The London-based contractor topped the rankings in 2025 as the year’s largest work winner, securing £3.18bn in confirmed orders. Its success was driven by a strong pipeline of major schemes, led by the £1.1bn British Library extension and several high-profile office developments across the Capital.
The milestone came in the same year the firm sold off its profitable consultancy division, sharpening its focus on core contracting operations.
Close behind in second place was Austrian group Strabag’s UK arm, which recorded a standout year underpinned by the landmark 110km Haweswater aqueduct upgrade for United Utilities – a programme with an overall value of around £3bn.
Sir Robert McAlpine claimed third spot with £2.26bn of secured work, bolstered by headline projects including the new electric arc furnace steelworks at Port Talbot and the flagship Therme Spa development at Trafford Park.
The 2025 league table highlighted a shift in the competitive landscape, with McLaren, McLaughlin & Harvey and Graham all entering the top 10 after stepping up to win larger and more technically complex contracts.
Collectively, the top 100 contractors secured more than £47.3bn of work during the year, representing a 22% increase on the previous 12 months.
Meanwhile, the top 10 firms increased their share of total new orders to 42%, up from 39% last year, according to figures compiled by construction data specialist Barbour ABI.
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