavy-hitters have made their mark on the built environment.
As we draw closer to the end of what has been an interesting year for both the UK and the construction industry, companies are beginning to recover from the challenges of the start of the decade.
With that in mind, we have compiled some of the biggest construction companies in the UK by revenue and a review of the sectors in which they operate, for your enjoyment.
- Balfour Beatty
The UK’s ‘biggest’ construction company, Balfour Beatty, turned in a strong performance in its latest financial results, with revenue up 7 per cent to £9.6 billion (2022: £8.9 billion).
The firm, founded in January 1909, by George Balfour and Andrew Beatty, is headquartered in London, with current CEO Leo Quinn at the helm since 2014, alongside group CFO Phillip Harrison.
Balfour Beatty’s most recent headcount shows 26,000 people in its employ, across a range of services including civil engineering, building, ground engineering, M&E, refurbishment, fitout and rail engineering.
- Morgan Sindall
Morgan Sindall, founded by current CEO John Morgan in 1997, Morgan Lovell before it, merged with William Sindall plc in 1994 to form Morgan Sindall Group plc.
The company posted record results in its latest financial report, with group revenue up 14 per in 2023, to £4.1 billion, compared to £3.6 billion in the prior year, generating an adjusted profit before tax of £1.4 billion.
The London-based firm employs 7,600 people across its six divisions which includes construction and infrastructure, fitout, property services, partnership housing, urban regeneration and investments.
In April, the group confirmed Kelly Gangotra as the company’s next finance director.
- Kier Group
Kier Group showed revenue growing 16.6 per cent in the year ended 30 June 2024, to £4 billion, from £3.4 billion in 2023.
The contractor also grew pre-tax profits by 31.2 per cent to £68.1 million from £51.9 million the previous year.
Founded by Danish engineers Jorgen Lotz and Olaf Kier in 1928 under the name Lotz & Kier, the company, now under the name Kier Group, is based in Stoke-on-Trent, headed up by CEO Andrew Davis along with CFO Simon Kesterton.
The UK infrastructure contractor employed 9,964 as of 2023.
- Laing O’Rourke
Laing O’Rourke, as it is known today, was formed in 2001 – the combination of John Laing Plc which dates back to 1848 and R O’Rourke & Son, founded in 1978 by brothers Ray and Des O’Rouke.
The Kent-headquartered firm recently returned to profit in its latest financial results.
Group revenue for the year ended 31 March 2024 grew 18.2 per cent to £4 billion (FY2023 £3.3 billion) generating a pre-tax profit of £18.1 million (FY2023: -£288.1 million).
The son of founder Ray O’Rourke, Cathal O’Rourke stepped up to the position of group CEO in July this year, after Ray announced his decision to step down after five decades at the helm.
In July, Laing O’Rourke co-founder and deputy chair Des O’Rourke sadly died aged 75.
Rowan Baker is the group’s current CFO, but announced her decision to leave at the end of September, and will be succeeded by Paul Teasdale.
Laing O’Rouke currently has 10,603 people in its employ.
- Keller Group
Keller Group, based in London, increased its revenue 1 per cent in its 2023 annual results to £2.9 billion.
Keller has a headcount of 9,500 employees by the company’s most recent last count.
Michael Speakman is the specialist contractor’s current CEO which was founded by Johann Keller in 1860.
- Mace
Mace is relatively young compared to some of its competitors, founded in 1990 by Ian MacPherson.
However, the London-based firm stands toe-to-toe with its long-standing contemporaries, with the group recording revenue of £2.36 billion, exceeding that of 2022 by £464 million (or 25 per cent) and generating an operating profit of £64.3 million.
The company is led by Mark Reynolds who was appointed Mace’s Group Chief Executive in 2013 and Chairman in January 2022.
Meanwhile the groups chief finance officer, David Allen, has been in the role since he joined in December 2022
The firm’s global headcount grew to almost 7,500 in 2023 operating in countries around the world including UK, Ireland, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Australia and Singapore.
- Wates
In its 2023 annual results, Wates recorded its highest-ever turnover of £2.18 billion, up 15 per cent on 2022.
Founded by Edward Wates 1897, the family-owned firm is currently based in Surrey, led by CEO Eoghan O’Lionaird alongside CFO Philip Wainwright.
With 4,321 employees as of 2023, the contractor focuses on engineering and offsite manufacturing, and on flexible workspaces.
- AMEY
AMEY remains one of the UK’s biggest contractors, however, the London-headquartered infrastructure engineering contractor reported a dip in its annual revenue in 2023, down from £2 billion in 2022 to £1.8 billion.
The company cited the end of non-core Next Generation Estates Contracts (NGEC) in the Defence sector as part of the reason for the reduction in revenue.
Andy Milner returned as chief executive of Amey after holding the position between 2016 to 2019.
The contractor, which was founded in 1921 by Willian Charles Amey and currently employs 1,900 people, specialises in structural design, civil infrastructure, transport systems and asset management services.
- Galliford Try
Galliford Try has today (3 Oct) released its financial results for the year ended 30 June 2024 after delaying its results in September due to the group’s auditor, BDO, requesting more time to complete their standard auditing processes.
However, the west London contractor delivered another strong year in 2024, with a surge in revenue by 27.2 per cent to £1.8 billion from £1.4 billion the previous year.
This generated a pre-tax profit of £30.9 million, 205.9 per cent higher than 2023 with £10.1 million.
The company was created in 2000 through the merger of Try Group plc, founded by the carpenter William S. Try during 1908 in Uxbridge, west London, and Galliford plc, founded in 1916.
The building, infrastructure and specialist services contractor has remained in London ever since, with 3,900 employees as of June 30, 2023.
Group CEO Bill Hockings has held the position since 2020, having previously served as chief executive of its construction division from 2015.
This year the company also announced Kris Hampson would be taking up the position as Galliford Try’s new Chief Financial Officer.
- Skanska
Multinational construction and development company Skanska rounds out the group.
Based in Sweden, the company operates in the UK from its headquarters in Watford, with UK chief executive Katy Dowding at the helm alongside UK CFO Meliha Duymaz.
Group revenue for the year ended 31 December 2023 fell for the Swedish firm down to £1.32 billion, from £1.37 billion the year before.
Founded in 1887, Skånska Cementgjuteriet was formed by Rudolf Fredrik Berg in Malmo in Southern Sweden with the current stewardship of Group CEO Anders Danielsson.
Established in the UK in 2000, Skanska has more than 3,300 employees and 27,000 total as of April 2024.
The company’s UK operations mainly consist of construction and facilities management (FM).
NB: These findings have been researched and collated by Construction Wave and in no way reflect official market research, and therefore should not be interpreted as a definitive ‘top 10’ list.
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