Aberdeen construction group CHAP has achieved a record-setting year, with revenue reaching £65.8 million.
This marks the sixth consecutive year of growth for the Westhill-based organization, which operates in three key sectors – construction, civil engineering, and residential development – and employs a workforce of 180 individuals.
Managing director Hugh Craigie stated that these outcomes are a result of a deliberate strategy aimed at reinforcing the company’s main divisions and vying for larger-scale projects.
The firm recently allocated £1 million towards relocating to new offices in Aberdeen’s Prospect Drive after outgrowing its former location.
The group’s turnover for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, increased by over £8 million compared to the previous year.
Managing Director Hugh Craigie spoke to the P&J, commenting: “We’re not a one-trick pony. There’s been a conscious decision to focus more on the bigger projects. We’re getting more traction with that and being able to compete with some of the bigger competitors better than we’ve ever done before.”
While the company recorded a pre-tax loss of £636,000, Hugh emphasised that this was primarily due to the revaluation of older property assets, not the day-to-day operations. The previous year saw a pre-tax profit of £552,000.
Hugh said: “The loss before tax is reflective of a revaluation on some of our legacy property, which is outwith our control and is not reflective of our trade.”
“Unfortunately, it’s reflective of the Aberdeen property market. We’ve seen the value of properties we hold reduce and we have to reflect that fairly in our accounts.”
“On the flip side, we wouldn’t have been able to buy the office we’ve got had the property market not gone backwards – so it’s a mixed story.”
A renewed emphasis on civil engineering has been crucial to the company’s recent achievements, with a recent growth of the civil engineering team was also a key factor in the firm’s office move..
Hugh recognised that the construction market in the north-east continues to be difficult, particularly due to limited public sector funding.
He commented: “There is a distinct lull at the moment, as the local council, the NHS and a lot of the public bodies, who are the biggest clients for construction firms, don’t have much in the way of money at the moment.”
“So that’s a challenge. But it goes in cycles and that will come back.”
Despite facing short-term challenges, Hugh asserted that the record revenue and a robust order book place the firm in a strong position as it marks its 50th anniversary.
The company has also expanded its reach into Dundee and aims to target Edinburgh this year.
Chap Group was established in 1976 by Hugh’s father, Alasdair Craigie, along with three partners. The name Chap is an acronym formed from the initials of its founding members – Craigie, Harper, Anderson, and Philip – and Alasdair played a pivotal role in the firm’s growth and success.
