How trust, reliability, and performance are driving Gobion Construction’s extraordinary £55 million growth story
Established in 2017, Gobion Construction Ltd (Gobion) has been delivering exceptional construction and civil engineering projects for almost a decade, offering both main contracting and sub-contracting services within the public and private sectors. The St Albans-based company was founded by Managing Director Paul Loftus and Construction Director PJ Lynch, and, together, their expertise spans groundworks, drainage, earthworks, reinforced concrete works, demolition, and structural alteration.
Operating across such a wide range of proficiencies gives Gobion a competitive advantage – even more so with a tried and tested supply chain, allowing more engagement in specialist services such as piling and design services. “Having capabilities across the various disciplines means we can take a more joined-up approach to project delivery,” Paul and PJ elaborate. “Clients increasingly want contractors who understand the full lifecycle of a project, and our experience across multiple disciplines allows us to add value from the planning stage right through to completion.
“When bidding for complex schemes, we’re able to look at the bigger picture rather than focusing on a single package of works. That helps us identify efficiencies, manage risks more effectively and develop practical solutions that support both programme and budget requirements. It also gives clients a single point of accountability and reduces the need to coordinate multiple contractors. From our perspective, that leads to better communication, greater control over quality and safety, and a more streamlined delivery process.”
Exceeding expectations
Expanding from an £11 million turnover in 2024 to an expected £55 million-to-£60 million this year, the key driver behind Gobion’s growth has been the successful delivery of projects and a strong reputation built through a proven track record. Paul and PJ believe in the principle that ‘you are only as good as your last project’ – a mantra they trust keeps the team focused on maintaining high standards and consistently meeting client expectations. “Our business model is centred on developing long-term relationships and generating repeat business through trust, reliability and performance. We are committed not only to delivering on our promises but also to exceeding expectations wherever possible.
“As these relationships strengthen, we are increasingly entrusted with larger, more complex projects. Growth has been carefully managed through investment in our people and supply chain. Supporting this growth is a disciplined commercial strategy focused on sustainable profitability and long-term value creation. Commercial Director Chris Green has played a key role in ensuring that Gobion’s expansion is underpinned by robust commercial management, careful risk assessment and a selective approach to project opportunities. “Our objective is not growth for growth’s sake,” Chris explains. “We are focused on delivering sustainable profit alongside turnover growth, ensuring we continue to invest in our people, supply chain and operational capabilities while maintaining the high standards our clients expect.” We have a loyal, experienced team whose knowledge and commitment are central to our success, supported by trusted specialist subcontractors for technically complex elements of our work.”
Industry recognition
One exemplary development that represents Gobion as a main contractor is the £52-million London Gateway Berth 5 container yard project; a major achievement for the company which reflects the progress it has made over recent years – evolving from a specialist contractor into a business capable of managing large-scale infrastructure projects from start to finish. “London Gateway provides a strong foundation for future growth. It reinforces our credentials within the infrastructure and industrial sectors and shows that we can compete for and deliver projects of this size and complexity. While it is a significant milestone, our focus remains the same as it has always been, delivering a high-quality project for our client. If we continue to do that consistently, opportunities for further growth and larger projects will naturally follow.”
This level of growth has also led to its recognition among the UK Construction Enquirer’s Top Contract Winners. “Recognition of this kind helps raise awareness of the company within the industry and highlights the scale and quality of the projects we are delivering. It reinforces confidence in our capabilities and supports our ongoing efforts to secure opportunities with both existing and new clients.”
Carbon reduction plan As a principal contractor specializing in heavy civil engineering, marine infrastructure and major earthworks, Paul and PJ recognize the business’ greatest environmental impacts lie in direct site fuel consumption and the embodied carbon of structural materials. The company’s ambitious carbon reduction plan is notable in its bid to achieve Net Zero. “We are actively working to decouple our project delivery from fossil fuel dependency and drive carbon reduction throughout our supply chain.” Indeed, Gobion has already completed significant environmental initiatives between 2022 and 2025, consisting of plant fleet modernisation, a transition to renewable electricity, and ISO 14001 and 50001 accreditation.
“To continue our progress toward achieving Net Zero by 2040, we have adopted the following interim carbon reduction targets,” Paul and PJ continue. “We project that our total emissions will decrease to 3200 tCO_2e by 2028, representing a reduction of 40.5 per cent against our 2022 baseline.” The group’s planned interventions for major civils and infrastructure contracts include the deployment of specific, practical decarbonisation measures across four key operational areas for heavy infrastructure, marine works and quay/berth style contracts. These areas consist of de-fossilising site plant and marine logistics, materials and circular economy, and supply chain logistics optimisation.
In line with this carbon reduction plan, Gobion has already started a full renewal of all its major plant, in an effort to ensure all plant remains less than three years old. “This will enable us to service all our projects, both current and future, to meet our environmental goals,” Paul and PJ explain. Looking ahead, the pair have large-scale plans to grow Gobion’s turnover over the next three to five years by circa £10 million per annum. “We would like to establish ourselves predominantly as a main contractor who can add value at all stages of the construction process, from preconstruction to delivery,” they conclude. “We aim to consolidate and reinforce the great reputation we have all worked tirelessly to achieve.”