Top 10 Construction Companies in the UK | 2024
The UK’s construction industry shapes the landscapes we inhabit and the infrastructure we rely upon, from rail and road networks through to residential developments to cutting-edge industrial facilities.
This industry encompasses a broad spectrum of activities, ranging from the planning and design phase to the execution and completion of projects. But it’s not just about building — a number of businesses in our top 10 list of construction companies develop contech platforms such as software designed to simplify processes, including procurement and project management.
The history of the construction industry in the UK
Historically, construction in the UK has been marked by significant milestones, from the construction of iconic landmarks such as Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall to the grandeur of mediaeval castles and Gothic cathedrals.
However, it was the Industrial Revolution that transformed the industry, with rapid advancements in materials, machinery, and construction techniques. This era saw the rise of mechanised construction methods, the proliferation of railways and canals, and the emergence of scalable urbanisation.
From the post-war reconstruction efforts to the boom in residential and commercial development, the industry has, naturally, shaped much of the UK’s modern urban landscape.
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Today, the construction industry has come a long way. Now, businesses are embracing digital technologies, sustainable practices, and collaborative approaches to address the specific challenges of the 21st century, including housing shortages and infrastructure deficits.
To stimulate the investment and innovation required to meet these challenges, the UK government has introduced initiatives such as the National Infrastructure Strategy (NIS), which was unveiled in November 2020. The NIS outlines a long-term vision for infrastructure investment, with plans to allocate £100b towards vital projects across transportation, energy, digital connectivity, and housing.
There have also been various other incentives and support mechanisms to encourage private sector investment. These include the Construction Sector Deal, which promotes collaboration between industry stakeholders to drive innovation, boost productivity, and enhance the sector’s competitiveness on a global scale by increasing exports.
Additionally, schemes like the Build Back Better Fund and the Housing Infrastructure Fund provide financial assistance to local authorities and developers, facilitating the delivery of new homes and essential infrastructure in communities across the UK.
The UK’s construction industry at a glance
The Beauhurst platform reveals there to be just under 1,500 private construction companies currently operating in the UK, with a combined £53b turnover in the latest financials and hiring close to 190,000 individuals across the country.
When it comes to gender balance, unsurprisingly, this is a male-led industry, with 92% of founders being male (in comparison to just 7% female). This is a similar story when broken down to director level, with 87% majority or all male, compared to 3% majority or all female.
Equity fundraising within this sector is strong, with a total of 373 fundraisings since 2011, equating to a total of £1.67b. The pre-COVID years of 2018 and 2019 were particularly busy years, with combined deals reaching £320m and £284m respectively. Clearly, COVID impacted deals within the construction sector, with the value of fundraisings dropping off to as low as £136m in 2021, though this has since picked up since.
Some of the leading investors in this sector include Crowdcube with eight, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance, with seven investments, and both Entrepreneur First and Wealth Club with six respectively.
But which private companies are leading the way in this diverse and innovative industry? Let’s explore the top 10.
The Top 10 Construction Companies in the UK
We’ve utilised the Beauhurst data platform to discover the top 10 construction companies in the UK, based on the total equity raised through fundraising from 2013 through to 2023.
To give you the complete picture, we’ve also listed where businesses have received grants, attended accelerators, or featured in high-growth lists.
YardLink
Total amount raised: £19.9m
Total equity rounds: Five
Established: 2016
Location: Hackney
First on our list is YardLink, a digital procurement platform aimed at sourcing equipment for construction projects. With dedicated supply chain, operations, and finance teams — YardLink aims to give their clients the means to simplify their digital supply chain.
From renting to buying essential equipment directly, through to connecting construction companies directly to a supplier, YardLink made the Deloitte Fast 50 list of high-growth companies in 2023.
YardLink has also received just under £100k in InnovateUK grants and £19.9m in equity investment across five fundraisings.
Whiteburn
Total amount raised: £20m
Total equity rounds: One
Established: 2008
Location: City of Edinburgh
Whiteburn offers property development services, specialising in house construction. Since 2008, the Edinburgh-based construction company has also built office and restaurant spaces, renovated historic buildings, and facilitated urban expansion.
The business has so far raised a total of £20m in equity over a single round of fundraising. This raise, provided by undisclosed investors, was designed to support the development of Whiteburn’s ‘VOX build-to-rent’ scheme in Dundee.
nPlan
Total amount raised: £21.3m
Total equity rounds: Three
Established: 2017
Location: Tower Hamlets
nPlan is a software company that develops machine learning technology designed to predict the outcomes of construction projects.
When projects overrun, costs invariably balloon far beyond the original estimates, with the HS2 rail project a high-profile example of this. Using AI trained on over 750,000 data sets, nPlan’s platform enables clients to forecast the key risks to projects being completed on time and within budget.
Attending three accelerator programs between 2017 and 2021, including Tech Nation’s Upscale programme, nPlan has since amassed £28.6m in equity fundraisings, with investors including Google Ventures.
FYLD
Total amount raised: £23.1m
Total equity rounds: Three
Established: 2020
Location: City of London
FYLD is a London-based venture-stage company that provides site safety analysis and administration support via its digital platform to businesses in the construction industry. Designed for field teams in the construction sector, FYLD monitors site safety through audio and video footage, highlighting risk factors to worker safety.
