Edwin James Group hits “milestone” £140m turnover

Posted on 5 Dec 2018 by The Manufacturer

Lanarkshire-based engineering company, Edwin James Group, has posted strong results off the back of acquiring a number of British engineering firms.

Derek Smith, CEO of Edwin James Group says the £140m revenue results are a “milestone moment” for the group - image courtesy of Edwin James Group.
Derek Smith, CEO of Edwin James Group says the £140m revenue results are a “milestone moment” for the group – image courtesy of Edwin James Group.

The high revenue has reportedly been driven by a number of strategic acquisitions Edwin James Group has made in the past 12 months. Founded by investment firm Aliter Capital, the Glasgow-headquartered group operate five key businesses, all of which were bought since their founding last year.

Aliter Capital initially acquired Scottish businesses Ingen Technical Services and Korrie. They then bought the Burton-based firm WT Parker Group before acquiring Peterborough Electrical & Mechanical Engineering (PEME) later in the year. They also purchased Derbyshire company Musk, which provides process engineering solutions.

The group now has around 1,000 employees across the UK and according to its CEO Derek Smith, the revenue results are a “milestone moment” for the group.

He has also said that shareholders were pleased with the results and that sales and underlying earnings are expected to grow throughout the financial year.

Smith has been at the centre of the business’s transformation over the past year. It has streamlined the five businesses under its brand into two distinct service offerings: one offering process services and the other offering technical services.

Parker, Korrie, and Ingen Technical Services have been combined to form Parker Technical Services. Its main focus is on engineering, facility maintenance, and energy and environment services. Musk Process Services, which comprises PEME, focuses on the maintenance, design and installation of technical assets and systems for manufacturing environments.

The chief executive believes the cultural alignment between all of the different businesses under the Edwin James umbrella “has enabled a real synergy and common attitude and appetite for growth and success to mature.” Underlying earnings were around £8 million last year.

He states there are two particular qualities which the Edwin James Group look for in its staff; “commitment to do their best for our customers and integrity in how they conduct themselves.” If employees can exhibit these qualities he says, then the company will continue to stand out among its competitors and attract more business as a result.

The forerunner of the Edwin Games Group began in 1911 when Edwin James Stiell set up his electrified coal-cutting machinery business. It has since expanded to provide a multitude of services including process engineering, turnkey solutions, project solutions, and facilities services.


Reporting by Harry Wise