ORS completes two new acquisitions to add to growing scale.

ORS, one of Ireland’s leading multidisciplinary consultancies for the construction sector, has successfully completed two new acquisitions. The firm has now completed six acquisitions in less than two years.

Just 26 months ago (January 2023), one of Ireland’s leading private equity investors, Erisbeg, acquired a majority stake in ORS. Since then, ORS has completed six acquisitions which have seen its workforce grow by 300% and its range of skills and services expand dramatically to cover the full range of services required across the construction sector.

Measured on a like-for-like basis the six acquisitions will see turnover at the group grow by 275% to over €30 million between 2022 and today.

The two newly acquired business, O’Callaghan Moran (OCM) and Coffey Consulting Engineering (CCE) bring expertise in Environmental Consultancy and Mechanical and Electrical services respectively.

OCM is based in Cork and Waterford. The firm was established in 1997 and is a leading environmental consultancy firm with expertise in Wate Management, Regulatory Compliance, Environmental Impact Assessments and Contaminated Land Assessment and Remediation.

CCE is based in Mullingar. Founded in 2009, the company is a highly respected provider of consultancy services in Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) engineering specialising in M&E building services design, Energy Efficiency and Sustainability and Building System Optimisation.

Following the acquisitions, services provided by ORS now range from civil and structural engineering, project management, infrastructure, health and safety, building surveying, assigned certifier, fire safety, energy management, environmental services and mechanical and electrical engineering.

Speaking today, John Brennan, MD of ORS said; “These are two key acquisitions which build out our service offering significantly. But more importantly, OCM and CCE are run by people who share our values of ambition, commitment to quality, and people-first approach. We have known and worked alongside both teams for years, so this was a natural evolution of already strong and trusting relationships.

We have been in their shoes. Just over two years ago, we partnered with Erisbeg to scale our own business and we have seen first hand what the right support can do when it is built on trust, shared ambition, and cultural alignment. That experience now shapes how we approach every conversation with business owners. We know that legacy, culture, and integrity matter. That’s why we approach each of our acquisitions with care.”

Andrew Murphy, Partner at Erisbeg and Chairman of ORS said; “Our investment in ORS was about backing a strong management team with a clear vision for growth. In just over two years, the team has executed that vision with energy and ambition – completing six acquisitions and significantly increasing the scale and value of the business. What has been achieved at ORS is exactly what we aim for in all our investments: building sustainable businesses with real market impact. These latest acquisitions deepen ORS’s capabilities at a time when demand for technical expertise in construction and sustainability is growing rapidly.”

Erisbeg was founded in 2017 and is investing out of two funds, funded from various Irish and international institutional investors. Erisbeg has completed 29 deals across 6 B2B sectors with consolidation and expansion opportunities.