Formed in 2020, FYLD has raised a single InnovateUK grant to develop its predictive safety interventions technology, in addition to three rounds of equity fundraising, including a £22.7m September 2023 raise from undisclosed investors.
A high-growth construction company, FYLD made the top 20 of the Startup 100 high-growth list in early 2024 and has ambitions for global expansion following its hiring of a new Chief Commercial Officer.
Sicut Enterprises
Total amount raised: £24.5m
Total equity rounds: Eight
Established: 2013
Location: Islington
Sicut Enterprises is a supplier of sustainable railway sleepers manufactured from recycled plastics.
Notably, Network Rail will end the procurement of existing hardwood sleepers in June 2024, with Sicut’s composite sleepers selected as the replacement for the UK’s next stop on the track to sustainable rail infrastructure.
With a total of £24.5m across eight rounds of fundraising, Sicut Enterprises received the majority of this (£17.9m) from its previous two raises in which DC Thomson Capital, an equity fund, was a key contributor.
Molson Group
Total amount raised: £25.9m
Total equity rounds: Three
Established: 1996
Location:Â City of Bristol
Bristol-based Molson Group has supplied machinery and equipment for the construction industry since 1996. Since then, the company has raised three rounds of equity investment and featured in high-growth lists seven times, including four appearances in LSEG’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain and three entries in the Fast Track Top Track 250.
One of the older, more experienced businesses in our list, Molson Group is an established company in the construction sector and has eight divisions across different types of machinery equipment.
Since 2016, the company has seen a flurry of fundraising activity, raising a total of £25.9m in equity and £18m in loans whilst also undertaking two acquisitions (Finlay Plant and Finlay Scotland).
Troy
Total amount raised: £30.2m
Total equity rounds: Two
Established: 1986
Location: East Devon
Troy wholesales a catalogue of tools, construction wear, and janitorial equipment from a wide range of suppliers, and operates several firms such as United Tooling Solutions. Similarly to others in this article, it has appeared on a number of high-growth lists, including the Fast Growth 75 in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain in 2018 and 2020.
The company has been through just two rounds of fundraising to date, raising a total of £30.2m. The most recent of these was in June 2023, with £15.5m raised through BGF Growth Capital to accelerate the company’s growth and continue supporting and future-proofing its independent group members.
It has also made 13 acquisitions, including SIIS in March 2024 and E.A. Martin & Son in June 2023.
XYZ Reality
Total amount raised: £30.7m
Total equity rounds: Six
Established: 2017
Location: Islington
XYZ Reality develops engineering-grade augmented reality technology designed to help construction companies save time and money on their projects.
Making the BusinessCloud PropTech 50 high-growth list for back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023, XYZ Reality has been active in fundraising circles, raising over £30m in equity investment and £1.58m in grants from InnovateUK.Â
High-profile investment comes from Octopus Ventures and Amadeus Capital Investors, amongst others.
SenSat
Total amount raised: £34.8m
Total equity rounds: Five
Established: 2015
Location: Islington
SenSat uses drones to provide high-resolution land surveys for companies within the engineering and construction sectors. It has attended three accelerator programmes, namely Business Growth Programme, Applied AI, and Upscale. It has also featured on three high-growth lists, including BusinessCloud PropTech 50 in 2022 and 2023, and Startups 100 in 2023.
The company has received £30.7m in equity fundraising so far, with the latest of these being in October 2022 for £18.3m. This was raised through National Grid Partners and other undisclosed investors, with the aim of expanding its use of digital automation in energy, rail, and telecommunications infrastructure development. It has also been granted a further £317k through four grants.
Ridge and Partners
Total amount raised: £40m
Total equity rounds: One
Established: 1946
Location: West Oxfordshire
Number one on our list is Ridge and Partners, which has provided built environment consultancy for over 70 years. Spanning 11 countries, the company has received one equity fundraising in April 2023 from Horizon Capital worth £40m.
In 2022, Ridge and Partners also made the Thames Valley 250 high-growth list, following a string of five acquisitions between 2016 and 2021.
The future of the construction industry in the UK
The future of the construction industry in the UK holds great promise, driven by technological innovation, sustainability imperatives, and evolving societal demands.
As we look ahead, digital technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) are poised to revolutionise project planning, design, and construction processes, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.
The industry is embracing sustainable practices, with a growing emphasis on green building standards, renewable energy integration, and circular economy principles to minimise environmental impact and resource consumption.
Additionally, the demand for smart infrastructure and resilient urban solutions is expected to rise, as cities grapple with challenges posed by climate change, population growth, and urbanisation.
Collaborative approaches, public-private partnerships, and investments in skills development will be crucial in shaping a dynamic and inclusive construction sector that can meet the evolving needs of society while driving economic growth and innovation in the years to come.
Working with Beauhurst
To find out more about different businesses within the construction industry, or to understand this (and other sectors) in more detail, we’re here to help. Our subscription-only data platform allows you to find market-leading profiles of UK companies, as well as industry-insights and ESG signals.
To find out more, book a demo today.
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