Royal BAM Group’s Irish operating company has acquired a non-controlling share in leading modular homes provider Modern Homes Ireland (MHI). MHI constructs quality assured steel-framed homes and commercial buildings and is the only NSAI certified volumetric housing provider in Ireland. Financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

The acquisition is intended to enhance and maximise business opportunities for both companies in the Irish construction sector. MHI was established in 2016 and has completed more than 400 residential units since then, mainly in the Leinster area, including a combination of social housing and high-end residential developments. The company is based in Ballyjamesduff where it employs 120 people with a current capacity of more than 500 units annually.

MHI has a unique and immediate offering of volumetric housing units and is well positioned to grow significantly in modular construction across multiple streams. They can competitively deliver high quality housing, unaffected by the construction skills shortage currently being experienced in Ireland. The benefit of offsite fabrication (units are up-to 95% constructed before leaving the factory) is a considerable faster build time than traditional construction.

Following BAM’s investment MHI will further increase its production capacity in Ballyjamesduff. The company will also gain access to BAM’s modular expertise in the Netherlands, where BAM Modulair Bouwen en Ontwikkelen has state-of-the art production facilities in Veenendaal to develop innovative elements for newbuild and renovation projects in both the residential and non-residential markets, thus contributing to making buildings more sustainable and circular.

Both businesses plan to accelerate home building activity in social housing and PPP contracts as well as in private developments in large population centres.