William Hare Group

William Hare Group is a family-owned British structural steel contractor and fabrication business headquartered in Bury, England. The group designs, engineers, fabricates, finishes and erects steelwork for major buildings, infrastructure schemes, industrial facilities and specialist engineering projects. Its work spans the full project cycle, from engineering support and detailing through manufacturing, surface treatment, logistics and site installation. The enterprise traces its origins to 1888, when William Hare established the business. It was incorporated as William Hare Ltd in 1945, the same period in which the company expanded beyond its original role as a Bolton-based steel erector into steel fabrication. During the 1960s and 1970s, the company developed international activity by supplying fabricated steel for overseas petrochemical projects. Its export development was recognised with a Queen's Award for Export in 1977. A major step in the group's manufacturing development came in 1977, when it acquired California Engineering Company Ltd and obtained the fabrication premises that became associated with its Bury operations. The business later expanded its international engineering and commercial network. It opened an office in Singapore in 1992 and an engineering support office in Chennai in 2002, alongside offices and support operations in other international locations. William Hare Group's reported project portfolio includes structural steelwork for major London developments such as 20 Fenchurch Street and 201 Bishopsgate, as well as prominent buildings in Abu Dhabi including the Aldar Headquarters and Al Bahr Towers. These projects illustrate the group's positioning as a high-capability contractor able to deliver complex steel packages for architecturally distinctive and technically demanding structures. The group manufactures in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. Its British facilities include sites associated with Bury, Scarborough, Newport, Rotherham and Thorp Arch, while coatings are applied at a Grantham facility. A Derby operation produces cold-formed steel components and engineered timber or hybrid structures. Sales and engineering support offices have operated in London, Chennai, Singapore, Seoul and Porto. The company has carried out projects in more than fifty countries, and a substantial proportion of its workforce is employed through overseas subsidiaries and branches. The business was reorganised as William Hare Group Ltd in 1998. It remains privately held and family controlled. David Hodgkiss, a grandson of the founder, served as group chief executive until his death in 2020. He was succeeded in that role by his sister, Susan Hodgkiss. The group's public identity is built around independent ownership, specialist steel expertise, international project delivery and the integration of fabrication with engineering and construction services. The company's history also includes legal and regulatory matters typical of a large construction contractor. These include a 2003 health-and-safety prosecution following a worker's fatal fall during extension works at the Imperial War Museum, an employment tribunal decision concerning unfair dismissal in 2010, and a significant construction-payment dispute connected with the Trinity Walk shopping-centre development. These matters form part of the group's documented corporate history but do not by themselves define its broader business activities.

William Hare's origins date to 1888, when William Hare established the enterprise that later became the William Hare Group. The early business was based in Bolton and initially operated as a steel-erection contractor. In 1945 it was incorporated as William Hare Ltd and broadened its activities into steel fabrication, giving it greater control over the manufacture of components used in construction and industrial projects. The company developed an international dimension during the 1960s and 1970s. It began producing fabricated steel for overseas petrochemical projects, building experience in export logistics, industrial engineering and the delivery of large steel packages outside the United Kingdom. This export activity was recognised in 1977 with a Queen's Award for Export. In the same year, the company acquired California Engineering Company Ltd. The transaction brought the fabrication premises that became the foundation of its Bury manufacturing presence. William Hare continued to expand its geographic reach during the following decades. A Singapore office opened in 1992, followed by an engineering support office in Chennai in 2002. The group subsequently developed a wider network of sales and engineering locations, including offices in London, Seoul and Porto. Its operating model combined UK fabrication with international engineering support, overseas subsidiaries and project delivery in multiple regions. In 1998, the business was reorganised as William Hare Group Ltd. The group later established or operated manufacturing and specialist-production facilities in several UK locations, including Bury, Scarborough, Newport, Rotherham and Thorp Arch. Coating work was associated with a Grantham site, while the Derby plant produced cold-formed steel components and engineered timber or hybrid structures. The group also manufactures in the United Arab Emirates, supporting its activity in the Middle East. The company's project record includes structural steelwork for significant commercial and civic developments. In London, documented landmark projects include 20 Fenchurch Street and 201 Bishopsgate. In Abu Dhabi, the group worked on the Aldar Headquarters and Al Bahr Towers. It has undertaken projects in more than fifty countries, reflecting a business model based on specialist fabrication, engineering, transportation, erection and project management rather than on a single domestic market. Ownership has remained family based. David Hodgkiss, a grandson of William Hare, served as group chief executive until his death in 2020. He was succeeded by his sister, Susan Hodgkiss. The company remains privately held and presents itself as an independent structural-steel specialist. The group's documented history also includes several legal and regulatory events. In 2003, it was fined by the Health and Safety Executive after a worker fell to his death during extension works at the Imperial War Museum in London. The prosecution concerned a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and raised concerns about the adequacy of the method statement and site safety precautions. In a separate employment matter, a 2010 judgment found that an employee had been unfairly dismissed, although the award was reduced in light of the employee's conduct. The Trinity Walk dispute concerned a construction contract and the attempted withholding of approximately £996,683.35 under a pay-when-paid clause; the Technology and Construction Court rejected that position in 2009, and the Court of Appeal upheld the ruling in 2010.

