OCU Group Ltd has entered into an agreement to acquire the Northavon Group of companies, including Northavon Group Ltd, Northavon Holdings Ltd, Northavon Water Services Ltd, Hydrovein Ltd, and Multivein Ltd, along with their respective subsidiaries.

Completion of the acquisition is subject to regulatory clearance and is expected to take place in May 2023.

Northavon primarily operates in the water sector in the South of England and South Wales. It provides a broad range of value-add services to its clients including mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and civils design, construction and installation of clean and wastewater treatment facilities and sewage pumping stations, together with maintenance services.

Northavon clients include a number of water utility companies including South West Water, Thames Water, Wessex Water and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. It also has divisions focusing on highways and groundworks.

The acquisition will support OCU’s growth across the water and wastewater sector as the Group continues to expand in water and energy-related opportunities. The deal will also give OCU a stronger regional presence across the South-West.

Michael Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of OCU, said:

“The water and wastewater sector is changing rapidly, and there are several factors we need to consider when operating in this area. As we head towards AMP8 in 2025, we need to innovate and increase collaboration across the industry in order to protect our water and waste-water infrastructure and support our customers achieve their own environmental goals.

“The UK’s water services have already made huge strides in the right direction, but we are keen to increase efficiency, improve water quality, and importantly, provide leading service levels for our customers.

“This latest acquisition will enhance the expertise our clients want and deserve. It’s an exciting time for OCU and I’m looking forward to working with Mike Clancy and the wider Northavon team as we expand our water and wastewater capabilities.”

Mike Clancy, Group Managing Director of Northavon commented:

“We are absolutely committed to providing our clients with the most comprehensive and dynamic capital project and maintenance support available. With less than two years to go until AMP8, we have huge potential to streamline ways of working to create an environment that both meets regulatory requirements and gives the best service for our customers.

OCU is focused on growing across water and energy-related sectors to increase its expertise and support societal and environmental goals. We’re excited to now be part of the Group that shares our commitment to a greener and cleaner future and look forward to seeing what projects we can deliver together.”

Adrian O’Sullivan, Managing Director of OCU Utility Services added:

“The experience and expertise Northavon has across the water space is both impressive and exciting. As we head towards Net Zero, it will be great to merge our teams, share learnings and inspire each other as we solve the challenges facing the industry.”

The deal with Northavon marks the sixth and largest acquisition in just over 12 months for OCU. It follows the acquisition of Modus, a London-based multi-utility specialist, InICT, a Leeds-based fibre-optic specialist, Opals, a regional multi utilities hub, Andrews Associates, a Surrey-based power systems design and engineering service, and FKS, a Wigan-based telecom installation service.

As part of the acquisition arrangements, Northavon will become known as OCU Northavon.