10th August: Errigal Contracts has announced it has purchased a significant site in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, following three years of growth and international expansion across Europe.

The company is investing £20m over the next three-year period towards the initial development of the 70-acre site, the former Enkalon industrial estate, with plans to create a centre of excellence for off-site construction.

The company already has manufacturing facilities in Monaghan and this further investment is part of the Brexit strategy to make the business more flexible.

The market-leading international construction company specialises in partition systems, external facade, interior fitout, ceilings and bespoke solutions working throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

With significant growth in the last three years, Errigal has more than doubled its employee count to 325 and this is projected to grow further to 450 in the coming year. It also has an extended workforce of over 1,500 currently working on-site across projects.

The company has also more than doubled its turnover since 2016; growing from £52.4m in 2016 to £116.2m in 2019, with a strong operating profit in the last year of £7.1m.

Errigal was founded over twenty years ago in London and is now headquartered in Monaghan with offices in Derry, London, Amsterdam and Zurich, alongside the new development estate in County Antrim.

The Irish company, led by Cormac McCloskey and Damien Treanor, has worked on some of the most innovative and ground-breaking construction projects from residential, commercial and education to healthcare and hotel & leisure.

Cormac McCloskey, from Derry, was recently included in the prestigious EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist list for 2020, one of only three from Northern Ireland, with the winner to be announced in November this year.

To date, Errigal has completed over 320 construction projects valued at more than £500m across 12 countries including the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Holland, France, Switzerland and Denmark.

Within the 70 acres purchased by Errigal in County Antrim, 30 acres of this includes a functioning distribution warehouse centre. The company plans to breathe new life into this, supported by Invest NI, as well as using the whole site to enable Errigal to continue to develop innovative off-site construction processes. The team will be working with their supply chain to encourage other companies to locate around the site, complimenting Errigal’s off-site construction development. It will also include a residential development to meet local demand for housing across 15 acres and in addition create a host of jobs in the Mid-Ulster area.

It will provide a forward-thinking learning environment for apprenticeships, with over 84 apprentices and 18 undergraduates currently enrolled in the The Errigal Training Academy, an accredited training centre.

Cormac McCloskey, Director, commented: “The new investment in county Antrim is an exciting development in the growth of the business. We have extensive experience in off-site construction, and it is our aim to develop the site into a centre for excellence in off-site construction, benefiting our clients across the UK, Ireland and Europe. It allows for early collaboration and a lot of sectors are seeing the benefits of this, such as healthcare and education. It is becoming increasingly important to do as much construction as possible off-site, reducing the number of people required on-site to install works.

“While navigating the Covid-19 crisis has been challenging, it is a result of our great team that we haven’t experienced any significant impact on our projects and growth plans. Our people are the absolute core of this growth and success, not just our direct workforce, also our extended team of over 1,500, as well as partners and subcontractors. It is the commitment, care, experience and knowledge of its people and their dedication to the industry that distinguishes Errigal in the marketplace.�

Current projects for Errigal include the completion of 22 Bishopsgate, London City’s tallest building and newest skyscraper with 62 floors at 278-metres high.  This high profile £26m project for Errigal is set to open this month.

In hospitality and leisure, the company has completed a range of prestigious projects.  This includes the restoration of Limerick’s Adare Manor Hotel and Estate, The InterContinental O2, The W Hotel in Leicester Square and work with a range of hotel brands including Hilton, Novotel, Jurys, Maldron, Clayton and Ibis.

Errigal’s commercial projects include the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and Wembley Stadium in London as well as retail malls and outlets across the UK, Ireland and Europe with Westfield, Dunnes, Primark and Cineworld notable commercial clients.  

Data centre development continues to fuel client growth in Mainland Europe with projects in Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Germany and most recently Switzerland. The company has opened offices in Amsterdam and Zurich to support this growth.

The company’s pharmaceutical and industrial track record reads as a who’s who of international brands including Astra Zeneca, Shire, GlaxoSmithKline, Amgen and Bombardier. In healthcare and education, the company is proud to have worked on projects such as Dublin’s Mater Hospital, The Royal Victoria in Belfast, The Whitefield Clinic in Waterford and UCD Science and Sports Centres with a number of projects underway including The University of Sussex.  

Errigal has also been involved in some of the most ground-breaking residential developments in recent years including One Tower Bridge in London, Central Park Apartments in Dublin, Circle Square in Manchester and 1 Palace Street, London. The company also worked on the World’s tallest residential building in Mumbai over a 5-year period. The majestic World One is 442 metres high with 117 floors and has become Mumbai’s most iconic landmark.