What Charles Brand Group Limited does

Charles Brand Group Limited is a privately held civil engineering and infrastructure contractor founded in 1829, headquartered in Belfast (Rosemount House, 21-23 Sydenham Road) with a secondary office in Blanchardstown, Dublin. The company operates as a subsidiary of the family-owned Lagan Specialist Contracting Group and trades as Charles Brand, delivering fixed-price and NEC4 Option A contracts across four core sectors: Marine (ports, harbours, dredging, marine piling), Infrastructure (highways, bridges, flood alleviation), Rail (permanent way, platform extensions), and Utilities (water mains rehabilitation and fibre-to-the-premises broadband rollout).

Its technical capability rests on in-house concrete batching plants, specialist marine plant and equipment, PTS-trained rail personnel, and proprietary construction methods including rock shoes on mini piles for coastal cliff installations, lean construction mock assembly for high-risk platform structures, and turnkey FTTP programme management delivered with specialist partners such as Viberoptix. The company holds relevant pre-qualifications (Achilles UVDB, Constructionline Gold, ISO, IIP Platinum, BREEAM) and operates under an EPIC sustainability strategy with a Carbon Neutral by 2040 commitment, supported by a Sustain IQ ESG reporting platform.

Charles Brand generates revenue through competitive tendering on public sector frameworks — including Translink FW073, NI Water IF106 MPPF, and the Peel Ports Marine Construction Framework — and direct contracts with port operators (Peel Ports, DP World, ABP), utilities (NI Water, Fibrus, Voneus), local authorities (Belfast City Council, Causeway Coast and Glens, Mid and East Antrim, The Highland Council), and renewable energy developers (Inch Cape Offshore). Named major contracts span £1M to £180M in value and include the A8 Belfast-Larne dual carriageway (£130M), Green Port Hull port redevelopment (£114M JV with ABP/Siemens), NI Water Watermains Rehabilitation Framework (£180M over 8 years), Fibrus Project Stratum (£56.1M) and Project Acorn (£31M), Belfast Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme (£33M), Peel Ports Marine Construction Framework (£37M over 4–8 years), and Voneus National Framework England (£60M over 5 years). The company operates across Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland under the leadership of Managing Director Steve Turner.

Name

Charles Brand Group Limited

Legal name

Charles Brand Group Ltd

Website

https://charlesbrand.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1829

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Charles Brand is a Belfast-headquartered civil engineering contractor (founded 1829) delivering marine, infrastructure, rail, and utilities projects across the UK and Ireland for government, port operators, utilities, and telecoms clients via competitive tendering and multi-year frameworks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Engineering Contracting Services

NAICS

Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237990), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711), Utility System Construction (2371)

SIC

Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Terminals & Cargo Handling Infrastructure (RoRo, Bulk, Container) (IMAFAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Port Rehabilitation, Maintenance & Asset Renewal (Repairs, Strengthening) (IMAFAJAL), Subsea & Nearshore Civil Works (Trenching, Rock Placement, Mattressing) (IMAFAJAI), Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight) (EUANALAE), Dredging & Channel Deepening (Capital & Maintenance) (IMAFAJAB)

Keywords

• Civil engineering contracting
• Marine construction services
• Infrastructure construction
• Port and harbour construction
• Flood alleviation works

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Civil Engineering Project Contracts: Charles Brand generates revenue primarily through fixed-price and NEC4 Option A contracts for civil engineering and marine construction projects. Revenue is project-based, one-time, and derived from public sector clients (DfI, Belfast City Council, Translink, NI Water, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council) and private port operators (Peel Ports, DP World). Projects range from £1M to £130M in value. The company also holds positions on multi-year framework agreements that generate recurring contract awards.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Charles Brand delivers civil engineering and infrastructure contracting services across four core sectors: Marine (ports, harbours, dredging, marine piling), Infrastructure (roads, bridges, flood alleviation schemes), Rail (permanent way, platform extensions), and Utilities (water mains rehabilitation, broadband/fibre network rollout). The company manages projects end-to-end from design through construction to completion, securing work primarily through competitive tender and multi-year framework agreements with government departments, port operators, utilities, and private developers across the UK and Ireland.

