Billington profit impacted by client project delays | Construction Enquirer News

The Barnsley-based group saw revenue fall 15% to £96m for the year to December 2025, while pre-tax profit dropped to £1.3m from £10.8m a year earlier. Underlying pre-tax profit, stripping out £2.8m of one-off costs tied mainly to the closure of the Yate facility, also dropped to £4.1m from £10.8m. Billington said the weaker showing came despite productive hours rising 4.2% as it focused on more complex and labour-intensive jobs using less steel tonnage. Client-led contract slippage also delayed margin recognition on several schemes into 2026. But chief executive Mark Smith said projects deferred into this year and a record order book had set the firm up for a strong recovery in 2026 and 2027. Billington is due to start on site this month at the delayed Sheffield Forgemaster project and has seen big increases in work scope at its North London energy from waste job. Smith said: “Billington delivered a robust performance in 2025 against the backdrop of very challenging market conditions and with continuing pricing pressure across the sector. “Despite this, we maintained strong operational output, protected margins and secured a number of technically demanding, higher-value contracts that provide good visibility into 2026.” The biggest drag on results came from the decision to shut the Yate plant in Bristol and consolidate structural steel operations at Wombwell and Shafton in Barnsley. Billington said the move had improved its cost base and operational efficiency, with recent...