What McAvoy does

McAvoy Group is a Northern Ireland-based offsite modular construction specialist with over five decades of operating history. The company designs, manufactures, and installs permanent and temporary modular buildings from a 70,000-75,000 sq ft purpose-built manufacturing facility in Lisburn, completing 70-90% of works under factory conditions before site installation. Its core technology centres on volumetric modular construction supported by Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Virtual Reality design review, with proprietary branded systems including SmartClass® (education), SmartCare® (healthcare), SmartBusiness® (offices), SmartSpace®, QSpace, ESpace, and CleverClass® — differentiated by 90-minute floor-to-floor fire ratings, A2 non-combustible cladding, multi-storey stackability up to three storeys, and a circular-construction reusability model. McAvoy reports cumulative delivery of over 10 million square feet of accommodation and 20,000+ school places in the last five years.

McAvoy serves four primary verticals — Education, Healthcare, Commercial, and Pharmaceutical — with NHS Trusts, schools, academies, local authorities, and government departments forming the bulk of its customer base. Notable engagements include two 48-bed wards for University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, the £15m Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital wing (6,500 sq m), the €22m Dublin Airport South Gates passenger boarding zone, and the £15m YPO Modular Buildings Framework appointment. Healthcare and Education are flagged as primary segments, with growing exposure to RAAC remediation demand in UK schools as a near-term demand driver.

Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time sales (turnkey design and build of permanent modular buildings) and recurring rental income (modular buildings leased to NHS and public sector clients on operating-lease terms up to 15 years, treated as revenue expenditure). Go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, executed almost exclusively through UK and Ireland public sector procurement frameworks — NHS Shared Business Services, SEWSCAP, LHC Modular Buildings Framework, DfE Construction Framework, YPO Modular Buildings Framework, Offsite Construction Solutions Framework, and Public Contracts Scotland — supplemented by direct private sector sales for commercial, automotive, and airport clients. Pricing is quote-based and negotiated through competitive tender; specific contract values are not publicly disclosed. In October 2025, McAvoy was acquired by Duke Street with backing from Souter Investments, with the explicit strategic mandate to expand the rental fleet and scale sustainable modular delivery capacity.

Name

McAvoy

Legal name

The McAvoy Group

Website

https://mcavoygroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

McAvoy is a Northern Ireland-based offsite modular construction specialist serving UK and Irish public sector clients in healthcare, education, commercial, and pharmaceutical sectors through factory-manufactured permanent and temporary buildings sold and rented via framework agreements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Modular Building Construction

NAICS

Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (5324), Construction, Transportation, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53241)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359)

akta.pro primary industry

Material Handling Equipment Rental/Leasing (Forklifts, Telehandlers, Reach Trucks) (TLABAFAF)

Keywords

• Modular building construction
• Offsite manufacturing
• Temporary modular buildings
• Permanent modular buildings
• Modular healthcare facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisburn

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Modular Building Rental: Long-term and short-term rental of modular buildings including SmartClass, SmartSpace, QSpace, ESpace, and SmartCare solutions. Rental periods can extend up to 15 years with flexible operating lease options accounted for as revenue expenditure. Maintenance is managed by McAvoy during rental period.
2. Modular Building Sales: Purchase of permanent modular buildings including turnkey design and build solutions. Full design and build services from conception through to completion for healthcare, education, commercial, and pharmaceutical sectors.
3. Operating Lease Financing: Flexible financing option allowing NHS and public sector clients to increase capacity using modular construction without capital expenditure. Lease payments spread over the life of the agreement as revenue expenditure.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

McAvoy designs, manufactures, and delivers offsite-built modular buildings supplied as temporary rentals (up to 15-year operating leases) or permanent turnkey installations. Its portfolio includes education-focused SmartClass, healthcare-focused SmartCare, commercial SmartBusiness, and adaptable QSpace, ESpace, SmartSpace, and CleverClass products, built largely in a 70,000+ sq ft factory in Lisburn and installed on site for clients across the UK and Ireland.

Product overview

McAvoy is an offsite manufacturing specialist offering a comprehensive portfolio of modular building solutions across temporary and permanent categories. The core product lines include SmartClass® for education, SmartCare® for healthcare, SmartBusiness® for offices, QSpace and ESpace for adaptable space solutions, and CleverClass® for classroom blocks. The company operates two distinct service delivery models: Temporary Solutions (rental and purchase options for buildings that can be extended, repurposed, or relocated) and Permanent Solutions (turnkey design and build services). McAvoy serves four primary sectors: Education (including schools, SEND facilities, nurseries), Healthcare (hospitals, clinics, wards, diagnostic centres), Commercial (offices, showrooms, storage), and Pharmaceutical (laboratories, clean rooms). The product portfolio is distinguished by standardized, interchangeable module sizes with fire ratings exceeding 90 minutes, A2 non-combustible materials, enhanced thermal performance, and stackable configurations up to three storeys. With over 50 years of experience and 10 million square feet delivered, McAvoy's solutions reduce construction programmes by up to 50% compared to traditional builds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartClass: Modular classroom and education building solution featuring 90-minute fire rating floor to floor and 60-minute fire rating inside to outside, with A2 non-combustible cladding.
• SmartSpace
• QSpace
• ESpace
• SmartCare
• CleverClass

