Business

Newry construction firm mac-group predicting sharp sales spike to £250m

Mac-group is working on a 120,000 sq ft mixed use office development in Newmarket Dublin 8 for Valorem Investment Partners
Mac-group is working on a 120,000 sq ft mixed use office development in Newmarket Dublin 8 for Valorem Investment Partners Mac-group is working on a 120,000 sq ft mixed use office development in Newmarket Dublin 8 for Valorem Investment Partners

THE Newry-headquartered mac-group says it expects its overall annual turnover to soar to £250 million this year as a result of continued growth in both Britain and Ireland.

The group's Northern Ireland-registered business posted turnover of £82.6m for the year to last December - down from £94.7m on the year before as several large projects were delayed into 2019.

But the business continued to trade at a 4 per cent net profit, its bottom line profit was £4.5m and its net funds rose last year to £11.8m, according to accounts filed at Companies House.

Staff numbers at the Newry operation increased to 87, giving it a 2018 wages bill of just shy of £6 million.

However, after securing a number of significant construction and interiors projects in Dublin and cities across the UK, mac anticipates a sharp spike ahead, with its locally-based operations reaching sales of £140m and total group turnover nearing £250m.

The group (www.mac-group.com) continues to build its market share in the UK and for the first time this year will attribute more than £100m of group turnover to UK projects.

Current schemes include turning the £30m Liverpool Echo Tower into a 209 bed Melia Hotel, a £13m new build for Unilever at their Burton-on-Trent facility, and a £12m external facade replacement at the Merry Hill shopping centre, which is owned by Intu.

The group also announced its secured construction order book in Ireland is currently at €100m.

Contracts secured this year include the construction of a 110,000 sq ft commercial office building for Ryanair in Dublin, a 120,000 sq ft logistics hub for Green REIT and a 120,000 sq ft mixed use office development in Dublin for Valorem Investment Partners.

In the Republic the company has also successfully delivered more than £75m of fast track fitout projects through its mac-interiors brand for companies like Microsoft, KPMG, EY and Hewlett Packard.

Group chief executive Paul McKenna said: “We have continued to win prestigious contracts from blue chip clients across the UK and Ireland, and our profitability is above the industry average, which is testament to the hard work and quality of our work.

“This year we have opened an office in Manchester and expanded our office in Birmingham as we continue to build market share in the UK with customers such as IM Properties, St Modwen Developments, Reach Plc, Chase Midland Estates, Unilever, Mountpark and Intu.”

Mac-group has also just appointed Michele Deely as chief operating officer, joining after a 17-year career in financial services, most recently as COO of State Street.