Mears company profile
Mears company profile
An overview of social housing repairs and maintenance contractor Mears, including: information about Mears' operations; latest news about Mears'; and the latest Mears' share price.
Mears quick links
Latest Mears news
- Mears unveils £170m-worth of social housing awards
- Mears company profile
- Mears lifts turnover through £300m barrier
- Mears' social housing operations make 5.6% operating margin
- Bob Holt, Mears: Taking care of business (Profile)
Mears overview
Mears started out its life in 1988 as a small, private building contractor.
Mears' direction changed dramatically in 1996, with the arrival of current chairman and chief executive Bob Holt (pictured). Holt took Mears, then with a turnover of £12m and 83 employees, onto the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange to create Mears Group plc.
By 2005, Mears' turnover had reached £203.5m and for the first time the company reported an orderbook of £1bn.
However, in 2007 Mears was hit by allegations from a BBC investigation into its businesses practices which put it at risk of losing a 15-year housing partnering agreement for Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.
Mears denied the claims and was later cleared of any wrongdoings.
In 2008, Mears pushed its turnover 26% higher to £300m in its results covering the 12 months to 31 December 2007. The firm also reported a pre-tax profit of £15m resulting in a profit margin of 5%.
Mears was ranked 52nd in the 2007 Contract Journal Construction Top 100.
Mears operations
Mears Group is the parent group for a number of businesses. They are:
- Mears Limited. Responsive repairs, gas servicing, Decent Homes upgrading and a voids services.
- Careforce. Providing care at home for the elderly and for people with physical and/or learning disabilities.
- Haydon Mechanical & Electrical. A mechanical and electrical building services contractor specialising in design and installation for residential developments and other major projects
- Scion Group. Providing electrical mechanical and building services, grounds maintenance, soft and hard landscaping and facilities management.
- Laidlaw Scott. A building and maintenance contractor that specialises in serving housing associations and local authorities in Scotland.
- United Fleet Distribution. A vehicle delivery company.