Global engineering consultancy PD&MS Group has beefed up its green credentials with an acquisition expected to create 75 new jobs around the UK.
The Aberdeen company said it had snapped up Glasgow-based specialist engineering firm Synergie Environ Limited (SEL) for an undisclosed sum.
PD&MS hailed it as a key move for helping its clients achieve their net-zero targets, while also supporting the North Sea oil and gas industry’s energy transition.
This cleantech acquisition is a real statement of our intent.”
Simon Rio, PD&MS Group chief executive
SEL’s innovative carbon emissions-reducing technology has won it a string of industry awards over the years.
The company was founded in 2009 by managing director Uisdean Fraser, a former head of waste at Western Isles Council.
For more than a decade SEL has been instrumental in measures to cut carbon consumption and cost across industries including energy, power generation and storage, as well as pharmaceuticals, waste and sustainable material, and transportation.
During this time, it has supported more than 500 businesses – resulting in an estimated cumulative carbon reduction impact in excess of one million tonnes of CO2.
Aberdeen parent’s support will allow SEL to target bigger projects
PD&MS will provide additional engineering resources, project management and site construction support, allowing the central belt business to target larger-scale engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning campaigns, as well as supporting SEL on larger turnkey opportunities across the growing cleantech sector.
The 75 new hires are expected to join the wider group, in various UK locations, over the next year.
PD&MS chief executive Simon Rio said: “We are fully committed to supporting our clients decarbonise their infrastructure and activities.
“This cleantech acquisition is a real statement of our intent, and underpins our drive and passion to support the energy transition.
“The team at SEL has vast experience in delivering tangible carbon-reduction solutions across multiple sectors and projects.
“Coupled with our growth in the renewables sector, we are very well placed to unlock significant value for our customers in maximising economic recovery and extending the life of infrastructure, whilst delivering on ESG (environmental, social, and governance) agendas.”
SEL will continue to be based in Glasgow and operate as part of PD&MS Group. Mr Fraser, who has worked on cleantech development for more than 35 years, will carry on in his role.
‘Passion for low carbon’
Mr Fraser said: “We are excited by this transaction and look forward to working with PD&MS to help realise our passion for low carbon projects, and being part of the drive to decarbonise the oil and gas sector, leveraging PD&MS’s already strong position.”
PD&MS was founded in 2002 and bought by private equity firm Inflexion, in 2014, in a deal worth more than £50million.
At the time, Inflexion said it was attracted by growth opportunities for “niche players” in the oil and gas industry.
Global presence gives PD&MS access to many markets
There are PD&MS operations in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Baku, in Azerbaijan, together employing about 800 people.
In the UK, around 500 employees are based onshore and 200 offshore. The remaining 100 workers are based in the Caspian region.
New energy boom on the horizon for north-east
The group recently announced the award of a contract from Montrose Port Authority to repurpose a 164ft communications mast for the Seagreen offshore wind farm off the coast of Angus.
Over the past 18 months, PD&MS’ renewables team has also been busy completing green energy projects including mast decommissioning for the Moray East offshore wind farm, and other wind and solar front-end engineering and design work.