Northern Ireland based McCormack Drilling has over a five-decade history of delivering trenchless technology solutions and major horizontal directional drilling projects across the UK and Ireland.

OCU said: “With today’s acquisition and the addition of the McCormack Drilling team’s wealth of technical expertise and operational experience, we look forward to being able to provide these services to even more clients throughout the UK and Ireland.”

McCormack Drilling will continue to operate under the same name and with the same staff.

Michael Hughes, CEO of OCU Group, said: “McCormack Drilling has an impressive range of expertise and a strong and long-established reputation, which will add to our client offering and capacity as we continue to enhance the sustainable solutions we offer across horizontal directional drilling and trenchless solutions.”

Martin McCormack, MD of McCormack Drilling, added: “Since the business was founded over 50 years ago it has become one of the UK & Ireland’s most highly regarded installers of trenchless technology.

“Following the acquisition, we look forward to additional opportunities to grow our services and delivery for both established and new clients as part of the OCU Group.”

Latest results for OCU show revenue is now double the level of two years ago, when the Stockport-based firm was bought from founders Tim and Tom O’Connor by private equity group Triton Partners.

Turnover for the year to 30 April 2024 was £611m generating an adjusted operating profit of £58m.

During the year OCU group made five strategic acquisitions. Its sixth and biggest buy so far of Scottish civil engineering contractor RJ McLeod completed after the financial year-end in June 2024.