Bilfinger UK and Bilfinger Salamis have announced plans to merge to create a new £346 million turnover engineering and maintenance business.
The move will create one of the UK’s largest tier one contractors, combining the strengths of the two firms with the aim of expanding the services and solutions on offer to customers
Trading under the Bilfinger UK brand, the new business will employ 5,000 people at peak periods with 14 onshore locations across the UK’s key industrial hubs.
The merger will combine the onshore and offshore capabilities of Bilfinger UK and Bilfinger Salamis, which are based in Warrington and Aberdeen respectively.
It’s hoped the merger, which is due to complete on January 1, will position the company as a key contractor for delivering large renewable energy projects as the UK transitions to net-zero.
There will also be an expansion in the services and solutions it can provide to customers in oil and gas, food and beverage, chemical, utilities and pharmaceutical.
It forms part of Bilfinger UK’s diversification and growth strategy to tap into new markets
Sandy Bonner, executive president of the UK region for Bilfinger and managing director of Bilfinger Salamis, will head up the business.
He said: “The sectors we operate in are changing rapidly as the UK accelerates its energy transition. Combining the strengths of both businesses will create a unified proposition to respond to the shifts in market demand.
“The merger will position the company as a contractor of choice to deliver major renewable energy projects, strengthen our existing presence in our traditional markets of oil and gas and utilities and target growth in power, food and beverage, chemical and pharmaceutical.
“We’ve already been working together on projects for hydrogen plants, carbon capture facilities and onshore and offshore wind, and the move will enable us to face the market as one integrated engineering and maintenance, modifications and operations business.”
With bases in Esbjerg, Aberdeen, Groningen and Great Yarmouth, Bilfinger Salamis UK, which employs about 2,000 people, provides maintenance, modifications and operations services to a range of offshore and onshore industries.
That includes the oil and gas, energy, petrochemical, renewables, nuclear and utilities sectors.
Bilfinger UK is one of the leading providers of integrated engineering and technical services to the process industry, employing more than 2,500 people operating across 10 UK offices.
Both businesses are part of international industrial services provider Bilfinger.
