Eric Wright buys Radcliffe engineering firm

Developer and building contractor Eric Wright Group has bought Radcliffe-based engineering contractor Site Electrical for an undisclosed sum.

Site Electrical, which employs 88 people across three offices and has a turnover of £7m, has been sold by founder Tom Murphy, who started the business 29 years ago.

Eric Wright Group, which is based at Bamber Bridge, near Preston, will now incorporate the business within the water division of its Eric Wright Civil Engineering (EWCE) company.

Murphy will be staying with the company as a marketing consultant and the rest of the group, including 69 staff in Radcliffe, 16 in Seven Trent and 7 in Dumfries and Galloway, will continue to operate under the Site Electrical brand.

Site Electrical built its business initially by providing electrical products, such as submersible pumps and generators, to the tunnelling industry. It has since expanded into the installation and maintenance of all types of electrical & mechanical equipment used in the water industry.

Mr Murphy said: “Eric Wright has been a client of ours for over 10 years and it has become apparent that we share a similar vision to clients and staff alike. Following an initial approach and after much consideration I decided that it would be a positive move for Site Electrical to become an independent part of EWCE.

“It will enable us to accelerate our planned growth and expansion of our business that is already underway. My management team, staff and I see this as a very positive move.”

The Eric Wright Group, also a private company, employs 250 people at its offices at Bamber Bridge, near Preston, and Bowness-on-Windermere.  Last year, it had a turnover of £128m.