The brickwork specialist bounced back to a £2.8m pre-tax profit last year after a prior year loss of £2.2m in the face of wage and materials inflation.

Revenue over the year to December 2023 was up over a fifth to £80m driving a jump in staff numbers to 210 from around 180 in the more challenging prior year.

Founder Lee Marley, who set up the business in 1997 at just 24 years old, said the return to profit had been driven by the firm’s longstanding relationships with clients and its proven track-record.

During the year, the firm which operates from offices in London, Reading and Glasgow, opened its Lee Marley Academy in partnership with London South Bank Technical College to training future brickies.

Marley said: “The company starts 2024 with a record order book of £114m (2023: £81m).

“Our core market has remained strong with most large-scale developments underpinned by growing investment in affordable housing and institutional investment in rental homes.

“We continue to operate within our available facilities and we have a resilient balance sheet, underpinned by continued investment ni plant, equipment and staff, which positions the business for growth ni 2024 and beyond.”