Will all of the industry speculation that still surrounds the prospect of a Brexit it is refreshing to see that there are a number of companies that seem to be running counter to the assertions from some Professionals that Construction is set to enter into recession.Belfast-based Gilbert-Ash is one company that has seen turnover increase, recording a staggering 60% rise in the space of a single year. The company has seen turnover increase to £177 million, most of which has come from large-scale projects in the United Kingdom.The firm, which notes that the majority of its work actually takes place outside of Northern Ireland, also recorded an increase in pre-tax profits, though this was fairly modest in comparison to the enormous increase in turnover.The company is truly international, having secured a number of multi-million pound contracts, both domestically and internationally, in 2015. This included a contract to fit out the British Embassy in Budapest and one to fit out the new Google Innovation Lab at the company’s headquarters in Belfast.The company is bucking the apparent Construction trend in other areas as well, having increased in size to the point where it created 70 new jobs over the course of last year, while also gaining strength in the hospitality sector.Ray Hutchinson, Managing Director of Gilbert-Ash, was unsurprisingly upbeat about the figures, stating: “While market conditions remain highly competitive, we are encouraged by the current order book and anticipate a further significant increase in turnover in 2016.Our strategic focus on further developing the business in Great Britain has led to an increase in tender opportunities which will ensure continued medium-term growth.
In 2015 we were pleased to announce we had created 70 highly-skilled new jobs thanks to our consistent success with large contracts, bringing our workforce to more than 180. We expanded our base in London and moved to larger premises in the centre of the city. Gilbert-Ash has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the UK market and we are confident about the year ahead.”
As always, the team at C-Link are delighted to hear about positive industry news and would like to congratulate Gilbert-Ash on its most recent successes. We aim to help Specialists throughout the United Kingdom enjoy similar success by providing a platform that is dedicated to link them with Professionals who are procuring construction work.
If you would like to find out more about what we have to offer both Specialists and Professionals, please take a look at www.c-link.com and sign up to our online procurement platform.
C-Link – Encouraging growth in Construction.
Paul was a Quantity Surveyor who gained 10 years experience of managing £200 million worth of flagship UK projects, including 20 Fenchurch Street and Battersea Power Station. In 2015, Paul founded C-Link with the intention of sharing his expertise of managing major projects with the SME market.
