Wilton Engineering

Denholm Industrial Services has become a co-owner of Universal Coatings & Services Limited, creating a collaborative partnership, which will become a formidable business within the Tees Valley and wider North East.

Denholm Industrial Services has acquired a 60 percent share of Universal Coatings, which will deliver significant investment and commitment to Tees Valley, further bolstering the area’s role in markets such as defence, energy and industrial assets.

The new co-ownership formalises an ongoing two-year supply chain relationship between the two organisations and will enable customers to benefit from the enhanced size and scale of the combined operations.

Bringing together the services of both businesses, Universal will provide a comprehensive offering integrating specialist coatings, blasting, scaffolding and rope access to customers responsible for naval defence, energy and industrial facilities.

The business, which operates one of the largest coatings facilities in the UK at Wilton Universal Group’s 112-acre base on the banks of the River Tees, serves a range of industries including engineering, petrochemical, subsea, offshore renewables and nuclear power generation.

Employing 61 people, Universal Coatings has a 11,500 sq metre blast and coating facility as well as providing on-site surface and coatings services. As part of the Wilton Universal Group, and working with many clients within Tees Valley and the wider North East region, it supports the activities of Wilton Engineering, which fabricates large and complex steel structures for the energy and defence sectors.

Working in challenging environments, Denholm Industrial Services provides critical engineering support that enables the build and maintenance of power, infrastructure and naval and commercial marine assets. The business employs over 600 people at regional branches and project sites across the UK, providing engineered scaffolding, specialist platform, cradle and rope access, blasting, painting and industrial cleaning.

Bill Scott OBE DL, chief executive of Wilton Universal Group, said: “This is a landmark development of Tees Valley’s industrial supply chain capabilities and will bring new work and opportunities to the area.

There are strong synergies between Universal and Denholm Industrial Services, both in terms of company ethos and capabilities. Integrating the companies’ services along with Universal’s facilities, services and highly experienced local workforce, is a unique and powerful combination that will benefit customers of both businesses.

As co-owners with Denholm Industrial Services, we will accelerate growth at Universal, which will enable us to invest in further training and career prospects for our loyal and highly talented team, who always maintains exceptional standards of workmanship on the prestigious projects we deliver.”

Steve Hill, Managing Director of Denholm Industrial Services, said: “Following two years as supply chain partners, it is the natural next step for Denholm Industrial Services to become a co-owner of Universal Coatings. Formalising our relationship will enable stakeholders of both businesses to benefit from our enhanced size and scale, as well as our shared ethos in service excellence, delivered through world-class skills and experience.

Tees Valley has an exceptional reputation for its industrial capabilities, with forward-thinking companies, like Universal Coatings, building on the area’s heritage, which has evolved to support cutting edge sectors including marine defence, energy and industrial assets. We are very proud that through this collaborative partnership, Denholm Industrial Services will be able to play an active part in the future success of Tees Valley.”

ENDS

NEWS RELEASE: ISSUED ON BEHALF OF UNIVERSAL COATINGS & DENHOLM INDUSTRIAL SERVICES

For further information contact Jamie Collis 01325 363436 

Photo caption: Steve Hill, Managing Director of Denholm Industrial Services, left, and Bill Scott OBE DL, CEO of Wilton Universal Group (right)

THE HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPH TO ACCOMPANY THIS NEWS RELEASE CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM: 

Editors’ Notes:

About Universal Coatings

Universal Coatings & Services is part of Wilton Universal Group. The Group also includes Wilton Engineering and is a multi-discipline Engineering Services provider based on a 112-acre site adjacent to the River Tees in Middlesbrough, North-East England. It specialises in large-scale fabrication, construction, industrial coatings, and associated services for onshore and offshore energy industries and possesses a strong and diverse portfolio of successfully completed projects.

About Denholm Industrial Services

Working in challenging environments, Denholm Industrial Services provides scaffolding and access solutions, surface preparation and the application of protective coatings across the UK. Headquartered in Yeovil, Denholm Industrial Services operates from regional branches and project locations across the UK. Its access and surface preparation capabilities were first developed in the harsh operating environments of the maritime industry. The company operates across multiple industries and has over two decades of experience working on combat ships, naval submarines and other industrial and commercial assets. Denholm Industrial Services is a subsidiary company of fifth-generation family-owned company, the Denholm Group.