CRH tops Ireland’s 1000 companies list once again

By Maurice Garvey

GLOBAL building materials giant CRH have come out on top – once again – on Ireland’s Top 1000 companies list.

Ireland’s own construction behemoth – headquartered in Belgard Castle – saw it’s turnover soar by 25 per cent in the year to a whopping €23.6 billion in 2015, putting it comfortably ahead of Microsoft once more.

CRH have dominated the Top 1000 since the survey first began in 2002, wrestling back the leading position after Microsoft assumption of the top spot for the first time last year.

Formed through a merger in 1970 of leading Irish public companies, Cement Limited and Roadstone, CRH employ 89,000 people worldwide.

Albert Manifold, Chief Executive CRH, believes 2016 will be a year of continued growth for the group.

It’s American business, which are mainly focused on the US, contributed €917 million to its €1.27 billion operating profits in 2015, whilst CRH’s biggest division, producing asphalt, concrete, stone and paving, contributed €611 million.

In second place on the list, Microsoft Ireland Operations Ltd, a subsidiary of the software giant saw a turnover of €19.3 billion.

The software giant first opened a data centre in Grange Castle Business Park in 2009 at a cost of approximately €600 million, and they plan to spend approximately €880 million on a massive expansion of its Irish data centre interests at the site.

Other notable South Dublin County companies in the top 200 include Naas Road based construction firm Sisk Group (83), with a turnover of €909.1 million, employing 1,224 staff.

Ballymount firm Valeo Foods (101), saw a turnover of €700 million, and employ 1,050 people.

Xilinx (134), a USA technology company with an Irish base in Citywest, saw a turnover of €481.8 million, and employ 244 people.

Heatons (174), one of Irelands largest group of department stores saw a turnover of €350 million. Headquartered in Whitestown Road, Tallaght, the company employ 2,000 people nationwide.