A new start-up company by the former directors of PSL Energy Services has marked its entry in to the mechanical services market with a double acquisition.

EnerMech Ltd have snapped up the UK's second largest independent crane and lifting contractor, Specialist Maintenance Services Ltd (SMS) in Aberdeen, and Great Yarmouth based training provider, A1 Safety Training Consultants Ltd.

EnerMech was set up by former PSL owners Doug Duguid, Michael Buchan, Derek Grant and Phil Bentley with a combined capital investment of more than £30m by the four shareholders and private equity firm Lime Rock Partners.

Duguid and his three colleagues were part of the original MBO team which rescued Aberdeen based PSL from receivership in 2003 and transformed it in to an eastern hemisphere company with a £110m turnover and 1200 staff, before selling to Halliburton four years later in a deal worth more than £120m.


Initially set up to target the North Sea equipment rental market, EnerMech has moved quickly to expand in to the cranes and lifting sector and training market.

Formed in 1988 in Aberdeen, SMS has 130 staff working in the UK, Norway, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Malaysia and Singapore. The company specialise in offshore crane and lifting operations ranging from the design and implementation of large lifting and crane projects, to providing crane personnel and designing special purpose lifting equipment.

SMS joint managing directors, Bert Middleton and John Morrison and all senior management will remain with the new company, trading under the name EnerMech SMS. The company expects to expand their staff numbers considerably over the next few years and there will be no job reductions in any area of the business as a result of the acquisition.

A1 Safety Training Consultants was established in 1995, has 35 staff and provides safety training for crane and lifting operations. The company has purpose built training facilities in both Great Yarmouth and Aberdeen where they also have a state-of-the-art crane simulator. There will be no job losses and senior staff, including managing director Rod Leech and general manager Phil Caton, will remain with the new company trading under the name EnerMech-A1.

EnerMech managing director, Doug Duguid, said: "These two deals are very good news for the staff and customers of both SMS and A1. Our management team have a strong record in dynamic but managed growth and we are looking forward to bringing all that experience to bear in growing these new additions to the EnerMech stable."