Graham Construction has carried out a number of major projects including the Samuel Beckett Bridge in Dublin. |
Graham and Sisk bid for UK jobs
Irish construction companies Sisk and Graham Construction are leading the race of building firms from the Republic turning to the United Kingdom to find work.
Northern Irish firm Graham Construction is bidding for its first English civil engineering jobs, the £13.2m M56 Bowden Bridge replacement scheme.
Tenders for the project – which include the demolition and replacement of the existing Bowden View Bridge at J7 of the M56, are due to be submitted by July 26.
Dromore-based Graham also pre-qualified for a £20m road improvement works job at the junction of the A41 and A4031 for Sandwell Borough Council in the West Midlands.
Graham won its first job in Scotland in 2003 and has since opened offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Head of business development for civil engineering Michael Mitchell said: “Generally speaking the Irish market has pretty much dried up and we are looking to replace that.
“Jobs in Ireland are on such a low margin you are not even that keen on winning them.”
In Ireland, Graham Construction has carried out a number of major projects including Taney Bridge in Dundrum. The company is also constructing the Samuel Beckett Bridge in a joint venture with Hollandia.
Meanwhile, a joint venture between Sisk and Roadbridge is tendering for a £130m Glasgow Airport Rail link.
The JV is up against Carillion, Morrision and a JV of Balfour Beatty, Morgan Est and Vinci Construction’s Grands Projets division.
Tender documents will be issued by the end of June to the four teams.
Nigel Warnes, UK director for large projects at John Sisk & Son said: “In Ireland, Sisk is a big fish in a small pond. Over here it is a much smaller fish in a much bigger pond.
“It is a case of holding our own in Ireland and any growth will come here in the UK. We have got a lot of Irish resources over here now. They are travelling as and when required.”
Source: Construction News
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