{"id":533665,"date":"2025-12-01T12:00:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T12:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/?p=533665"},"modified":"2026-01-12T15:01:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T15:01:10","slug":"cn-specialists-index-2025-top-10-ground-engineering-contractors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constructionnews.co.uk\/financial\/cn-specialists-index-2025-top-10-ground-engineering-contractors-01-12-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"CN Specialists Index 2025: top 10 ground engineering contractors"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a mixed year for ground engineering firms, revenue fell while pre-tax profits rose as companies grappled with the impact of delays in project starts, the Building Safety Act and uncertainty over future workloads.<\/p>\n

Nine of the\u00a0 sector\u2019s top 10 businesses were profitable but, in total, revenue fell by \u00a322.8m to \u00a31.06bn, a 3 per cent decrease. Aggregate pre-tax profit dropped by 4 per cent to \u00a356.8m.<\/p>\n

Of the 10, only table-topping Bachy Solentache and Fugro in fourth exceeded \u00a310m in profit, while four firms registered falls compared with 2024\u2019s index. Bachy Solentache almost doubled its profit to \u00a315.8m. But others fared less well, such as Socotec, which tipped into the red with a \u00a39.6m loss. Only Bachy Solentache, Socotec, Bauer and Aarsleff grew their revenues, with Bauer\u2019s up by 61 per cent (\u00a331.9m).<\/p>\n

Half of this year\u2019s top 10 have seen their pre-tax margins narrow, with the worst performance being a 13.3 per cent contraction at Socotec. The median pre-tax margin was 7 per cent, up from 5.7 per cent in 2024.<\/p>\n

The sector\u2019s outlook is clouded by unpredictable delays and falling workloads, says Malcolm O\u2019Sullivan, chair of the Federation of Piling Specialists. He says: \u201cDespite encouraging headline financial figures, which are a slight improvement on the 2024 figures, the reality is that declining workloads in 2024 are now showing on 2025 balance sheets.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Sullivan, who is also chief operating officer of Van Elle, says the industry is affected by the \u201cuncertainty surrounding project approvals and the ongoing impact of the Building Safety Act\u201d, and that this is stifling investment, while squeezing workloads and margins. \u201cDelays remain a particular issue,\u201d he says. \u201cContractors are left with resources on standby, incurring costs that are rarely recoverable from clients. With surplus capacity across the ground engineering sector, competition for live projects has intensified, driving down margins further.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cementation Skanska commercial director Martin Kevill says: \u201cWe\u2019ve seen challenging market conditions this year driven by a number of factors, ranging from delays to the start of new building and transport schemes, to the prevailing economic conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve adapted to these market conditions, ensuring that we are best placed to work with our customers on the projects that lie ahead. The full publication of the government\u2019s infrastructure pipeline earlier this year was a welcome step, as it brings greater clarity for the industry. We see opportunities across a range of sectors, including energy, nuclear and defence, as well as transportation.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The top 10 companies in:<\/h3>\n