North West Firm, Dowds Group, Kicks Off 2026 with Record £90M Project Pipeline

Dowds Group, a well-established specialist engineering company based in Ballymena, is heading into the new year with an impressive and record-breaking £90 million pipeline of new work. This fantastic news signals a period of substantial growth for the firm, which has been a prominent player in the industry for nearly 50 years.

This uplift in revenue has largely been propelled by the Group's strategic decision to enhance its focus on GB-based Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) projects. This approach has already resulted in an additional £12 million of new projects in that region during 2024/2025 compared to the previous trading year. More than £50 million of this new work is already secured for 2026/27, with the remaining projects set to commence in 2027/28.

Among Dowds' flagship projects for 2026 is a significant £27 million Mechanical & Electrical scheme at the London School of Economics, in partnership with McLaren Construction. The company will also continue its vital work for The Sisk Group at both Guy & St Thomas Hospital and Lewisham Hospital, projects with a combined value of £20 million, alongside a £14 million Life Sciences project with McLaughlin and Harvey in Bloomsbury, London.

While the company recorded a turnover of £65.3 million for the year ended March 31, 2025 (compared to £72.7 million the previous year), this was primarily due to project start dates extending into 2026. Importantly, Dowds Group has seen a healthy 3% increase in Gross Margin profitability, reflecting their dedication to quality and operational excellence. The firm has also made a substantial £1.6 million investment in 2025 into its new 'Group Professional Services' at its Ballymena headquarters, creating unique specialist engineering roles and attracting high-quality talent locally.

Chief Executive, Louise McClelland, emphasised the company's core values: "A key strategic goal for the company is to keep our people and client at the heart of what we do." She highlighted the ongoing investment in their Ballymena HQ, occupied since August 2023, and their London premises, showcasing their commitment to teams and clients across both regions and establishing Dowds as a key player in the UK market. Executive Chair, James Dowds, added that the outlook for the company is very positive, with a confirmed pipeline and order book for the next 18 months and visibility stretching into 2027 and beyond.

Dowds Group's commitment to excellence extends beyond its projects. The company has established an ESG Forum and achieved Platinum accreditation in the BITC’s Environmental Benchmarking Survey, an improvement from their 2024 silver award, while also maintaining ISO14001 accreditation. Their outstanding performance has also earned them a fifth consecutive plaudit in the Deloitte Best Managed Company programme, CORE accreditation from Business in the Community for corporate responsibility, and a Gold Standard in RoSPA’s Health & Safety Excellence Awards. These accolades underscore Dowds Group's dedication to sustainable practices, responsible business, and a safe working environment.