A E Yates
A E Yates is a UK-based, employee-owned group of seven civil and ground engineering companies, delivering infrastructure projects for public sector clients, water utilities, housebuilders, and developers through integrated piling, drilling, and soil stabilisation services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1870
- HeadquartersBolton, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What A E Yates does
A E Yates is a UK-based, employee-owned group of civil and ground engineering companies founded in 1870 and headquartered in Bolton, with group turnover exceeding £70 million and 251-500 employees. The group operates through seven wholly-owned subsidiaries: A E Yates Limited Civil Engineering (wastewater, flood prevention, highways, bridges), A E Yates Directional Drilling (Horizontal Directional Drilling trenchless solutions with up to 90% carbon reduction), Combined Soil Stabilisation (UK's leading specialist soil stabilisation contractor), Side Grip Piling (authorised UK dealer for Gilbert Inc.'s GRIZZLY MultiGrip pile driver), SPI Piling (steel and sheet piling with 3,000+ tonnes of owned stock), Tritech Ground Engineering (driven piling, vibro stone columns, integrated foundations), and A E Yates Haulage (specialist transport and vacuum excavation). The group serves public sector clients (local authorities, National Highways, water utilities such as United Utilities, Canal & River Trust), major housebuilders (Barratt David Wilson, Taylor Wimpey), property developers (Harworth Estates), and industrial customers through framework agreements and competitive tendering. Notable technical capabilities include silent vibration-free TOSA piling, low-carbon EcoSheetPile steel (CO2 as low as 409 kg/tonne), and 3D-printed concrete sleepers deployed via a 2026 partnership with Hyperion Robotics and Costain on the Northern Endurance Partnership CO2 gathering system.
Revenue is generated through project-based professional services contracts, typically procured via competitive tendering or public sector framework agreements. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, with disclosed project values ranging from approximately £500,000 for highways refurbishment work to £6.2 million for major residential development infrastructure schemes. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales with direct client engagement, including Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) during design and tender phases to secure subsequent construction work. The group operates a coordinated distribution model where subsidiary companies share resources, plant, and management to deliver integrated civil and ground engineering solutions nationwide across England and Scotland. In 2021, the Whitehead family sold 75% of shares in A E Yates Ltd and SPI Piling Ltd to employees, creating an employee-ownership structure while retaining family control of remaining group companies.
A E Yates firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- A E Yates
- Legal name
- A E Yates Limited
- Website
- https://aeyates.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1870
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- A E Yates is a UK-based, employee-owned group of seven civil and ground engineering companies, delivering infrastructure projects for public sector clients, water utilities, housebuilders, and developers through integrated piling, drilling, and soil stabilisation services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
A E Yates industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Civil Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Engineering Services (54133)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)
Keywords
Where A E Yates is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bolton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
A E Yates business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Civil Engineering Contracting: Project-based civil engineering services including wastewater/drainage, flood prevention, reservoir/canal/river works, renewable energy infrastructure, development infrastructure, bridges and retaining walls, highways construction and maintenance.
- Trenchless Solutions: Horizontal Directional Drilling services for pipe and duct installation, typically ranging from £5,000 to £2,000,000 per project.
- Steel Piling Services: Design, supply, installation and extraction of steel and sheet piling. Services offered as standalone or full turnkey solutions with over 3000 tonnes of owned stock.
- Soil Stabilisation and Ground Engineering: Specialist soil stabilisation, bulk earthworks, and ground improvement services for construction projects.
- Foundation Solutions: Driven piling, vibro stone columns, integrated foundations, and restricted access piling solutions for housing, commercial, and industrial developments.
- Specialist Plant and Haulage: Heavy haulage, HIAB services, vacuum excavation, and specialist transport for machinery and industrial equipment throughout the UK.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
A E Yates product offering
Product offeringCore offering
A E Yates Group is a UK-based group of civil and ground engineering companies delivering integrated infrastructure services including civil engineering contracting (wastewater, drainage, highways, bridges, flood prevention), horizontal directional drilling, soil stabilisation, steel and sheet piling, ground improvement (vibro stone columns, driven piling), and specialist haulage and vacuum excavation services to public sector clients and private developers.
Product overview
A E Yates Group is a family of civil engineering and ground engineering companies offering integrated services through seven distinct subsidiaries. The portfolio includes A E Yates Limited Civil Engineering (infrastructure projects including wastewater, flood prevention, highways, bridges), A E Yates Directional Drilling (trenchless pipe installation), Combined Soil Stabilisation (soil modification and earthworks), Side Grip Piling (vibratory pile driving equipment dealer), SPI Piling (steel and sheet piling contractor), Tritech Ground Engineering (ground improvement and piling solutions), and A E Yates Haulage (specialist transport and vacuum excavation). The group operates as an integrated unit enabling resource sharing and coordinated project delivery across construction and ground engineering disciplines.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- A E Yates Limited Civil Engineering
Quantifiable outcome
- Carbon emissions reduced by up to 90% using trenchless HDD construction compared to open cut methods
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use A E Yates
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
A E Yates technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
A E Yates partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hyperion RoboticscoreHyperion Robotics was brought on board by Costain and A E Yates to produce 3D printed concrete pipe support bases for the Northern Endurance Partnership's onshore CO2 gathering system on Teesside. The partnership involves producing approximately 90 high-strength concrete sleepers along 1.3 kilometers of onshore CO2 pipelines using robotic 3D printing technology.
