Special Projects

What Special Projects does

Special Projects Europe Ltd is a privately held event site management firm founded in 2006 in Perth, United Kingdom, by John Wilson. The company positions itself as a specialist in site management and overlay design for large-scale outdoor events — distinct from full event management — delivering the practical and financial coordination required to turn an event concept into an operational, safe, on-budget site. Its offering spans four integrated service lines: Overlay & Site Management, Site Design (in-house CAD, drone and GPS topographical analysis), Construction Management (steel and aluminum structures, bespoke fabrications), and Additional Services (technical production supervision and event production support).

The underlying technology stack is conventional but tightly integrated into the operating model: detailed CAD plans drawn in-house, drone- and GPS-based topographical analysis for site design, and bespoke real-time financial tracking programs that monitor budgets, time and spend across projects. Delivery is executed by a core team of 6-7 specialists in Event Production, Site Management, Finance and Design, flexed up through a curated network of over 100 international freelancers and a cumulative supplier base of 2,620+. The company operates from a UK headquarters in Perth, a regional headquarters in Riyadh serving Saudi Arabia, and an office in Ireland.

Commercially, Special Projects generates revenue through project-based professional services fees for site management, overlay design, infrastructure coordination, construction management and budget variance management. Pricing is bespoke per project (no public pricing). The go-to-market is enterprise field sales through direct engagement with large event organizers, local authorities and government entities, with no formal marketing spend and no paid demand generation — work is secured via reputation, referrals and long-standing relationships. Anchor clients include MDLBeast (Saudi Arabia, since 2021 with year-round presence at Banban) and DF Concerts & Events (Scotland, since 2013), alongside Saudi Motorsport Company, Aberdeen City Council and Royal Highland Centre. The company has delivered on 6 of 7 continents since founding, accumulating 19,653+ man days on site and 8,734+ days advancing shows, and remains family-controlled with no disclosed external funding.

Name

Special Projects

Legal name

Special Projects Europe Ltd

Website

https://specialprojects-uk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Special Projects Europe Ltd provides event site management, overlay design and construction management for large-scale festivals, concerts and ceremonies. Founded in 2006 in Perth, UK, it serves marquee promoters including MDLBeast and DF Concerts from offices in the UK, Saudi Arabia and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Site Management Services

NAICS

Facilities Support Services (56121), Business Support Services (5614)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

On-Site Event Operations & Day-Of Coordination (HSACAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Full-Service Event Planning & Production (HSACAAAA), Staging & Rigging Services (MPAGAKAA), Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio) (IMAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Event site management
• Overlay design
• Construction management
• Site design services
• Festival production

Headquarters

HQ city

Perth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Site Management Services: Professional services for site management, overlay design, and infrastructure coordination for large scale events. Revenue generated through project-based fees for planning, coordination, and operational delivery of event site infrastructure.
2. Construction Management Services: Sourcing and managing event structures, temporary solutions, and coordinating bespoke fabrications. Revenue from managing construction projects, supplier coordination, and health and safety compliance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Special Projects delivers event site management, overlay design, construction management, and site design services for large-scale outdoor festivals, stadium shows, concerts, opening ceremonies, and one-off events. Services span comprehensive site and overlay management from design through construction to dismantle, including infrastructure scheduling and procurement, on-site supplier and logistics management, budget variance management, and provision of expert managers for waste, power, plumbing, and plant. The company operates across Europe and Saudi Arabia with a core team of 6 supported by 100+ international freelancers and 2,620+ supplier network.

Product overview

Special Projects is an event site management and production company offering a unified suite of services for large-scale outdoor festivals, stadium shows, musical concerts, opening ceremonies, and unique one-off events. The core offering consists of four integrated service lines: Overlay & Site Management (the foundational service for building and managing event sites), Site Design (in-house CAD and survey capabilities), Construction Management (structural solutions and project delivery), and Additional Services (technical and event production support). The company operates across Europe and Arabia (Saudi Arabia), delivering projects ranging from 400+ person events to festivals with 150,000+ attendees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Overlay & Site Management Comprehensive solutions for site management and overlay design, including infrastructure scheduling and procurement, on-site supplier and logistics management, budget variance management, and provision of expert managers to manage waste, recycling, power, plumbing, and plant. This is the foundational service for building and managing event sites for large-scale outdoor festivals, stadium shows, concerts, opening ceremonies, and one-off events.
• Site Design In-house CAD drawing services, site feasibility studies, site surveys using drones and topographical analysis (GPS mapping), and budget and efficiency tracking for precise event planning. The in-house CAD team delivers detailed and accurate plans providing precise planning and costing throughout design and construction phases.
• Construction Management Sourcing and managing event structures including top-quality steel and aluminum solutions, managing production deadlines and budgets, and coordinating bespoke fabrications with specialist professional crews. Includes construction project management, supplier coordination, and health and safety compliance for temporary infrastructure deployments.
• Additional Services Technical production support and supervision of AV, lighting, and SFX, as well as event production services including staffing requirements and resource supply management. Complements the core site management offering with specialized technical and production capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed 19,653+ man days on site across projects
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and notable.