Product overview

Charles Brand Group Limited is a civil engineering company operating across four core sectors: Marine, Infrastructure, Rail, and Utilities. The company delivers projects spanning ports and harbours, roads and bridges, flood alleviation schemes, rail infrastructure, water mains, and broadband/fibre networks. The EPIC Sustainability Strategy (Environment, People, Integrity, Creativity) underpins all operations, supported by the Sustain IQ ESG reporting platform partnership. Projects range from marine construction and coastal works to highways, railways, and utility infrastructure across the UK and Ireland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Civil Engineering Solutions End-to-end civil engineering services across four core sectors (Marine, Infrastructure, Rail, Utilities) delivered from design through construction to completion for government and enterprise clients across the UK and Ireland.
• Rail Infrastructure Rail infrastructure services including permanent way delivery, civil engineering works, platform extensions, and railway construction, with all personnel trained to PTS standard and in-house capability for methodology advice and programme planning.
• Marine Engineering Marine construction services including port and harbour construction, dredging and reclamation, marine piling, and early contractor involvement for marine projects, with capabilities in quay walls, breakwaters, and coastal infrastructure.
• Infrastructure Solutions Comprehensive infrastructure engineering including highways, bridges, public realm works, and flood defence systems, spanning creative planning and design through to construction delivery for urban and rural schemes.
• Utilities Services Utility infrastructure services including water mains rehabilitation, broadband/fibre network construction, and associated civil engineering works, delivered through frameworks with NI Water and broadband providers such as Fibrus and Voneus.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered full fibre broadband to 50,000+ homes across Northern Ireland.
• +7 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Peel Ports GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Charles Brand is one of two main contractors awarded a place on the Peel Ports Marine Construction Framework — an eight-year deal covering specialist marine construction works including piling, asset renewal, quay walls, lock and sluice gate maintenance, and RoRo infrastructure across Scottish ports.
• Sustain IQcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2024Charles Brand entered a strategic partnership with Sustain IQ, a leader in sustainability and ESG reporting, to advance the EPIC (Environment, People, Integrity, Creativity) Sustainability Strategy. Sustain IQ provides a cutting-edge reporting dashboard that enhances Charles Brand's ability to collect, monitor, and analyse environmental, social, and economic data in real time.
• The Lighthouse CharityminorOthers · 1 January 2024The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity provides emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing support to the construction community and their families. Charles Brand hosted Toolbox Talks delivered by the Lighthouse MakeItVisible Team focusing on mental health and wellbeing.
• Rhomberg Sersa UK LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Charles Brand partnered with Rhomberg Sersa UK Ltd in a joint venture to win an Active List position on the Translink FW073 Civil Engineering Contractors Framework. The JV has delivered platform extension projects at Adelaide, Coleraine University, and Dhu Varren stations.
• NI WatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Charles Brand is working with NI Water to deliver the £1.2bn IF106 Major Project Partnership Framework (MPPF), comprising large capital works projects (over £10m in value) on Water and Wastewater infrastructure across Northern Ireland.
• ViberoptixcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Viberoptix serves as specialist cable and activations partner in partnership with Charles Brand for FTTP broadband network delivery across Northern Ireland. Providing turnkey infrastructure solutions in partnership with Viberoptix, Charles Brand brings end-to-end programme and project management capability.
• Fibrus Networks LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Five-year partnership with Fibrus for full fibre broadband rollout across Northern Ireland under Project Acorn and Project Stratum. Charles Brand delivers civil engineering and construction works while Fibrus provides the broadband network. The partnership has delivered broadband to over 137,000 premises across 63 villages and towns.
• Align JV (HS2)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2020Charles Brand works for Align JV, an HS2 main works civils contractor, delivering highways works near Denham to support the construction of the Colne Valley viaduct as part of HS2 Phase One.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• McLaughlin & Harvey: Northern Ireland-headquartered civil engineering and building contractor with strong marine, infrastructure, and utilities capabilities. Directly comparable to Charles Brand in geography, sector mix, and customer base (UK/Ireland public sector and port operators).
• VolkerStevin: UK marine and civil engineering contractor (part of VolkerWessels UK) specialising in ports, harbours, flood defences, and coastal infrastructure. Direct competitor in marine construction, particularly around Peel Ports and UK port operator frameworks.
• Farrans Construction: Northern Ireland-based civil engineering and building contractor operating across UK and Ireland in marine, infrastructure, utilities, and rail. Direct competitor on public sector frameworks including NI Water and Translink.
• Wills Bros Civil Engineering: Scotland and Ireland-based civil engineering contractor delivering infrastructure, marine, and utilities projects. Comparable in geography (NI/Scotland overlap), marine construction capability, and public sector client base.
• FP McCann: Northern Ireland-headquartered civil engineering and precast concrete manufacturer with UK-wide operations. Comparable in NI heritage, civil engineering contracting, and infrastructure delivery.
• Graham Construction: Northern Ireland-headquartered civil engineering contractor with UK-wide operations delivering infrastructure, marine, utilities, and building projects. Comparable in scale, sector diversification, and public sector framework participation.
• Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK: Welsh-headquartered civil engineering contractor with strong marine, infrastructure, and renewables capabilities. Comparable in sector mix and public sector tendering approach, particularly in marine and offshore wind enabling works.

Broad incumbents

• Morgan Sindall Group: UK construction and infrastructure group with civil engineering operations in highways, rail, utilities, and marine. Broader portfolio than Charles Brand but competes on similar public sector framework opportunities.
• Balfour Beatty: Largest UK infrastructure contractor with extensive operations in roads, rail, utilities, and marine civils. Competes with Charles Brand on major public sector frameworks but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Costain Group: UK infrastructure solutions company operating in water, highways, rail, and energy sectors. Overlaps with Charles Brand on water utility frameworks (including AMP programmes), highways, and major civils projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charles-brand-group-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Charles Brand Group Limited