- Northern Endurance PartnershipcoreNorthern Endurance Partnership is the project owner for the CO2 gathering system on Teesside. A E Yates, together with Costain, is delivering infrastructure for this carbon capture initiative.
- CostaincoreCostain is the lead contractor on the Northern Endurance Partnership CO2 gathering system project, partnering with A E Yates for civil engineering delivery.
- Kier InfrastructurecoreSPI Piling Ltd delivered piling works for Kier Infrastructure on the Wilstone Reservoir £6 million embankment strengthening project for Canal & River Trust. Early contractor involvement approach enabled collaborative design development.
- Canal & River TrustcoreCanal & River Trust is the client for the Wilstone Reservoir improvement works. SPI Piling delivered sheet pile cut-off walls through Kier framework to prevent leakage and safeguard the dam.
- National HighwayscoreA E Yates partnered with National Highways, Amey, and AC Landscapes on the A595 Moresby Improvement scheme. Partners collaborated on environmental initiatives including tree planting of 2,361 trees.
- AmeyminorPartnered on A595 Moresby Improvement scheme environmental initiatives alongside National Highways and A E Yates.
- AC LandscapesminorPartnered on A595 Moresby Improvement scheme environmental initiatives including tree planting day.
- Gilbert Inc.coreSide Grip Piling is the authorised UK dealer for Gilbert Inc., manufacturer of the Gilbert GRIZZLY MultiGrip vibratory pile driver. Exclusive distribution relationship for this excavator-mounted attachment technology.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
A E Yates competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Balfour Beatty: Balfour Beatty is a leading UK infrastructure contractor delivering highways, rail, utilities, and civil engineering projects through national frameworks. Comparable to A E Yates in civil engineering delivery and public sector tendering model, though operating at materially larger scale.
- Kier Group: Kier Group is a UK infrastructure, construction, and property services contractor with highways, utilities, and civil engineering frameworks (including Kier Infrastructure, which is already an A E Yates partner). Direct overlap in highways, water, and public sector delivery.
- Costain: Costain is a UK infrastructure contractor focused on transportation, water, energy, and defence. A current A E Yates partner on the Northern Endurance Partnership CO2 project, with overlapping capability in water infrastructure, highways, and energy transition projects.
- Morgan Sindall: Morgan Sindall is a UK construction and regeneration group with infrastructure, affordable housing, and ground engineering divisions. Direct overlap in civil engineering, groundworks, and public sector frameworks.
- Keller Group: Keller Group is a global geotechnical specialist contractor providing ground engineering, piling, and foundation services. Comparable to Tritech Ground Engineering and SPI Piling subsidiaries across piling, ground improvement, and foundation solutions.
- Roger Bullivant: Roger Bullivant is a UK piling and ground engineering specialist offering driven piling, mini-piling, and ground improvement services. Closest direct comparable to A E Yates' Tritech Ground Engineering and SPI Piling subsidiaries on piling and foundation solutions.
- Bachy Soletanche: Bachy Soletanche is a UK geotechnical contractor delivering piling, ground improvement, and earthworks. Directly competes with A E Yates' ground engineering and piling subsidiaries in the UK infrastructure market.
Broad incumbents
- Skanska UK: Skanska's UK arm delivers highways, rail, water, and building projects as part of the global Skanska Group. Comparable in highways and civil engineering delivery but operates at significantly larger scale and with broader international backing.
- Mace Group: Mace is a global construction and consultancy group with UK infrastructure, civil engineering, and groundworks exposure. Overlaps with A E Yates in UK civil engineering and infrastructure delivery, but operates globally and across construction management.
- Vinci Construction UK: Vinci Construction UK is part of the global Vinci Group, delivering civil engineering, highways, and infrastructure projects. Comparable scope to A E Yates but with substantially greater scale, balance sheet, and international footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
A E Yates social profiles
Digital presenceA E Yates financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
A E Yates leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
A E Yates subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
A E Yates funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
A E Yates M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about A E Yates
What does A E Yates do?
A E Yates Group is a UK-based group of civil and ground engineering companies delivering integrated infrastructure services including civil engineering contracting (wastewater, drainage, highways, bridges, flood prevention), horizontal directional drilling, soil stabilisation, steel and sheet piling, ground improvement (vibro stone columns, driven piling), and specialist haulage and vacuum excavation services to public sector clients and private developers.
Is A E Yates a public or private company?
A E Yates is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was A E Yates founded?
A E Yates was founded in 1870. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is A E Yates based?
A E Yates is headquartered in Bolton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does A E Yates make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Civil Engineering Contracting is the primary driver. The others are trenchless Solutions, steel Piling Services, soil Stabilisation and Ground Engineering, foundation Solutions and specialist Plant and Haulage.
Who are A E Yates's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Balfour Beatty, Kier Group, Costain, Morgan Sindall, Keller Group, Roger Bullivant and Bachy Soletanche. Broad incumbents are Skanska UK, Mace Group and Vinci Construction UK.
Does A E Yates have an API?
No public API is recorded for A E Yates.
What industry is A E Yates in?
A E Yates's product category is Civil Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAD, Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 541330 and its SIC code is 8711.