• Aberdeen City CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Operational lead for overlay, site and infrastructure management for Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025. Coordinated with Port of Aberdeen, Sail Training International and wider operational stakeholders. Event attracted 400,000+ visitors.
• Saudi Motorsport CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Site management for Formula 1 After Race Concerts in Jeddah, coordinating closely with Saudi Motorsport Company to ensure site activity aligned with Formula 1 operations, access restrictions and wider event scheduling requirements.
• MDLBeastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Ongoing strategic partnership since 2021 for site management and operational coordination across all MDLBeast events including Soundstorm (Saudi Arabia's largest music festival), Onyx Arena construction and events, F1 Saudi GP After Race Concerts, E-Sports World Cup events, Balad Beast, A Thousand and One Festival, Azimuth Festival, and AFT_r Concerts. Special Projects maintains year-round site management presence at MDLBeast's Banban site in Riyadh.
• Royal Highland CentrenotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Appointed to manage planning, coordination and delivery of temporary Members Pavilion for Royal Highland Show during redevelopment of permanent pavilion facility in 2017.
• Glasgow City CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Operational coordination link between DF Concerts & Events, Glasgow City Council, contractors, suppliers and wider stakeholders for TRNSMT festival delivery, supporting compliance, environmental management and efficient operational delivery.
• DF Concerts & EventscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Long-standing partnership since 2013 for site planning, infrastructure coordination and operational delivery across Summer Sessions (multiple Scottish cities), Connect Festival (Edinburgh), and TRNSMT (Glasgow). Partnership spans over a decade of annual festival delivery.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Arena Group (Aveso): UK-headquartered supplier of temporary structures, overlay and event infrastructure for major sporting and cultural events. Comparable to Special Projects' construction management and overlay work for large-scale outdoor events.
• Showforce: UK and international supplier of event crew, site management and operational staffing for festivals, concerts, and sporting events. Comparable as a specialist site-services firm delivering overlay and operational support to live event promoters.
• Versatile Group: UK event services company providing site management, overlay, and operational delivery for festivals and live events. Directly comparable to Special Projects in scope of on-site management services and UK festival client base.
• Neptunus: International provider of temporary event structures, overlay infrastructure and site solutions for festivals, sporting events, and ceremonies. Comparable to Special Projects on the temporary structures and event overlay side of the offering.
• Gallowglass: UK-based provider of event crew, site services and infrastructure support for festivals, concerts, and corporate events. Closely comparable to Special Projects in offering on-site operational staffing and coordination across the UK live events market.
• Liam Gallagher / TRNSMT-style Independent Promoters (DF Concerts & Events): Scotland's leading concert and festival promoter (TRNSMT, Summer Sessions, Connect). While a current client of Special Projects, it is also the most direct comparable Scottish promoter operating in the same event category.

Broad incumbents

• Losberger De Boer: Global provider of temporary and semi-permanent event structures and space solutions. Comparable as a broader incumbent in event overlay infrastructure, overlapping with Special Projects' temporary structures and construction management scope.
• IMG (Endeavor): Global sports and entertainment agency producing events including F1 and major ceremonies. Comparable as a large incumbent delivering mega-events that require the kind of site management Special Projects provides.
• Live Nation: Global live entertainment giant promoting festivals and concerts worldwide including TRNSMT via DF Concerts. Indirect incumbent comparable on client side rather than service overlap.

Regional players

• Flash Entertainment: Abu Dhabi-based live events and entertainment company delivering concerts, festivals and ceremonies across the Middle East. Comparable as a regional peer in the Middle East mega-event market where Special Projects operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/specialprojects.sitemgmt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/special-projects-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Special Projects