The company started in the late 19th century as a joinery firm known as W & J Barr & Sons and gradually expanded into civil engineering projects.

As Barr began to grow its operations out of its native Ayrshire and into larger civil engineering developments, it decided to incorporate in 1976.

Clubs which got into financial difficulty because of mounting debts to the company included Airdrieonians[2] and Raith Rovers.

[3] In 2001 the company won the contract to upgrade the A830 road between Mallaig and Fort William in the Scottish highlands.

[5] In 2006 Barr built the first "eco-store" for Tesco at Wick in Scotland, using the unorthodox method of ship transport to deliver building materials to the site in order to save on carbon emissions.