Products and services

• SmartClass Premium modular classroom and education building solution with 90-minute fire rating floor to floor and 60-minute fire rating inside to outside, A2 non-combustible cladding, enhanced thermal performance, and stackable configuration up to three storeys; supplied as temporary or permanent buildings for schools, colleges, and universities.
• SmartSpace Flexible temporary modular building solution suitable for classrooms, offices, and various applications, available for rental and purchase with easy reconfiguration and relocation.
• SmartCare Modular healthcare building solution designed for clinical environments including wards, treatment rooms, consultation rooms, and GP facilities, meeting HTM and HBN requirements for clinical-grade spaces.
• SmartBusiness Scalable modular office solution that can be expanded horizontally and vertically up to three storeys, providing flexible office accommodation for commercial and industrial occupiers.
• QSpace Adaptable single modular building available in three sizes that can be installed in one day, linked and stacked up to 2 storeys, with superior thermal performance and high-quality finishes.
• ESpace Efficient space solution in three sizes ranging from 25m² to 40m² floor area, installable and ready to use within one day, with flexible open-plan interiors.
• CleverClass Double classroom block solution constructed offsite using high-performing materials with enhanced economic and environmental benefits, designed for rapid deployment at schools.
• Changing Places accessible toilet facility Accessible toilet facilities designed for people with complex disabilities, meeting Building Regulations Part M requirements for inclusive design, supplied as standalone modular units.
• Permanent Modular Solutions Turnkey design and build service managing projects from conception through design to completion for permanent modular buildings, using a platform-based approach with standardized, repeatable components.
• Temporary Modular Solutions Rental and purchase service offering temporary modular buildings that can be extended, repurposed, or relocated, with rental terms up to 15 years and operating-lease financing structures.

Quantifiable outcome

• Programme reduction of up to 50% compared to traditional construction
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• P+HS ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partnered on the £15m Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital project, working collaboratively with McAvoy on the 6,500m2 three-storey hospital wing design.
• Summers InmanminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject partner on the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital project providing additional expertise for the complex healthcare facility development.
• Blue Sky ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partnered on the €22m Dublin Airport South Gates passenger boarding zone project, responsible for the highly glazed architectural design with anthracite grey aluminium cladding.
• Bailey PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partnered on the Timebridge Community Centre project in Croydon, a 1,610m2 two-storey community facility achieving BREEAM Excellent rating.
• Proctor & MatthewsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partnered on the Homes England Regional Offices at Northstowe, Cambridgeshire, contributing to the contemporary design with full height glazing and black-stained larch cladding.
• NHS Shared Business ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKey framework partner providing OJEU-compliant procurement routes for NHS Trusts to access McAvoy's modular healthcare facilities. McAvoy has delivered multiple projects via this framework.
• Offsite Construction Solutions FrameworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublic sector framework enabling healthcare organisations to procure McAvoy's modular solutions through compliant procurement routes.
• LHC Modular Buildings FrameworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLondon Housing Consortium framework providing procurement pathway for housing and local authority clients to access McAvoy's modular building solutions.
• SEWSCAPcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth East Wales Schools Contractor Partnership framework enabling educational institutions in Wales to procure McAvoy's SmartClass modular solutions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reds10: UK Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) contractor delivering modular buildings for education, healthcare and defence. Closely comparable as a UK-focused modular turnkey provider serving similar public-sector clients including DfE frameworks.
• Wernick Group: UK modular and portable buildings specialist providing hire and sale solutions across education, health and commercial sectors via Wernick Buildings. Comparable on customer mix, hire-and-sale model and modular product offering.
• Premier Modular: UK modular building specialist focused on healthcare, education and commercial sectors offering both hire and permanent solutions. Direct competitor across McAvoy's primary verticals and overlapping procurement framework participation.
• Algeco: One of Europe's largest modular space providers, operating across the UK in education, healthcare, and commercial sectors. Directly comparable to McAvoy given overlapping product range and public-sector framework presence.
• Elliott Group: UK modular building hire and supply specialist serving education, healthcare and commercial customers. Direct peer on rental-led model and overlapping customer base in northern England and the Midlands.
• Portakabin (Shepherd Group): Major UK modular buildings manufacturer and hirer supplying temporary and permanent modular buildings to education, healthcare, and commercial clients. Operates many of the same UK frameworks as McAvoy and represents the strongest direct competitive overlap.
• Caledonian Modular: Scotland-based modular manufacturer serving UK-wide education, healthcare and commercial clients with hire and sale solutions. Overlaps with McAvoy on UK/regional project mix, including via Scottish public-sector tenders.

Regional players

• ATCO Structures: Global modular structures provider with UK and European presence serving workforce accommodation, education and industrial clients. Comparable technology stack but primarily serves different geographies and adjacent end-markets.
• Losberger De Boer: European modular building and temporary infrastructure provider serving events, sports and commercial clients. Comparable on the modular rental/lease model but operates predominantly in different European geographies to McAvoy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDYphhE2GJoplfqYm_9kcpQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/mcavoygroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcavoy-group
• Xx.com/mcavoygroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McAvoy