BGEN expansion sees major recruitment drive and ramped up African operation

A Warrington engineering business is planning to recruit more than 140 staff as part of ambitious expansion plans.

Boulting, a specialist multi-discipline engineering solutions business, said it aims to grow its current workforce from 860 to more than 1,000 over the next 12 months, as part of its plans to hit an annual turnover of approximately £175m.

And next month the company, which has announced its rebrand as BGEN, will open an African operation in Lagos, Nigeria, focusing on continuing to serve its global clients that are looking to maintain and grow their business in that continent.

This expansion is on the back of decades of project delivery experience in Africa and will enable the company to grow its offering efficiently with local resources, backed by an experienced UK management team, which includes the promotion of Robin Whitehead from managing director of BGEN’s technology business to group chief executive.

He began his career with East Midlands Electricity Board and has been in the engineering sector for more than 25 years. He has spent the past 18 years at Boulting where he has helped to significantly grow the size and remit of the technology business.

Executive chair, John Sugden, said: “Robin’s appointment was the obvious choice. Robin has an excellent affinity with employees and customers alike having started his career as an electrician, before joining the company in 2003 and working his way up through the business.

“The board has confidence that he will oversee the ambitious plans we have for the company over the next year and beyond.”

Robin Whitehead said: “It’s an exciting time for the company, having recently been awarded a number of long term frameworks in the utility sector which is testament to the quality of work we deliver.

“While we’re proud of our heritage and will continue to serve those segments, we’re now working with customers in specialist sectors such as food, nuclear and pharmaceutical, on areas such as digitalisation and net zero emissions.”