Soaring sales for Swindon-based construction firm

Award-winning contractor Beard has reported the year of sales in its 131-year history with turnover of £179m.

Full year accounts already published for the year ending 31 December 2023, show pre-tax profits of £4.3m.

Sales were up by 9% on 2022, with profitability also improving year-on-year. As well as strong customer demand, Beard won places on several local and national frameworks. This included its re-appointment to the Procure Partnerships Framework, an £8bn national construction framework.

News of the company’s strong performance comes as Beard expands its reach. It recently opened a new office in Southampton, one of the key pillars to its growth strategy. 

Beard finance director Fraser Johns said: “Business at Beard is thriving. We’ve seen very strong demand for our services over the past year, especially in the education and commercial sectors, and we’ve won plenty of work through local and national frameworks. 

"We start 2024 upbeat about the prospects of the year ahead with a healthy head of work.

“Along with our own brilliant people, our supply chain has played a vital role in our success and I’d particularly like to thank all our supply chain partners. We look forward to their continued support with our strong pipeline of work in 2024. 

"The new Southampton office is ideally placed to support our growth in the region.”

Beard’s project highlights last year included:

- Completing £26m extension and refurbishment of Grade II* listed Rhodes House, Oxford

- Completing £17m zero-carbon Bristol office development, Aztec 1000

- Completing £17m community tennis centre clubhouse for the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Raynes Park

- Starting on new £16m flagship Porsche dealership for Dick Lovett centre in Newport, Wales

- Starting the £7m transformation of Grade II listed Trowbridge Town Hall

The business continues to increase its focus on sustainability, reporting an improvement in carbon emissions (per £1m turnover), and appointing a Social Value Manager to oversee and help capture all the positive actions from community partnerships going forward.  

Beard is family-owned and run.