By Ian McConnell
ROSS-SHIRE Engineering has acquired what it describes as “one of the UK’s oldest engineering companies”, Blackburn Starling & Co, established in Nottingham in 1870.
The deal will see Ross-shire Engineering take a majority share in the Blackburn Starling business, which has more than 100 staff, backing a management buyout led by Jason Smith, operations director of the Nottingham company.
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Blackburn Starling’s reputation was in the early 1900s “built on electrical lighting switchboard contracts for London’s West End theatres”, Ross-shire Engineering, owned by Inverness investment group Envoy & Partners, noted. It added that, today, Blackburn Starling is one of the UK’s largest designers and manufacturers of low and high voltage switchboards and control systems, operating from a 4.5-acre factory in central Nottingham.
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Ross-shire Engineering managing director Allan Dallas hailed the deal as “a pivotal move in establishing the company as the UK’s leading MEICA (mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control and automation) contractor to the water treatment and water recycling market”. He added: “The additional technical skills and manufacturing capacity will enable RSE to fulfil demand for its innovative modular treatment plants, whilst opening up new doors to customers in England and Wales.”
Mr Smith said: “The Blackburn Starling brand has an amazing heritage, and many of our 100-plus staff have served the company for multiple years. We are expecting the transition into RSE to create new opportunities to grow the business and create opportunity for our employees.
“Whilst keeping the brand and heritage of the company intact, I’m excited to more closely integrate with the RSE teams throughout the country. We believe RSE’s modular technology offering is game-changing in the UK water sector, which was the management’s primary attraction to supporting the acquisition.”
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