MARCH
Background
MARCH was Aliter’s first investment – made just after our maiden fund launch in 2017, when the business was known as Edwin James Group. Aliter agreed the sale of MARCH to EMK Capital in October 2024.
MARCH is a multi-disciplinary engineering services provider, supporting customers across the UK in their built, process and digital environments. The business specialises in complex, regulated environments, helping clients automate critical processes, improve existing assets and expand operating capacity. With a fully integrated approach to design, installation, maintenance and optimisation, the group’s services maximise the full potential of the client’s asset base, maintaining business continuity, optimising output and driving new standards in productivity, reliability and sustainability, ensuring operational resilience and greener outcomes.
How we've helped
Through 2017 to 2022 we supported MARCH’s organic growth with additional M&A, acquiring five businesses across the UK to create a national service provider, servicing a range of blue chip clients and their requirements.
These acquisitions expanded MARCHS’s geographical footprint and created a business with combined revenues of more than £190m and over 1,100 staff. As a national multi-disciplinary engineering services provider, MARCH is able to offer an impressive range of service offerings, with mechanical, electrical, energy and process engineering capabilities delivered through a highly skilled direct workforce covering the whole of the UK.
In early 2023, Aliter supported the re-investment into MARCH through the acquisition of the group by Aliter’s second fund Aliter Capital II, alongside co-investors. This investment has provided additional capital for further M&A to propel MARCH on the next stage of its journey. Post transaction, MARCH has completed two further acquisitions.
Strategy
The group is led by a strong management team who have grown with the business over our ownership period and have the skills and resources to drive margin enhancing organic revenue and further M&A, to create a national business with more than £190m in revenues and sector leading margins.
I’ve worked with a number of private equity firms – so I really do know that the team at Aliter are different. They’ve been on our side of the fence, they understand the real challenges of growing a business and they bring a wealth of sector experience and contacts to the table.”
Derek Smith, former CEO, MARCH