County Durham design engineers who have worked on castles, colleges and luxury London department stores are set to create new jobs after securing a seven-figure investment deal.
Chester-le-Street based mechanical, electrical, and digital engineering design consultancy JH Partners was launched in 2004 to provide low-carbon design solutions to customers in the public and private sectors.
The business works in a range of sectors including residential, education, heritage, industrial, low and net zero carbon, health, commercial, retail and leisure. It has carried out major projects including mechanical and electrical work for luxury London department store Harrods, work on the £60m engineering hub the Stephenson Building for Newcastle University, and several framework projects for Sunderland University and Motel One hotel group.
Now the business, which had 10 employees in most recent accounts, is set for further growth and job creation after sealing the seven-figure investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) – NEL Debt Finance Fund.
The company said the funds will provide working capital while also supporting its growth plans, which include creating five new jobs and investing in advanced design software. It said the investment will also allow it to further enhance its service offering in mechanical, electrical, and digital engineering design.
A spokesman for JH Partners said: “Partnering with NEL has provided JH Partners MEP and Digital Engineering with a strong platform for growth, enabling us to enhance both the scale and quality of our professional design services within the construction industry. Their support has allowed us to invest in new staff, additional design software whilst giving us a broader view of what can be achieved to help us deliver even greater value to our clients and helping provide long-term sustainable success.”
Rachael Munro, investment executive at NEL Fund Managers, said: “This was a great opportunity to work with a fantastic team looking to strengthen their service offering. Shaun, David and Lee are focused on building the brand, the team and extend their offering in mechanical and electrical design.”
Corporate partner Chris Hughes and associate solicitor Max Gilchrist, at Mincoffs Solicitors, provided legal advice throughout the transaction.
He added: “We were delighted to support NEL’s investment into JH Partners, one of a number of transactions NEL has been involved with, in what has been a strong start to the year for them. The funds will allow the business to bolster its existing offering, while also investing in recruitment and software to continue its plans for further growth. We look forward to working closely with the NEL team on future investments.”
The deal also involved Graeme Harrison of CCBS, who worked alongside NEL Fund Managers to support the financial structuring and investment preparation, and David Cudlip at The Advisory Group.
