Mon, 21 Apr 2025 | BUSINESS SALE
Construction and fit-out company Gilbert-Ash has transitioned to employee ownership. That means the Belfast and London based business will be owned by its 200 employees through an Employee Ownership Trust.
The company works across a range of sectors such as workplaces, hotels, education and healthcare. Its projects include a recent refurbishment of the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Gilbert-Ash managing director Ray Hutchinson said that the directors and shareholders had decided “the time was right” for the company to transition its ownership structure.
Hutchinson said: “The recent success of Gilbert-Ash has, in many ways, been built upon the fact that we have been an employee-owned company for more than 50 years. Moving to an employee ownership trust embraces that fact further and replaces the existing narrow shareholding with a structure that is designed to benefit all employees in perpetuity.”
He added that he was confident that the transition to an EOT is firmly in the best interests of its people, the future success of its business and retains its roots as an employee-owned company.
“As an employee-owned company we have seen the benefits of improved loyalty, productivity and innovation from our people, and we believe moving to an EOT will enhance these values even more,” he said. “This restructure will give our people a greater say in the future growth and direction of Gilbert-Ash. Following expert external advice from our advisors PwC, who helped with all aspects including the overall design and structure, EOT best practice and principles, tax, legal, and valuation aspects, this new model will equip us to face the future with confidence.”
Gilbert-Ash reported its best ever turnover with sales of £267 million in 2023, although its pre-tax profit dropped to £1.9 million from £4.2 million the previous year. It blamed “unprecedented inflation” which raised costs.
However, it has a significant order book, featuring several high-profile projects, including the major refurbishments of Tate Liverpool and Theatr Clwyd in Wales.
Find out more about the growth in demand for EOTs
This well-established carpentry subcontractor for sale is a preferred supplier to many prominent builders, showcasing its strong market presence and reputation in the East of the UK.
This is a building services consultancy based in London. Benefitting from over a decade of trading, this dynamic company has built a diverse portfolio of Blue-Chip client projects across a wide spectrum of sectors, including Education, Industrial, Le...
An opportunity has arisen to purchase an interior joinery specialist with a portfolio of luxury design projects for a thriving, premium client base. From its dedicated manufacturing facility in the South East UK, this company excels in crafting joine...
Please choose your settings for this site below. For more information please read our Cookie Policy
These cookies are necessary for our website to function properly and provide you with access to all features.
These are analytics cookies that help us to improve the way our website works.
These are used to improve the functional performance of the website and make it easier for you to use.