 | |
| Industry | Construction Business services |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1822 |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor | Carillion |
| Headquarters | London, England |
Key people | Joe Darby, (Chairman) Sir John Gains, (CEO) |
Number of employees | 25,600 |
Mowlem was one of the largest construction and civil engineering companies in theUnited Kingdom.
The company was established asJohn Mowlem and Co. byJohn Mowlem and initially worked on behalf of variouslocal authorities across London. It expanded throughout the nineteenth century, taking on increasingly prestigious undertakings. The company received the first of severalRoyal Warrants in 1902. One year later, John Mowlem and Co. was brieflyincorporated before being reorganised as a partnership once again; the business was long operated by successive generations of the Mowlem and Burt families, includingGeorge Burt, and SirJohn Mowlem Burt. During 1924, the company wentpublic on theLondon Stock Exchange.
Throughout theSecond World War, the company worked on numerous contracts issued by the British government, including the construction of theMulberry harbour units. After the end of the conflict, it continued to developed its network of regional contracting businesses, often via acquisitions. During 1971, the company expanded overseas via its stake in the Australian contractorBarclay Brothers, which it would later take whole ownership of. Mowlem entered the private house building sector during 1986 although, following arecession during the early 1990s, it sold on the housing division to the rival homebuilderBeazer in 1994.
The mid-2000s was a period of great change for Mowlem. It entered a period of financial difficulties in part attributed to several high-profile projects not going to plan. After losses totalling £73.4 million were recorded in 2005, its construction services operation was restructured and 300 jobs were lost at the company. During December 2005, it was announced that rival contracting companyCarillion was acquiring Mowlem for £291 million. Use of the Mowlem name was discontinued soon thereafter.
However, in 2024, the Mowlem trademark was acquired by BHM Construction International UK Ltd from the administrators of Carillion. BHM Construction International UK Ltd subsequently started trading as Mowlem.
The firm was founded as John Mowlem and Co by thestonemasonJohn Mowlem inLondon in 1822.[1] The company undertook a variety of jobs across London throughout the mid-nineteenth century; early activities were centred around paving and roadworks at the behest of variouslocal authorities. The business was able to expand considerably towards the end of the century, permitting it to perform prestigious activities, such as its involvement in preparatory works atWestminster Abbey for theDiamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.[1] During 1902, the company received aRoyal Warrant from thePrince of Wales in recognition of the quality of its workmanship; additional warrants would be received in 1910 and 1920.[1]
By this time, John Mowlem and Co. had become a partnership that was operated by successive generations of the Mowlem and Burt families, includingGeorge Burt andJohn Mowlem Burt.[2] George Mowlem Burt, a civil engineer and grandson of George Burt, has been credited with successfully guiding the company through the construction of various large scale public works, including theAdmiralty Arch and thePort of London Authority Building, as well as various maintenance contracts on behalf of theOffice of Works, amongst others.[3] The company was briefly incorporated during 1903, but reverted back to being a private company in 1908.[1] During 1924, the company wentpublic on theLondon Stock Exchange.[4]
During theSecond World War, the company's reputation from its works during theinterwar period led to it being awarded numerous contracts from the British government.[1] One particularly high-profile project that it was a contractor upon was the construction of theMulberry harbour units.[5] Other wartime construction projects included theRoyal Ordinance Factory Swynnerton as well as numerous tunnels and runways; the associated contracts were collectively valued at £29 million.[1]
Having developed itself as a long-standing national contractor, Mowlem developed a network of regional contracting businesses includingRattee and Kett of Cambridge (bought in 1926); E. Thomas of the west country (bought in 1965) and the formation of a northern region based inLeeds in 1970.[6] This network was further augmented by the acquisition of Ernest Ireland ofBath during 1977,[7] as well as the purchase of McTay Engineering ofBromborough together with its shipbuilding subsidiaryMcTay Marine during the late 1970s.[8]
During 1971, the company expanded overseas via the purchase of a 40% shareholding in the Australian contractorBarclay Brothers, in which it later took total ownership of. The Australian business, re-branded Barclay Mowlem, expanded into all other Australian mainland states, exceptSouth Australia, as well into Asia.[9][10] In 1982, the parent company was re-registered asJohn Mowlem and Co. plc.[1]
During 1986, Mowlem acquired thescaffolding specialist SGB Group;[11] its purchase of Unit Construction that same year gave the company a substantial presence in the private house building sector. Within two years, sales were up to an annual rate of 1,200 homes. However, arecession during the early 1990s led to Mowlem incurring losses in excess of £180m between 1991 and 1993, which placed pressure upon its banking covenants that compelled it to respond. During 1994, the company divested itself of its housing division via its sale to the rival homebuilderBeazer.[12][13] The company also opted to sell off SGB during the late 1990s.[14][15]
In 1984, a joint venture between Mowlem andGEC was awarded a contract to deliver theDocklands Light Railway (DLR), a fully automated transport system usinglight rail vehicles serving the redevelopedDocklands area of London.[16] Over the next two decades, the DLR would prove to be quite lucrative for Mowlem.[17] In 1993 Mowlem soldHSS Hire.[18][19]
During the mid-2000s, Mowlem entered into a period of financial difficulties; in 2005 alone, it issued four separate profit warnings and recorded losses totalling £73.4 million.[20][21] Several projects undertaken by the firm, such as theSpinnaker Tower in Portsmouth and the Bath Spa, had encountered considerable difficulties.[22][23] Simon Vivian, the company's chief executive, ordered a financial review of its ongoing projects along with the restructuring of its construction services operation, splitting it into three divisions (Mowlem Building, Mowlem Infrastructure and Mowlem Engineering) and enacting roughly 300 job losses.[20][6][24]
During December 2005, it was announced that rival construction companyCarillion was set to acquire Mowlem in exchange for £291 million.[20][25] The two companies were considered to be a good fit for one another, both having heavily involved themselves in variousprivate finance initiative (PFI) schemes, taking on various responsibilities and functions traditionally performed by national governments. After the acquisition was completed, Mowlem ceased to exist as an entity, having been absorbed into Carillion's operations.[26][27] Carillion's management publicly expressed the view that the Mowlem acquisition had led to some difficulties for the company.[28]
The Mowlem trade mark was acquired by BHM Construction International UK Ltd in 2024 from the administrators of Carillion. BHM Construction International UK Ltd subsequently started trading as Mowlem.[29]
Major projects undertaken by or involving Mowlem included:
Mowlem was also the owner and developer ofLondon City Airport completed in 1986.[49]
