Aberdeen-headquartered Glacier Energy has acquired a Teesside fabrication business as part of a push to strengthen its hydrogen storage and distribution offering.
Glacier said the acquisition of Francis Brown will take its group head count to over 300, as the company continues efforts to double in size by 2028.
Established in 1903, Francis Brown manufactures pressure vessels and structural fabrications.
The company specialises in construction for the oil and gas, chemical, construction, nuclear, defence and renewable energy sectors.
In April, Francis Brown gained specialist hydrogen and carbon capture accreditation through a pilot programme funded by the Zero Carbon Humber partnership.
© Supplied by BPFollowing the acquisition, Glacier said the company will now create a larger manufacturing division across two locations in Stockton-on-Tees and Rotherham.
The move will allow the company to support “strategic sustainable energy projects and growing manufacturing requirements”, Glacier said.
Glacier Energy chief executive officer Scott Martin said Francis Brown “aligns perfectly” with the company’s plans to increase its capacity and capabilities in Teesside.
“We look forward to integrating their excellent team to realise significant opportunities ahead and building the strong relationships we have already established,” Martin said.
Jamie Brown of Francis Brown said the company is looking forward to an “exciting next step” with Glacier.
“Extensive discussions with Glacier Energy in advance of the acquisition underlined how aligned we were, both in terms of the potential opportunity ahead, but also in terms of our respective cultures,” Brown said.
Glacier Energy investment
The acquisition comes shortly after Glacier announced a multi-million pound investment from equity investor BGF.
The investment follows the acquisition of Glacier earlier this year by Averroes Capital, with BGF set to take a minority stake in the company following its growth and expansion into the renewables market.
Glacier and BGF did not disclose the value of the investment, but BGF generally provides initial investments between £1m and £20m according to its website.
© Supplied by Glacier EnergyGlacier said the investment will allow it to continue the “rapid growth” it has achieved over the last two years by investing in additional manufacturing capacity.
The firm will also establish a technician training academy as it looks to double its headcount over the next four years.
Glacier currently employs 220 staff plus 20 contractors, with the majority based in the UK across locations including Aberdeen, Glasgow, Fife, Rotherham and Blyth, with an additional office in Kazakhstan.
Glacier serves a range of markets including wind, oil and gas, nuclear and chemicals, but is looking increasingly towards energy transition sectors such as hydrogen, leveraging its specialisms in heat transfer, machining, welding and testing and inspection.
In addition to the BGF investment, Glacier recently appointed former Scottish Power CEO Nick Horler as non-executive chairman and Mark Ritchie as group chief financial officer.
