In 1988, Donald started a small enterprise along with his father John, carrying out kerbing contracts and traditional stone work. Due to the ethics and values the business was built on, the enterprise and Donald's reputation both grew quickly. Soon after, he started employing staff and sub contractors alike, whilst hiring in plant to get jobs done.

​​The next milestone for the business came in 1995 when Donald bought his first Excavator, a Hitachi EX60. This was a huge stepping stone for the company and was the first of many machines bought by Donald to service the needs of the growing engineering industry in Argyll.​

In 1997 Donald was joined by his wife Irene who took over the administration of the business. Irene joined the company after 10 years working in the financial industry, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge. Also at this point Ian McCallum joined Donald as his right hand man, who remains in the position to this day as the companies Contracts Manager. With the next key staff in position, it was time to establish a base, and this brought on the purchase of our existing site within Kilmory Industrial Estate.

 As the business was rapidly expanding, 2003 saw the construction of our current office, staff of around 55 and the formation of a limited company. This was D. A. MacDonald (Contractors) Ltd making its mark on the future of engineering within Argyll. Not to stay to stagnant - the company continued to grow and peaked at almost 100 staff, before settling to around 70 staff today.​ Over the years the company has completed over 50 hydro schemes across Scotland alongside producing a high standard of civil engineering projects with quality remaining at the heart of every job. Today, D. A. MacDonald (Contractors) Ltd continues to increase it's knowledge and reputation in the industry.

The Takeover 

In early 2025 Donald and Irene decided that they would like to make an exit from the business, and do so in a fashion that D.A MacDonald (contractors) Ltd would continue to move forward in the same format but with new Directors at the helm. Lilian Duncan and Chris Stewart who are both long standing employees of the company and played a crucial role in the running of the company under Donald and Irene are driven and dedicated to take the business forward. With a new management team in place we look forward to working with existing customers and developing relationships with new ones.