2016-2026
Ten years ago, Eddie McGillycuddy and Chris Gleave had a vision for a different kind of contractor. Agile. Honest. Delivery focused.
A decade on, that idea remains the heartbeat of everything we do. From three people to more than 350. From one region to projects delivered across the UK and Ireland. This is the story of how Glencar grew without losing what made it different.
Delivered or currently in delivery across the UK and Ireland, spanning industrial and logistics, data centres, life sciences, film studios, ports, and civils and infrastructure – across more than 25 million sq ft of space.
From a founding team of 3 to more than 350 strong, built on shared values and collective ambition.
A decade defined by growth, resilience and doing things differently.
From our first industrial builds to nationally significant schemes, these milestones trace the evolution of Glencar over the past decade.
Over the past ten years, Glencar has been shaped by the projects we’ve delivered and the people who delivered them. Every site tells a story – of challenges faced, problems solved and standards upheld. From our earliest builds to our most complex schemes, each project reflects the same commitment to quality, teamwork and doing things the right way.
This look back isn’t just about scale or numbers; it’s about progress, trust and the relationships built along the way. These are a few projects that define our first decade – and set the benchmark for what comes next.
F1 Autocentre, Camberley
Our first contract win was a new build 5,000 sq ft bespoke unit for F1 Autocentres. Works involved breaking out an existing petrol station, excavating and stone vibro piling before installing a steel frame and Kingspan clad building.
Valor Park, Milton Keynes
Our project in Milton Keynes involved the repositioning of an existing 200,000 sq ft warehouse with 10,500 sq ft of new and refurbished offices.
Project Aardvark, Biggleswade
We completed the design and build of this 89,000 sq ft distribution warehouse on a greenfield site including 5,500 sq ft of new office space.
Works included earthworks, stabilisation and the introduction of a steel frame building with cladding and glazed finishes. Internally a 30,000 sq ft mezzanine was installed with racking and full sprinkler system.
Access Self Storage, Bracknell
This project involved the design and conversion of an existing office building into a mixture of self storage accommodation and serviced offices. The refurbishment of Access Self Storage included the introduction of two new goods lifts from the lower ground level to the new third floor level. The addition of the third floor required the design and installation of new structural steelwork connected back to the existing steel frame. All works were undertaken while the existing tenant occupied an area of the lower ground floor level.
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PLP, Crewe
Our project at Crewe Commercial Park involved the design and build of the first phase of speculative units. The scheme comprised two units totalling 135,000 sq ft with two inboard office spaces, along with extensive hard and soft landscaping and Section 278 works. Subsequently let to Brightstar, both units were delivered to Carbon Net Zero Ready status.
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Ocado Andover, Hampshire
Following a fire at Ocado’s Andover CFC, Glencar delivered the complex demolition and full reconstruction of the critical logistics hub. The project included phased demolition, IP recovery and a 410,000 sq ft highly automated fulfilment centre with freezer, chill and ambient zones. Additional works comprised offices, parking and service infrastructure. Completed in just one year during the pandemic, it demonstrated Glencar’s capability in complex, live environments.
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Catalent, Harwell
Our project at Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire involved the shell, core and specialist fit out of the UK’s first dedicated biologics development and manufacturing facility. Fast tracked at the onset of COVID 19, the 150000 sq ft facility now operated by Catalent serves as the UK’s emergency vaccine production hub. The scheme includes GMP compliant cleanrooms and complex biomanufacturing infrastructure, with Glencar acting as principal contractor throughout. The project demonstrates the delivery of highly technical infrastructure under intense national time pressure.
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Baytree, Nuneaton
Baytree Nuneaton is a landmark sustainable logistics development within the UK’s Golden Triangle, totalling close to one million sq ft. The scheme includes two logistics units and a three-storey, 30,000 sq ft office constructed entirely from CLT and Glulam, making it one of the UK’s largest timber buildings. Works comprised major infrastructure, utility diversions and Section 278 road improvements, alongside complex environmental measures on a former waste site. The development achieved BREEAM Outstanding design stage certification and integrates extensive wellbeing and community facilities.
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Segro Grand Union V Park, Wembley
The UK’s first development of its kind, this scheme provides 134,500 sq ft of flexible light industrial space across six storeys, alongside 10.2 acres of publicly accessible landscaped gardens and extensive community amenities. Ground and first floors accommodate parking with EV charging, while four upper levels offer adaptable industrial units with shared meeting, breakout and wellness spaces, including a green roof terrace. Designed to achieve EPC “A” and BREEAM “Excellent,” the building incorporates LED lighting, PV panels and full heating, cooling and ventilation. Constructed on piled foundations near the River Brent, the 39m-high steel frame includes two-hour fire protection and comprehensive sprinkler systems throughout.
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LHR21 Vantage DC, Park Royal
Our project at Vantage Data Centers’ Park Royal campus delivered the 194,000 sq ft, six-storey LHR21 data centre, providing 20 MW of IT capacity. Constructed on a confined urban site, the project required tightly managed logistics and complex multi-trade coordination. Works included full structural build, MEP installation and partial technical fit-out, with rooftop plant and a gantry supporting 14 emergency generators. The façade features 11 Million Dots, a public artwork created with the local community.
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“When we founded Glencar in 2016, neither of us could have fully predicted the journey that lay ahead of us. What we did have, however, was clarity of intent. We wanted to build a business that was agile, honest, delivery-focused and proud of the work it put into the ground. Ten years on, as we look back on Glencar’s first decade, we feel an enormous sense of pride – not just in what we’ve built, but in how we’ve built it.”
“Like many businesses, we started small. Those early industrial and logistics projects weren’t glamorous, but they were crucial. They taught us discipline, commercial awareness and the importance of relationships. Small projects built Glencar’s bottom line – but more importantly, they built our reputation. Repeat clients came back to us because we delivered certainty in an uncertain market, and that became a cornerstone of our growth.”
“As we mark ten years, we’re deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey – our team, supply chain partners, customers and families who’ve supported us along the way. Glencar’s first decade was about building strong foundations. The next will be about pushing boundaries, diversifying intelligently and continuing to prove that a construction business can grow rapidly without losing its soul. We’re only just getting started.”
— Eddie McGillycuddy & Chris Gleave
To our clients, our team and our partners, past and present, thank you. You’ve built this with us.
The first decade was about building strong foundations. The next will be about pushing boundaries. Intelligently, sustainably and without losing what made us different.
We’re only just getting started.
