Reds10 said the move would add to its strengths in the industrialised construction centre
An investment group has taken a stake in fast-growing East Yorkshire steel fabrication specialist ESL Fabrication Engineers (ESL). The investment by Reds10 is said to strengthen its industrialised construction model by bringing critical steel fabrication in-house, enhancing delivery strength and support the business’s next phase of growth.
The companies’ factory locations are geographically complementary, with Reds10 manufacturing all at its building off‑site in Driffield, and ESL’s purpose‑built facility just 20 miles away in Hull.
Founded in 2010 by father and son Paul and Gareth Thompson, ESL specialises in the comprehensive delivery of steel fabrication across the UK, from manufacture and installation to repair and maintenance works. The business has grown steadily since its inception, growing its turnover to £7m in 2026, and now employs just under 50 people from its purpose-built factory facility in Kingston upon Hull.
ESL will become part of the recently established Reds10 Group, alongside Reds10 and its eight sister companies. The creation of Reds10 Group brings a family of businesses together under one roof to further drive the wholesale industrialisation of design, production and construction, with AI integrated at every stage.
Paul Ruddick, chief executive of Reds10 Group, said: “Having worked with ESL for several years, we’ve seen first‑hand the consistent quality of their service and their ambition for excellence and growth, values that closely align with our own. Bringing steel fabrication into the Reds10 Group adds a critical piece of the jigsaw as we launch our next phase of strategic growth to exploit advancing technologies, while integrating AI at every level of the business.”
Gareth Thompson, co-founder and managing director of ESL said: “We’ve come a long way since ESL’s inception in 2010 and our partnership with Reds10 feels like a natural next step that will bring clear benefits to both businesses. This marks an exciting next phase in our evolution, and we look forward to building on the strong working relationship we’ve developed with Reds10 in recent years and maximising the opportunities ahead.”
The partnership comes after Reds10 reported financial results for the 2024/25 with revenue of £144.7m. The company has set out an ambitious plan to grow its revenue to £500m and is targeting an expansion into the healthcare sector, as well as the affordable housing and temporary accommodation sectors.
Reds10 manufactures all its buildings off-site at its advanced construction facility in Driffield, where it has five factories totalling 300,000 sq ft.
