What McAuliffe does

McAuliffe Group and Associated Companies is a privately held UK brownfield remediation and enabling works contractor, headquartered in Bilston, Wolverhampton, founded in 1970 and led by Group Managing Director John McAuliffe. The business delivers end-to-end in-house remediation services — demolition, contaminated soil and groundwater treatment, ground improvement, soil stabilisation, piling mats and bulk earthworks (up to 85-tonne excavators) — for major housebuilders, infrastructure clients and social housing providers. Its core offering is structured in three phases: Land Acquisition Advice (pre-purchase cost scoping), Planning and Regulatory Support (securing pre-commencement conditions and sign-offs), and Delivery (remediation plus enabling works), typically awarded via competitive tendering on an all-risk, fixed-price basis through an enterprise field-sales model with early contractor involvement.

The technology platform rests on three pillars: 3D Digital Terrain Models (volumetric drawings loaded to GPS-enabled in-cab displays), Intelligent Plant (a £20m+ owned fleet of GPS-enabled excavators, dozers, rollers and Powerscreen screeners recording real-time depths, compaction and material movements), and Remediation Technologies including UK-exclusive licences to the patented Inductive-Thermal Dynamic Stripping Process (IT-DSP™) via McMillan McGee Corporation, plus Anaerobic BioChem Plus (ABC®+) and Oxygen BioChem (OBC™) substrates via Carus Corporation. Bespoke groundwater treatment systems, soil washing, rapid impact compaction and 3D Site Link software for CL:AIRE DoW CoP verification round out the stack, all delivered by a directly employed workforce that includes an apprenticeship pipeline via City of Wolverhampton College and a multi-year PhD cohort at the University of Cambridge FIBE2 CDT.

McAuliffe's revenue model is project-based fixed-price contracting, typically multi-year, with projects generally ranging from the low £m to £5m+ on framework agreements such as the Your Housing Group sole-specialist environmental contractor framework running to 2026. Client mix spans major residential developers (Vistry, Barratt, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Miller Homes, Stewart Milne, Countryside Properties, Bloor Homes), infrastructure joint ventures (Laing Murphy for HS2 Curzon Street), energy/utilities (Encyclis Walsall EfW), BTR developers (Court Collaboration) and commercial (DTZ Investors). Over 80% of turnover is repeat business, indicating strong client retention. The company sits on the Construction News Top 10 Ground Engineering Contractors list and has won multiple Brownfield Awards, including a quadruple win in 2025.

Name

McAuliffe

Legal name

McAuliffe Group and Associated Companies

Website

https://mcauliffegroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

McAuliffe is a family-owned UK brownfield remediation and enabling works contractor delivering end-to-end in-house contaminated land treatment, demolition, earthworks and ground improvement for major housebuilders, infrastructure clients and social housing providers using GPS-enabled intelligent plant and UK-exclusive patented remediation technologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brownfield Remediation and Enabling Works Contracting

NAICS

Remediation Services (56291), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

akta.pro primary industry

Soil Remediation (Excavation, Stabilization/Solidification, Thermal Desorption) (EUAIALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brownfield Site Assessment & Remediation (BPALAKAA), Site Remediation & Contaminated Soil Handling (IMAFAKAG), Ex-Situ Treatment & Soil Washing / Stabilization (BPALAKAE), Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reclamation (Cleanup for Reuse, Risk-Based Closure) (EUAIALAI), Urban Renewal, Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reuse (BPAIANAI)

Keywords

• Brownfield remediation services
• Enabling works contracting
• Contaminated land treatment
• Ground engineering services
• Site remediation contractor

Headquarters

HQ city

Wolverhampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Remediation and Enabling Works Contracts: Fixed-price project-based contracts for complete brownfield remediation and enabling works delivered in-house, from land purchase through to regulatory sign-offs and site handover.
2. Land Acquisition Advisory: Early-stage consulting services scoping abnormal costs and providing technical due diligence from land purchase, often bundled with subsequent delivery contracts.
3. Planning and Regulatory Support: Technical consulting services for regulatory compliance and planning pre-commencement conditions, typically delivered as part of full programme contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

McAuliffe is a UK remediation and enabling works contractor that takes brownfield sites and hands them back ready for development. It demolishes buildings, remediates contaminated soil and groundwater, and delivers complex earthworks using an owned fleet of intelligent plant and proprietary/UK-exclusive remediation technologies. Services span Land Acquisition Advice, Planning & Regulatory Support, Delivery (Remediation and Enabling Works), Soil Stabilisation & Drying, Piling Mats Installation, Large-Scale Earthworks, Groundwater Treatment Systems, and Mine Workings Management, delivered to major housebuilders, developers, infrastructure clients, and social housing providers on an all-risk, fixed-price basis.

