Focus set to smash through £5m barrier with MES deal
Focus Consultants has acquired a controlling interest in Newark-based sustainable building consultancy Midland Energy Services (trading as MES Building Solutions).
Focus says the move will strengthen its sustainable development services.
It follows an announcement last year by Nottingham-based Focus that it planned to look to acquire companies.
The existing MES management team will remain and MES will be run separately for the foreseeable future, said Focus Consultants partner Kevin Osbon.
“We see this as an exciting opportunity to work in partnership with MES to help both businesses grow,” said Osbon.
He added: “MES original founder and owner of the business Alex Hole will remain as CEO, and we are looking forward to pooling our resources to provide extended services to our clients in terms of the sustainable building services that we offer.
“Focus Consultants views the arrangement as a partnership, which will allow us to undertake joint initiatives to support our clients.”
Focus is headquartered at Phoenix Business Park, Nottingham, and has branches in London, Leicester, and in Boston and Aubourn in Lincolnshire and specialises in funding and regeneration, energy, project management and chartered surveying. Its sustainable development department provides services such as low carbon refurbishment support, Code for Sustainable Homes assessment, energy/sustainability statements for planning, low carbon funding advice and BREEAM assessments.
As well as a range of eco-sustainability services, the team at MES will bring ‘rights of light’ expertise to the group, providing a major new service for Focus to offer clients and a cross-selling opportunity that dovetails with the current offer, added Osbon.
The acquisition of MES, for an undisclosed sum, is expected to bring a combined turnover of more than £5m for 2016/2017 for the Focus group, and with the addition of 12 staff, will create a team of almost 60 across all offices.
MES is based in Beacon Hill Office Park, Newark, and specialises in environmental consultancy work.
CEO Alex Hole said: “MES will continue to operate as a separate company. However, our clients will be able to benefit from this association with Focus Consultants as we will also be able to offer even more of a ‘one-stop’ construction solution through our sister organisation.
“I will continue to lead the MES team and other personnel within MES stay the same. We are excited about the opportunities this brings and look forward to being able to continue to provide our clients with the high quality, honest and diligent service we are renowned for.”
The partners at Focus were advised on the deal by Duncan James of Shakespeare Martineau and Collin Franklin from Franklin Underwood.
