Jones Engineering last year paid out a dividend of €47.15m during a record revenue year for the group.
The 2021 dividend payout came ahead of the owners selling the business to US based Cathexis Holdings this Summer in a deal believed to be worth more than €1 billion.
New accounts show that Jones Engineering Holdings Ltd and subsidiaries last year recorded a €48.6 million pre-tax profit as revenues surged by 26% or €189.2 million from €726.6 million to €915.88 million.
Last year's pre-tax profit of €48.6 million was 21% down on the 2020 pre-tax profits of €59.85 million.
The dividend payout last year of €47.15 million followed a dividend payout of €35.5 million in 2020.
Prior to the deal being finalised on September 30th, the group's chairman, Eric Kinsella had 63.7% share in the business and chief executive, Jim Curley had a 27.3% share in the business.
As part of the deal, the two men have left the business and both resigned as directors on September 30th when the contract closed allowing Cathexis, led by Texas billionaire, William Harrison to take full control of the business.
Jones Engineering is a global company that focuses on large-scale infrastructure projects in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, IT and data-centre industries and generates about half of its revenue from overseas.
On the 2021 performance, the directors state that they are satisfied with the performance of the group.
On the business's future developments, the directors state that they intend to continue with the development of existing business opportunities with an increasing focus on opportunities outside of Ireland.
Numbers employed by the group last year increased by 230 from 1,992 to 2,131 as staff costs increased from €138.13 million to €161.48 million.
Directors' emoluments reduced sharply from €4.95 million to €1.1 million.
The dividend payout last year reduced accumulated profits to €114.96 million. The group’s cash funds increased from €106.89 million to €172.17 million.
The directors state that the group faces inflationary pressures associated with macroeconomic conditions and management is confident that inflation risks are being appropriately managed on projects.
The group last year recorded post tax profits of €41.6 million after paying corporation tax of €6.97 million.
Prior to the sale, over its 132-year history, Jones Engineering had been led by just three people with Mr Kinsella heading up the group since 1993.
- reporting by Gordon Deegan
