UK decommissioning services company Nuclear Engineering Services has been bought by Ansaldo Energia subsidiary Ansaldo Nucleare for EUR 36 million.
NES has a workforce of 400 employees operating across three centres in the UK, with a turnover of approximately 45 million euros. In addition to the broad range of projects for the nuclear power industry and the defence sector, the company is also heavily engaged in the design, construction and implementation of three highly elaborate plants to empty and recover remote contaminated material at the Sellafield site.
NES Managing Director Mike Hawe said:
“This provides a great opportunity for all of us here at NES, supporting and improving prospects for long term future success."
NES was formed in 2003 when Seighford Investments and Brett Cooper acquired Rolls Royce NES.
Ansaldo Nucleare is a supplier for the first AP1000 in China, is presently working in Argentina on safety upgrade and plant life extension (PLEX) projects and in Italy on the country’s decommissioning program.
Parent company Ansaldo Energia has recently had several ownership changes. Earlier in May it was announced that Shanghai Electric would acquire a 40% stake in Ansaldo for EUR 400 million, and create some new joint ventures. Current Ansaldo majority owner, state-owned investors Fondo Strategico Italiano, had 85% before the transaction. In October 2013 FSI announced plans to buy that shareholding from previous owners private equity firm First Reserve and part of the holding of Finmeccanica (40%). It committed to purchase its remaining 15% stake by 2017. FSI said in October that Ansaldo Energia has 3400 employees.
Picture: NES UK factory floor
