A BLIDWORTH-based business that started as a ‘man with a van’ operation and grew into one of the UK’s leading independent downstream gas services contractors has joined the Energy Assets Group.

SA Gas managing director Karl Simmons (pictured) said its acquisition by the fast-growing industrial and commercial metering and energy infrastructure PLC provided great opportunities.

“The opportunity to join Energy Assets has come at the perfect time to fulfil our potential, because for us the next step is access to bigger market opportunities.

“In Energy Assets, we have found a partner that shares the same mindset for quality and customer service, and offers an exciting vision for the future.”

SA Gas was started by Karl’s father, Alec, and his brother, Guy, SA Gas development director, when the gas infrastructure market was beginning to open up.

Soon the ‘man and a van’ was joined by his sons and it became a business with a small barn and then a 1,000sq ft starter unit as the company took on meter exchange work and added a range of downstream services, made possible by its high level mechanical engineering expertise.

Karl said: “From the outset, we could see that the market was moving in our direction and by implementing systems rooted in aerospace that were traceable and quality driven, we were able to distinguish ourselves from the competition.

SA Gas became the first Transco/British Gas independent contractor to gain ISO9002 accreditation.

Today, the company boasts an industrial and commercial customer base with projects covering every aspect of end-to-end gas engineering, as well as relationships with a wide range of supply chain experts.

The success of SA Gas has required continuous investment in facilities at the company’s Blidworth Industrial Park site, with a new building added last year to provide additional office, engineering services, assembly and test facilities in addition to the stores and fabrication areas located in the original factory.