NorthEdge backed buy-and-build group Contollo acquires fourth business
Contollo Group, a new building consultancy, is continuing to implement its growth strategy with the acquisition of Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health (MEP) Engineering services company, ESP.
Backed by NorthEdge, this is Contollo’s fourth acquisition, having also brought Abacus, MBA and TACE into its portfolio this year and sees the Group headcount grow to over 160.
Established in 1997, Engineering Services Partnership (ESP) has four main offices in Croydon, Peterborough, Manchester and Edinburgh. The company offers specialist engineering expertise across a wide range of sectors, notably banking, critical facilities, data centres, retail, industrial & logistics and commercial.
Speaking about the acquisition, Ruth Percival, CEO of Contollo Group, commented: “This partnership will allow us to combine the extensive strengths and sector experience of ESP with the expertise and existing MEP capabilities of the Contollo team. ESP is a forward-thinking, innovative company with an exceptional blue chip client portfolio. We are looking forward to working with the team and welcoming them to the growing Contollo Group.
“2024 has been a fantastic start for everyone involved in Contollo. We are looking to evolve the group with further acquisitions in 2025, continuing to partner with excellent businesses which share our vision to become a leading consultancy in the built environment, bringing together smart people to deliver smart buildings.”
Ruth Percival
Ruth Percival will be speaking at the Rainmakers conference on 26 March 2025 at the Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester.
Philip Graham-Clare, Managing Director at ESP, commented: “We’re incredibly excited about the opportunity to be part of the Contollo Group. This transaction combines our strengths and enables us to deliver additional services, increased capacity, and even greater efficiency and sustainability for our clients, something we’re very passionate about.”
Contollo Group has set out its strategy to acquire about seven businesses across the UK over the next three years as part of its ambitious growth programme.
For Contollo, Langtons provided finance advisory, Chiara Pettinicchio provided client-side deal support, Alvarez & Marsal Manchester provided corporate finance advisory and project management, Cowgills provided finance and tax due diligence and Mills & Reeve provided legal support.
James Cowper Kreston (JCK) and Blandy & Blandy acted for ESP.
Pictured, left to right: Philip Graham-Clare, Managing Director, ESP; Oliver Dennis, Executive Chair, Contollo Group; James Graham-Clare, Director, ESP and Alistair McLean, Director, ESP.
