______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ BGEN
From a small electrical contracting business in the Northwest , BGEN has grown to become a successful international business working with some of the world ’ s largest bluechip companies , like BAE , AstraZeneca , and ExxonMobil . Having undergone a management buyout ( MBO ) from East Midlands Electricity in 1994 , the business has since experienced rapid growth , expanded its services and capabilities , and earned a positive reputation for its consistent high quality and reliability .
“ We ’ re 106 years old this year and it ’ s been a century of evolution ,” opens Robin Whitehead , BGEN ’ s CEO . “ Over the years , we ’ ve established a strong , loyal customer base including many of the world ’ s leading organizations . Through organic growth , we ’ ve strengthened our self-delivery offering within our core competencies – mechanical , electrical , instrumentation , control and automation ( MEICA ) – as well as extended our capabilities and geographic reach by expanding our existing services into complementary market sectors .
Building on success
“ The most recent evolutions following the MBO in 1994 are the creation of two key subsidiaries – BES and BFP – to grow our presence in the life sciences and food sectors , respectively . Most recently , we underwent a total rebranding to BGEN in 2021 , adding the strapline ‘ next generation engineering ’ to reflect the breadth of our capabilities , as well as our strategic focus on energy transition , sustainability , and digitization .
“ Although the former brand , Boulting , was strong , it restricted our reach in terms of existing clients ’ perceptions and our breadth of services . It was a turning point in our history as it gave us the opportunity to remarket ourselves , and reaffirm who we are , what we offer , and how we deliver . This way , we can reach out to potential new clients as we diversify from our roots as an electrical contracting business towards embracing our ethos of next generation engineering .”
Today , BGEN operates 14 locations across the UK , including regional offices and three off-site manufacturing facilities , as well as a new expanded site in Derby . “ We previously occupied a small office space in the region , but we quickly outgrew the facility and have since secured an instrumentation framework that required a local product assembly and test capability ,” Robin reveals . “ Due to the growth in the volume of work we deliver in the area , including a long-term framework with Severn Trent Water , we relocated to larger premises in Derby in December 2023 .”
Reflecting on the company ’ s growth , Robin continues : “ Of course , our growth hasn ’ t happened by chance ; it is credit to the considerable time and effort our amazing teams have invested to strengthen our management and delivery capabilities . While there are several factors that have contributed to our growth , it primarily comes down to a combination of customer confidence , increased proven capability , and the successfully managed delivery of our strategic intentions .
“ Over the last five years , for example , we ’ ve specifically targeted certain major projects in the UK based around our core competencies . With a strong foundation of existing longterm client projects and frameworks , this
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