There are a lot of engineering companies in the world. Some are big, while others are small, and they all work in a field which can be complicated and hard to navigate. Figuring out which of these businesses sit at the very top of the food chain can be difficult.

As one of the leading engineering recruiters in the UK, we’re going to be exploring this area, giving you an idea of the top 10 engineering companies in the world. This will be taking several factors into account, including the size of the company, the happiness of their employees, and the impact they have on society. It will be including all kinds of engineering types, from software development to aerospace design.

1: Google

Google doesn’t need a massive introduction, and most people know what they do. As the software engineering company, they are one of the most successful businesses in the world, and even their employees seem to love them.

2: Rolls-Royce Holdings

Not be confused with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars which is owned by BMW and who operate a rapidly expanding factory in Goodwood near Chichester, Rolls-Royce Holdings are a global leader in the manufacture of aircraft engines. More recently its diverse operations now include building mini nuclear reactors in the UK.

3: Renishaw

Renishaw is a precision engineering company based in the heart of the UK countryside. They make all sorts of equipment, ranging from measuring tools to medical machinery, and they are leaders in this complex market.

4: Jaguar Land Rover

Car manufacturers have dominated the engineering world for a long time, and few are as successful as Jaguar Land Rover. Having kept the factories in the same places for many years, they have had a strong influence on their local communities, while providing great cars.

5: Thales

Thales make electrical systems for the aerospace, defence, transportation, and security industries. This position in the market has given them the ability to scoop up government and military contracts, as well as jobs working with other large engineering companies.

6: British Airways

Most people don’t look at airlines as engineering companies, though those on the scale of British Airways do a lot more than simply flying people around. Working on their own aircraft and transport designs, helping to build airports, and working on numerous other complex projects, businesses like this are helping to shape modern engineering.

7: BAE Systems

BAE Systems specialise in aerospace, defence, and security, and they work on a huge variety of different types of engineering within this role. Recent major project deliveries include the next generation Aircraft Carriers for the Royal Navy, eg HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. This gives them a wide reach, while also giving them the chance to grow, making them into one of the top engineering companies in the world.

8: Boeing

Boeing make aircraft, and have been in this game for a very long time, making them a great choice for all sorts of engineers. While they may have had a rough few years, it’s unlikely that Boeing is going to be going anywhere soon.

9: Dyson

Dyson have been innovating the world of vacuum cleaners, fans, and hand dryers for a long time, and hold more patents in these fields than anyone else. They want to widen their reach, giving them even more markets to break into, and this probably won’t be such a bad thing.

10: BMW Group

Going back to car manufacturers, it’s time to think about BMW Group. Owning Mini, BWM, and Rolls-Royce, it’s easy to see how this group has become so successful, and they are often heralded as pioneers in the modern motor trade.

There are a lot of engineering companies out there, and they all have their own place on the market. Some work with other companies to create large projects and pieces of engineering, while others do things on their own, but this doesn’t seem to hold many of them back.