• 2020

  Leadership passes to Susan Hodgkiss

  [1]William Hare Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Following the death of David Hodgkiss, his sister Susan Hodgkiss became group chief executive.

• 2002

  Chennai engineering support office opens

  [1]William Hare Groupen.wikipedia.org

  An engineering support office was opened in Chennai.

• 1998

  William Hare Group Ltd is formed

  [1]William Hare Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The company reorganised under the William Hare Group Ltd structure.

• 1992

  Singapore office opens

  [1]William Hare Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group established an office in Singapore as part of its international expansion.

• 1977

  Export recognition and Bury manufacturing expansion

  [1]William Hare Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The company received a Queen's Award for Export and acquired California Engineering Company Ltd, obtaining the premises associated with its Bury fabrication operations.

• 1945

  William Hare Ltd is incorporated

  [1]William Hare Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The business was incorporated and diversified from steel erection into steel fabrication.

• 1888

  William Hare establishes the original enterprise

  [1]William Hare Groupen.wikipedia.org

  William Hare founded the business that ultimately developed into the William Hare Group.

A large independent and family-owned structural steel contractor combining UK and Middle Eastern fabrication capacity with international engineering, project-management and site-installation capability.

• Construction and engineering

  Structural steelwork

  The group's core offering is the engineered supply and installation of structural steel for commercial buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities and architecturally complex projects. Services can cover design coordination, detailing, fabrication, logistics and site erection. Documented projects include major London towers and prominent Abu Dhabi buildings.

• Manufacturing · 1945

  Steel fabrication

  William Hare manufactures fabricated steel components through facilities in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. Its historical capabilities developed from steel erection and expanded into fabrication for building, infrastructure, petrochemical and other industrial applications.

• Professional and technical services

  Engineering and project support

  The group provides engineering support, project coordination and technical services linked to steel construction. Its international support network has included offices in London, Chennai, Singapore, Seoul and Porto, enabling work to be coordinated across fabrication, transport and installation stages.

• Steel finishing

  Protective coatings

  Coating operations form part of the group's steel-production chain. A Grantham site is associated with the application of coatings, allowing fabricated components to receive protective or project-specified finishes before delivery or installation.

• Specialist construction systems

  Cold-formed steel and hybrid structures

  The Derby operation manufactures cold-formed steel components and engineered timber or hybrid structures. These capabilities extend the group beyond conventional hot-rolled structural steel and support projects requiring lighter components or combined structural materials.

• 2010

  Unfair-dismissal judgment

  An employment judgment found that William Hare had unfairly dismissed an employee. The judge reduced the financial award by one third because of the employee's conduct before dismissal.

  Source

• 2003

  Fatal fall during Imperial War Museum works

  William Hare Group was fined £75,000 plus £9,000 in costs after pleading guilty to a breach of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The case followed the death of an employee who fell approximately 13 metres during extension works at the Imperial War Museum in London. The company was criticised over a vague method statement and insufficiently defined safety precautions.

  Source

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• 2009

  Challenge payment withholding in the Trinity Walk contractOther

  Background

  Shepherd Construction sought to withhold payment to William Hare under a pay-when-paid clause after the ultimate client entered administration.

  Action taken

  The Technology and Construction Court ruled that the payment could not be withheld because the contract used an obsolete definition of insolvency.

  Aftermath

  The Court of Appeal upheld the decision in 2010, allowing the contractual payment claim to stand.

  Payment disputed. 996683.35 GBP (2008-2010)

  Source

• 1998

  Reorganise as William Hare Group LtdStrategy

  Background

  The company's activities had expanded across fabrication, engineering support and international project delivery.

  Action taken

  The business was reorganised under the William Hare Group Ltd structure.

  Aftermath

  The group continued developing a multi-site manufacturing and international support model.

  Source

• 1977

  Expand export fabrication for international industrial projectsStrategy

  Background

  During the 1960s and 1970s, the company developed fabricated-steel supply for overseas petrochemical projects rather than remaining focused solely on domestic erection work.

  Action taken

  William Hare expanded export-oriented fabrication activity and was recognised with a Queen's Award for Export in 1977.

  Aftermath

  The move supported the group's later international project footprint and overseas operating network.

  Source

1. 1William Hare Groupen.wikipedia.org
2. 2William Hare Group official websitewilliamhare.com