Energy and utilities group completes acquisition of established Scottish business | TheBusinessDesk.com

Stockport-based energy transition and utilities infrastructure services company, OCU Group, has acquired Scottish engineering business, RJ McLeod, for an undisclosed sum.

McLeod is based out of Glasgow and Dingwall and has a more than seven-decade history of delivering complex engineering solutions to a wide range of clients in Scotland.

The acquisition increases OCU Group’s revenues to more than £800m and grows the capability and capacity for work in supporting the critical UK energy transition.

The move enhances OCU’s market positions in areas such as Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), wind power, hydro power, substation construction and grid reinforcement. RJ McLeod will continue to operate under the same name, with the same staff, same locations, and same work; now supported by the strength and increased capabilities from within OCU Group.

Over a number of years, RJ McLeod has increasingly focused on renewable energy, particularly with regards to onshore wind developments such as the Viking and South Kyle wind farms. This work is a vital part of the Scottish government target to create 20GW of onshore wind capacity by 2030.

Beyond wind farms, RJ McLeod also has specialist capabilities in battery storage and hydro-electric projects as well as in grid and substation construction.

The business also has a strong market presence across the Scottish marine sector, having completed a number of transformative projects in recent years, as well as being a key provider for other civil engineering services such as roads, flood prevention and coastal protection.

OCU Group has seen consistent year on year growth, underpinned by its commitment to safety, operational excellence and innovation across its valued client base in Energy, Telecoms, Water and Transport.

With the Government’s commitments on net zero and the UK’s overall power consumption projected to increase by 50% between 2022 and 2035, OCU’s energy transition capabilities are set to play a leading role in the response to demand.

OCU Group CEO, Michael Hughes, said: “The RJ McLeod acquisition marks a key milestone in the OCU Group journey to become the leading energy transition and utilities contractor in the UK.

“RJ McLeod has built an unrivalled engineering expertise and reputation which now further strengthen our offering to clients. The breadth and depth of OCU and RJ McLeod’s delivery capability provides us with more strategic options when delivering end to end programmes for our valued clients. Together, we are well placed to lead the way in the UK’s energy transition delivery.”

Bruce Clark, joint MD of RJ McLeod, said: “Since the business was founded by Roderick John MacLeod in 1951, we have carried the ethos of enabling people to give their best and we are very proud of the team that has brought us to where the business is today.

“Looking forward we see even greater opportunities to maintain and grow the impact of our people and delivery for our clients within the OCU Group family.”

Fellow joint MD, Graeme Clark, said: “RJ McLeod has been operating across mainland Scotland, the Western and Northern Isles for more than 70 years. Specialising in civil engineering, often related to complex projects, we have established a valued client base.

“We believe that joining OCU Group today has increased our ability to provide a more comprehensive service to existing and new clients.”