Procurement delays on major schemes cut McLaughlin & Harvey Holdings’ turnover by 30% to £612.1m for the year to 30 June 2025, from £870.4m, as multiple large civil engineering and construction projects slipped into mid-to-late 2025/26. Despite the volume hit, operating profit rose to £12.8m and pre-tax profit to £18.2m, with both the Northern Ireland and Scottish construction arms contributing positively. The group reports net assets of £67m, cash of £148m and says most 2025/26 budgeted turnover is already secured in the order book.

Profits at GMI Construction Group rose sharply for the year to 30 September 2025, with profit before tax more than doubling to £2.31m on virtually flat turnover of £233.0m and gross margin improving from 3.3% to 4.8%. Cash at bank increased to £22.5m as the contractor delivered over 880,000 sq ft of industrial and logistics space and a 267,000 sq ft office scheme at Circle Square in Manchester, plus the Dakota Hotel in Newcastle and Hyatt Hotel in Leeds. Framework-delivered public sector projects now contribute 13% of turnover, up from 4%, giving a more visible forward pipeline for complex commercial, hotel and PBSA work.

Premier Forest Products has acquired Arnold Laver’s Manchester and Reading branches from the administrators of National Timber Group England, immediately safeguarding 36 jobs and planning to expand headcount at the two sites to more than 100. Both locations will now trade under the Premier Forest brand, with operations to be rebuilt and re-staffed to maintain continuity of structural timber and panel product supply into key regional construction markets. The deal follows National Timber Group’s collapse into administration in November after sustained financial pressure across UK timber and construction supply chains.