T&N Gilmartin (often simply “Gilmartin”) is a multi-disciplined contracting firm with a 70+ year legacy in the construction industry. Founded in 1956, the company has grown from a small family-run business into a mid-sized contractor with around 90 employees.

We specialise in landscaping, civil engineering, grounds maintenance, street lighting, and surfacing, delivering a broad range of infrastructure and site development projects.

Throughout our history, the firm has built a proud heritage of innovation, quality workmanship, and exceptional client service. Today, Gilmartin continues to expand its capabilities while upholding the high standards and values that have defined its success for decades.

In 2024, T&N Gilmartin became an employee-owned company, transferring 100% of its shareholding into an Employee Ownership Trust.

This means Gilmartin’s workforce are not just employees but co-owners of the business, with a personal stake in its success. Management chose the employee ownership model as a succession plan to secure the firm’s long-term future and preserve its core values and independence.

“The success of our company is down to the hard work and dedication of our loyal workforce… The move to employee ownership secures the long-term future of the business and the employment it provides,” said Philip McElhinney, Managing Director, upon the transition.

As an employee-owned enterprise, Gilmartin fosters a culture of team commitment and accountability.

Research indicates that employee-owned companies often see higher staff engagement, retention, and productivity than other firms.

For clients, this translates into tangible benefits: the people delivering projects are highly invested in achieving quality results, pay greater attention to detail, and are willing to go above and beyond to meet client needs.

Clients can also expect continuity and long-term relationships, as employee ownership tends to reduce staff turnover and preserve institutional knowledge.

In short, T&N Gilmartin’s employee owners take personal pride in their work, helping ensure reliable, high-quality service on every project.

Founded by Tommie Gilmartin Sr. in 1956, the company began as a local agricultural contractor in Fife.

Over the subsequent decades, Gilmartin steadily broadened its scope. In 1986, under second-generation owner Tommy Gilmartin, the firm was incorporated as T. & N. Gilmartin (Contractors) Ltd and started diversifying beyond agriculture.

Civil engineering and grounds maintenance were among the first new services added, soon followed by landscaping, street lighting, and road surfacing divisions to meet customer demand.

This expansion into multiple complementary services proved successful, allowing the company to take on larger and more complex projects while building a strong and loyal client base.

By delivering on promises and focusing on client satisfaction, Gilmartin grew organically from a small family concern into a respected regional contractor.

Key milestones in Gilmartin’s recent history include a move to a new, purpose-built headquarters in 2014 to accommodate its growing operations.

In 2016, the leadership transitioned to Donna McElhinney (the founder’s granddaughter), who continued the family’s legacy of steady growth and adaptation.

Under the third generation of family leadership, the firm maintained its reputation for quality and dependability, while modernizing and positioning for the future. The most significant change came in 2024, when the Gilmartin family ownership was passed into an Employee Ownership Trust. This transfer to employee ownership marked the beginning of a new chapter – the company remains committed to its founding principles, but now with every employee directly involved in shaping its future.

Philip and Donna McElhinney (previous owners) noted that keeping Gilmartin independent and protecting the team were top priorities in choosing this path, rather than selling to a third party.

They expressed confidence that the move would help “ensure the company continues to prosper in the long term” while safeguarding the jobs and values nurtured over three generations.

Today, T&N Gilmartin stands as a third-generation success story turned employee-owned enterprise. The continuity of leadership and knowledge within the firm – from its family roots to its new ownership structure – has created a stable foundation. The feeling of a close-knit team, present since the early family-business days, remains central to the company culture. Gilmartin’s heritage is evident in the long-term relationships it has built and the breadth of expertise it offers, all grounded in decades of practical experience.

T&N Gilmartin’s approach to business is defined by a commitment to quality, integrity, and long-term partnership. We do not view projects as one-off transactions; instead, we strive to build lasting relationships with our clients by delivering outstanding work and value on every engagement.

Many of our clients return to us for multiple projects over the years – a testament to our consistency and customer focus. By “delivering what we promise on every project,” Gilmartin has earned repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals that fuel our steady growth.

This philosophy of aiming to impress the client every time has helped us expand organically while maintaining a strong reputation.

Another core principle at Gilmartin is providing a truly joined-up service. Unlike firms that heavily outsource key aspects of their work, we have deliberately grown our in-house capabilities across all our service areas.

Our team now includes specialists in civil engineering, electrical works, landscaping, and more, supported by our own fleet of modern equipment. Keeping these disciplines under one roof gives us greater control over quality, safety, and scheduling. It also means clients enjoy a seamless experience – we can take on end-to-end responsibility for complex projects without relying on numerous subcontractors.

This integrated approach has enhanced our reliability and allowed us to tackle ever-bigger challenges in a cost-effective way. Clients have greater confidence in our ability to deliver, knowing that our multi-disciplinary team is working in unison to meet their needs.

Innovation and adaptability are also important values for Gilmartin. We embrace new techniques, materials, and technologies that can improve results for clients. For example, the company has explored sustainable construction solutions such as using recycled aggregates in footpaths to reduce carbon footprint.

By staying current with industry advancements, we aim to offer best-in-class solutions that align with our clients’ goals (including environmental objectives).

At the same time, we never compromise on the fundamentals: safe working practices, rigorous quality control, and clear communication with all stakeholders. Gilmartin’s internal processes are designed to ensure the highest standards are met consistently, and we work in close partnership with clients to achieve success together.

In summary, our approach is characterized by a personal, partnership-driven ethos and a dedication to excellence. Whether it’s a small landscaping job or a multi-million-pound infrastructure project, we bring the same level of care, teamwork, and professional pride to the task. Now, as an employee-owned firm, our workforce is more motivated than ever to uphold these values – every employee knows that the company’s reputation and success belong to all of us.

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