Staffordshire contractor doubles profits as new CEO takes charge
M&J Evans Construction has reported turnover up 15.8% to £374.3m for the year to 31 December 2025, with profit before tax more than doubling to £8.0m.
The Staffordshire-headquartered groundworks and civil engineering contractor‘s results come as new chief executive Alex Clack takes charge of the business.
Operating profit rose 70.2% to £8.7m, while EBITDA before exceptional items increased 19% to £16.7m and net assets grew to £58.6m. The company’s order book grew 6.5% to £537.0m, with tender success rates improving to 28.2%.
The Eastern Counties region, launched in 2024, scaled into its second year of trading, contributing £22.0m to the year-end order book, up from £17.8m. Building on that growth, the company has confirmed plans to open an eighth region in the South East during 2026.
Alex Clack, who succeeded Chris Southgate as chief executive this year, brings more than 25 years’ experience in groundworks and civil engineering, including over 20 years at M&J Evans, having joined in 2003 as a quantity surveyor before progressing to commercial director, Midlands managing director and most recently chief commercial officer.
He said: “FY25 was a year of strong financial and operational delivery for M&J Evans, with significant growth in profitability and continued progress against our five-year strategy. I’m proud of the momentum we’ve maintained in delivering our strategy, from the continued scaling of our Eastern Counties region to the launch of our NHBC apprenticeship programme and our broader plans for launching into the utilities sector.”
The company launched a bespoke groundworker apprenticeship scheme with the NHBC in early 2025, reporting a 100% completion rate for its first cohort against a 42% national average, alongside a 94% post-qualification retention rate. It also took its first steps into the utilities sector during the year, generating £5.5m in revenue from network upgrade work and final mile utility connections, as part of a deliberate diversification away from reliance on housebuilding volumes.
The company said its outlook for 2026 remains resilient, supported by a growing order book, robust balance sheet and continued cost discipline, despite uncertainty around interest rates and wider macroeconomic conditions.