Product overview

McAuliffe is a UK-leading remediation and enabling works contractor offering a complete in-house brownfield service. The core offering comprises three interconnected service areas: Land Acquisition Advice (scoping costs at purchase stage), Planning & Regulatory Support (securing approvals), and Delivery (encompassing Remediation, Enabling Works, and Soil Stabilisation). These services are powered by three proprietary technology pillars: 3D Digital Terrain Models (producing volumetric drawings from GPS survey data), Intelligent Plant (GPS-enabled excavators/dozers/rollers recording real-time depths and compaction), and Remediation Technologies (including UK-exclusive thermal remediation via McMillan-McGee IT-DSP, ABC+ for chlorinated solvents, bioremediation, and stabilisation/solidification). The company has invested over £20m in remediation and earthworks equipment and employs all staff directly, delivering projects on an all-risk basis for major housebuilders, developers, and contractors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• McAuliffe Foundation: Charitable and community arm of McAuliffe Group, supporting local causes and fundraising activities.

Products and services

• Land Acquisition Advice Consultation services delivered at the land purchase stage to scope abnormal costs and provide fixed pricing for remediation and enabling works, supporting informed land bids for housebuilders and developers.
• Planning & Regulatory Support Technical consulting services supporting planning pre-commencement conditions, regulatory signoffs, and development approvals for contaminated and brownfield sites.
• Remediation Delivery In-house delivery of remediation works treating contaminated soils and groundwater using multiple remediation technologies including thermal, chemical oxidation, bioremediation, and stabilisation/solidification.
• Enabling Works Delivery Site preparation and enabling works including demolition, earthworks, ground engineering, piling mats installation, and obstruction removal to prepare brownfield sites for construction.
• Soil Stabilisation & Soil Drying Soil stabilisation and drying services to improve ground conditions for development, including treatment of contaminated soils for reuse on site.
• Piling Mats Installation Installation of piling mats to specified kPa requirements to support piling rigs for high-rise construction projects.
• Large-Scale Earthworks Bulk earthworks including excavation, cut and fill, compaction, and obstruction removal using heavy machinery up to 85-tonne excavators.
• Groundwater Treatment Systems Bespoke groundwater treatment systems including pump and treat, oil water separators, GAC vessels, and in-situ chemical oxidation for treating impacted groundwater plumes prior to foul sewer discharge.
• Mine Workings Management Management and treatment of underground mine workings to ensure site stability for development.
• McMillan-McGee Thermal Remediation (IT-DSP™) UK-exclusive patented Inductive-Thermal Dynamic Stripping Process (IT-DSP™) for in-situ treatment of complex contamination including phenoxy acids, chlorophenols, and chlorocresoles. Uses induced eddy currents in steel pipe to heat soil and groundwater to 300°C to evaporate and extract contaminants.
• ABC+ (Anaerobic BioChem Plus) Remediation UK-exclusive patented substrate service for rapid reduction of chlorinated solvents in impacted groundwater, distributed by Carus Corporation in Europe.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved 99.88% material reuse on Stewart Milne project
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Cambridge - FIBE2 CDT ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2020Partnership with University of Cambridge's Department of Engineering on Fully Funded PhD Studentship through FIBE2 CDT (Future Infrastructure and Built Environment: Resilience in a Changing World). Research focuses on engineered waste for sustainable land regeneration and development of smart, cost-effective binders for land remediation. First PhD student Han Ding joined in 2021, second in 2023, with two further students in 2024.
• McMillan McGee Corporation (Mc2)coreTechnology or Integration · 3 August 2020Partnership to bring patented Inductive-Thermal Dynamic Stripping Process (IT-DSP™) thermal remediation technology to the UK. McAuliffe holds UK-exclusive licence for this technology which uses induced eddy currents to heat soil to 300°C for contaminant extraction. Mc2 is also undertaking NASA project at Marshall Space Flight Center for one of world's largest in-situ thermal projects.
• Carus CorporationcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for distribution of ABC®+ (Anaerobic BioChem Plus) substrate in Europe. ABC®+ provides rapid reduction in chlorinated solvents versus other slow-release methods and was first used in the UK on Miller Homes Manchester project in 2020.
• Court CollaborationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with regional developer Court Collaboration for Birmingham food bank support during cost-of-living crisis. Matched £2,000 donation to FoodSOS campaign, bringing total to over £12,000.
• City of Wolverhampton CollegecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with City of Wolverhampton College's Plant Training Centre to offer apprenticeships and create local training and job opportunities. McAuliffe takes on plant operative apprentices through this partnership. Also partnered on Kickstart Scheme government programme for employment opportunities.
• West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on workforce development through WMCA's Plant Careers Live events and Construction Gateway programme. Hosted first-ever HS2 Supply Chain Summit at McAuliffe HQ. Supported recruit through Construction Gateway programme who was previously homeless.
• Bowdon Hockey ClubminorOthersFive-year main club sponsorship of Bowdon Hockey Club, a community sports club founded in 1887 running over 20 men's, women's, and children's hockey teams. Helped fund creation of sustainable hockey kit made from recycled plastic bottles.
• Compton CarecoreOthersMcAuliffe Foundation named Wolverhampton-based Compton Care as charity partner. Became first platinum member of Compton Care's Business Club in 2022. Main sponsor of Compton Memory Walk. Previously raised £40,000 through hosting a ball. Ongoing fundraising support for palliative care charity.
• NSPCCcoreOthersAnnual NSPCC charity partnership through McAuliffe Golf Day. Raised £11,000 in 2021, £17,266 in 2023 (record), £19,000 in 2025, and £22,000 in 2024 (highest amount yet). Ongoing annual fundraising for children's charity.
• Wolverhampton Rugby Club (RUFC)minorOthersMcAuliffe Foundation continues season-by-season sponsorship of Wolverhampton Rugby Club, reinforcing partnership for community sports support.
• Your Housing GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAwarded place on multi-million-pound remediation framework following competitive tendering. Framework runs until 2026 covering project lots valued at £999,000, £1m-£5m, and £5m+. McAuliffe is the only UK specialist environmental contractor on this framework.
• Laing Murphy Joint Venture (LMJV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partnership for HS2 Curzon Street station remediation and enabling works in Birmingham. McAuliffe delivered 76,000m2 site over 15 months, winning LMJV's Golden Newt Award for sustainable practices and achieving 'What Good Looks Like' status.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Arcadis: Global design and consultancy firm with a sizeable UK contaminated land and remediation practice. Provides advisory, design, and remediation oversight services to many of the same housebuilder and infrastructure clients as McAuliffe.
• BAM Nuttall: Major UK civil engineering contractor with capabilities in earthworks, ground engineering, and environmental remediation. Competes for large infrastructure remediation packages (e.g., HS2-adjacent works) that overlap with McAuliffe's infrastructure exposure.
• WSP: Global professional services firm with extensive UK environmental and ground engineering practices, including brownfield remediation and due diligence. Competes on larger programmes and as a consultant/specifier, often overlapping on the same clients as McAuliffe.
• Tetra Tech: Global consulting and engineering firm with a UK environmental remediation practice serving public and private clients. Comparable on complex contaminated site assessment and remediation design/programme management, though McAuliffe delivers rather than advises.

