INVERNESS-based investment group GEG Capital has strengthened its presence in the power and utilities infrastructure sector with the acquisition of Approved Power Services Ltd. (APS).
Following GEG Capital’s purchase of 100% of the equity in the St Helens-based firm from owner Paul Oakes, the existing management team – including MD Gerry Donnelly – will remain in place, with all current staff retained.
APS is set to embark on a major recruitment drive, aiming to double its workforce within the next year. The acquisition will also position APS to play an important role in high-voltage commissioning for onshore and offshore wind farms, further expanding its reach in the renewable energy sector, GEG said.
The acquisition of APS enhances GEG Capital’s energy infrastructure capability, covering planning and design, HV cable laying and jointing, substation and access infrastructure construction, and now – high-voltage commissioning for wind energy projects. This opens new doors for the north west of England-based APS, equipping it with the platform to take on larger-scale projects, GEG added.
APS owner, Paul Oakes, commented, “We are delighted to join the GEG Capital portfolio. Not only will we immediately benefit from the opportunities created by collaborating closely with fellow group companies, but being part of a larger group will allow us to take APS to the next level. Our expanded benefit from the larger group structure will enable us to bid directly for major framework contracts with the network providers we already have excellent long-term relationships with.
“We look forward to working closely with the leadership team at GEG Capital and leveraging their established management, finance systems, and extensive experience in scaling businesses like ours.”
APS MD, Gerry Donnelly, added, “The multi-disciplinary nature of our combined services will offer an immediate benefit to our client base. The group scale will allow us to enter new markets, take on larger contracts, and significantly expand our high-voltage commissioning services for onshore and offshore wind projects.
“Additionally, our recruitment drive will support this growth, creating new job opportunities across the UK.”
Rory Mackenzie, board director at GEG Capital, commented, “We’re delighted to add the considerable capabilities of APS to the GEG Capital portfolio. APS has built an outstanding reputation in the energy infrastructure and cabling sector. By integrating its expertise into our portfolio, we significantly enhance our ability to deliver end-to-end solutions—from planning and design to HV cable installation, jointing, and now, high-voltage commissioning for renewable energy projects.
“The acquisition of APS brings further opportunities for the entire group. We will benefit from synergies with our other portfolio companies, including utilities, energy, and renewables contractor Global Infrastructure, and Arthian, which specialises in, planning, environmental, engineering, and safety services.
“As with all our significant investments, we identified in APS a company that shares our values, our vision for the UK energy sector, and our ambitious plans for growth and people development.”
