A Lancashire-based utilities engineering group has significantly expanded its national footprint with two strategic acquisitions, positioning itself at the heart of the UK’s multibillion-pound push to upgrade its critical power and water networks.
Chorley’s Ipsum Group, which has been on an aggressive acquisition drive since its own takeover by private equity firm IK Partners in 2023, has bought high-voltage specialist Rosh Engineering in Gateshead and Warwickshire-based drainage expert Wilkinson Environmental. The moves are part of a calculated strategy to build an end-to-end service provider for the country’s essential infrastructure.
Building a National Power and Water Specialist
Founded in 2017, Ipsum Group has grown rapidly through a series of carefully targeted purchases. According to company filings, its holding company, Hydro Topco Limited, saw revenues leap to £127.6 million in the year to December 2024, up from approximately £56.5 million the year before. The company, which employed 517 staff across 16 UK hubs as of last summer, now reports a workforce of over 1,000.
The acquisitions of Rosh and Wilkinson are the latest in a string of deals. In recent months, Ipsum has also absorbed companies including CountyClean Environmental Services, Parco Civil Engineering, Core Controls, and Geraghty Ltd, an overhead lines specialist. This strategy has been orchestrated by CEO Andrew Cowan, who joined Ipsum in October 2024 with over 25 years of experience in the utilities sector, including senior roles at United Utilities.
“I’m delighted to welcome the whole team at Rosh Engineering to Ipsum,” Mr Cowan said. “Adding to our rapidly expanding business, they bring a depth of transformer and high voltage engineering expertise that is highly complementary.” He added that the deal reinforced the group’s “commitment to strengthening the UK’s power infrastructure.”
Decades of Expertise in High-Voltage Engineering
Rosh Engineering, founded in 1981 by Roy Dormer, brings over four decades of specialist knowledge in power transformer and high-voltage services. Based in a 2,000m² factory in Gateshead, the company repairs, refurbishes, installs, and commissions critical equipment for utilities, transmission networks, and major industries across the UK and Europe.
Led since 1989 by Ian Dormer, the son of the founder, the company is an approved contractor for major UK and Dutch electricity firms. Mr Dormer, who was awarded a CBE in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to business, said joining Ipsum provided “a strong platform for sustainable growth, broader project opportunities and continued investment in our people and facilities.”
Strengthening the Water Division in the Midlands
Simultaneously, Ipsum has moved to bolster its water and civil engineering capabilities with the purchase of Atherstone-based Wilkinson Environmental. Founded in 2003 and employing around 13 staff, the firm specialises in sewer repairs, drainage groundworks, and CCTV surveys, with a strong reputation across the Midlands.
“The strong technical expertise, operational capability and commitment to service excellence of the Wilkinson team make them a perfect fit,” Andrew Cowan stated, noting the deal would give Ipsum an “even stronger presence in the Midlands.”
Mike Moss, owner and Managing Director of Wilkinson Environmental, said the move was a “huge complement” and expressed confidence it would benefit his team through “job security, training and development opportunities and investment in resources locally.”
Capitalising on a Historic Infrastructure Investment Cycle
The timing of Ipsum’s expansion is no accident, as it aligns with unprecedented planned investment in the UK’s ageing infrastructure. Government strategy documents outline a need for £725 billion in infrastructure investment over the next decade, with energy networks as a core component.
The electricity sector alone is expecting sustained double-digit growth, driven by the transition to clean energy and urgent grid upgrades needed to support electric vehicles and renewable power. Rosh Engineering’s high-voltage expertise directly positions Ipsum to capitalise on this boom.
Similarly, the water sector is embarking on one of its largest ever investment cycles. Regulator Ofwat’s Major Projects Programme aims to invest over £50 billion in water infrastructure over 30 years, with a wider £104 billion programme running to 2030. Water companies are expected to invest around £20 billion in the 2026-27 period alone, much of it targeting drainage and wastewater systems – the precise specialism of Wilkinson Environmental.
By integrating these established, technically proficient companies, Ipsum Group is systematically assembling a comprehensive service offering designed to support the design, maintenance, and upgrade of the nation’s most critical networks for years to come.