Direct peers

• Keltbray: UK specialist contractor delivering enabling works, demolition, ground engineering, and remediation. Direct overlap with McAuliffe in demolition, earthworks, and remediation on residential and infrastructure schemes, particularly in London and the South East.
• Soil Engineering: UK specialist contractor in geotechnical and contaminated land remediation, including soil stabilisation and ground improvement. Highly comparable UK-focused brownfield remediation service line, often competing for similar housebuilder and developer tenders.
• RSK Group: UK-headquartered environmental and engineering services group providing remediation, ground engineering, and geo-environmental services to housebuilders and infrastructure clients. Closest large-scale direct peer with overlapping brownfield remediation and enabling works offerings across the UK.
• Hydrock: UK-based integrated engineering and environmental consultancy with a strong remediation and geo-environmental contracting capability. Comparable in offering contaminated land assessment, remediation design, and site delivery to housebuilder clients.
• Van Elle: UK ground engineering specialist offering piling, ground improvement, and ground remediation services to housebuilders and infrastructure clients. Comparable specialist positioning and customer overlap with McAuliffe on enabling works and ground treatment scopes.

Emerging players

• Cascade Environmental Consulting: UK-focused contaminated land and environmental consultancy providing site investigation and remediation support to developers. Comparable on the consultancy and Phase I/II ESA side of McAuliffe's land acquisition advisory offering, though smaller in delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mcauliffegroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 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 McAuliffe