Paul Goonan
Group Director
nZero Group Ltd was formed by a group of British business people, passionate about engineering solutions to change the UK domestic and industrial energy landscape – and beyond. We invested in Thyson Technology in 2016 and invested in Orbital Gas Systems in 2022.
A key factor behind the combination of the two businesses is that we believe the time is right to build on our established capabilities. Using the exceptional talent of both businesses will position nZero Group as the UK’s leading measurement and control partner across the natural gas, petrochemical, biomethane and decarbonisation sectors.
Over the next 5-10 years, the opportunity for both businesses to grow profitably is significant, and together we will be stronger, sharing best practices, knowledge, and resources.
There are considerable opportunities for our business development and project teams to support the delivery of UK decarbonisation to meet Net Zero by 2050.
Our Mission
Our desire is to have the whole team engaged and passionate about making a difference in the UK’s drive to decarbonise, and providing a better future for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come.
We feel passionately about ensuring everyone understands why we get up in the morning; life is short and we want our people to work together, striving to do something that matters.
Setting our Why is an important step in helping our teams, customers, partners, suppliers, and other stakeholders, understand the reason why we exist.
We feel passionately about ensuring everyone understands why we get up in the morning; life is short and we want our people to work together, striving to do something that matters.
Setting our Why is an important step in helping our teams, customers, partners, suppliers, and other stakeholders, understand the reason why we exist.
Our
Why
Innovating our energy system to sustain our way of life whilst protecting our planet.
Our
How
Solving complex strategic challenges for Energy Producers, Transporters, and Industrial Users across the energy sector bringing together new and existing technologies.
Our
What
We are the engineers, manufacturers, installers and maintainers of all our solutions.
Our vision and values
VISION AND VALUES
Values
Strength
Shining through our people, our solutions, our attitude, and our capabilities.
Safety
Ensuring through our accreditations, processes, and regular training, that every person, employee, customer,
partner, and visitor to our business and the sites where we work, is looked after; secure in the knowledge that their safety is paramount; there’s never room for complacency; we all get to go home at the end of each day.
partner, and visitor to our business and the sites where we work, is looked after; secure in the knowledge that their safety is paramount; there’s never room for complacency; we all get to go home at the end of each day.
Intelligence
Understanding and delivering precisely what our customers need from our technology, solutions, service, and partnerships.
Sustainability
Using technology to make our business sustainable for the environment and resilient for our partners, enhancing the future for all our stakeholders, through the systems we deploy.
Innovation
Encouraging technological and commercial innovation as business as usual, in our approach, our work, and our culture.
Our leadership team is unrivalled in this sector
nZero Group is the parent/holding company of both Orbital Gas Systems and Thyson Technology. The directors and shareholders of nZero Group are Matt Allen, Neil Stuchbury, Nick Maguire, Karl Daniel, Russell Brown, Ron Smith (non-executive chair), and Andy Leach (non-executive director), who represents our majority shareholder and funder NVM private equity, based in Manchester.
They are the same directors who have been running Thyson, three of whom were previously long-standing employees of Orbital.
With the mix of skills and experience across the nZero Group board and the Senior Management teams of Orbital and Thyson, we have a leadership team unrivalled in this sector; a combination of seasoned business leaders and highly experienced engineers, with vision, commitment, and energy to see Thyson and Orbital deliver, innovate, thrive, and grow.
We believe that the time is right to embrace the exceptional talent of both businesses and position nZero Group as the UK’s leading measurement and control partner across the natural gas, petrochemical, biomethane, and decarbonisation sectors.
We believe that the time is right to embrace the exceptional talent of both businesses and position nZero Group as the UK’s leading measurement and control partner across the natural gas, petrochemical, biomethane, and decarbonisation sectors.
The story so far...
Both Thyson and Orbital have enjoyed sustained growth throughout their histories in different industrial measurement and control markets and more recently, converging in similar markets whilst maintaining their roots. Over the past few years our traditional markets have been more difficult to navigate in terms of demand for our niche capabilities. Increased competition and external factors leading to lower energy infrastructure investment, such as the UK Government’s delay in launching a new support mechanism for Green Gas, has resulted in fluctuating workloads and reduced revenues, leading to a financially challenging period for both businesses.
As we emerge from the COVID pandemic, our markets are more attractive again and demand is increasing. Ofgem’s new investment cycle (RIIO2) has come to life, the new Green Gas Support Scheme in biomethane has been launched, and we are experiencing sustained higher oil and gas prices; all of which is leading to an increase in positive investment decisions in the midstream and upstream sectors.
In addition to this, the UK and many other countries are making significant commitments to tackle the climate crisis. This is creating a growing demand for companies like Orbital and Thyson to provide a blend of existing technologies and innovative solutions to decarbonise, supporting customers’ commercial and technological challenges to meet the targets they have set themselves or have been set by Government.
This increasing market demand will need to be met, and the most successful businesses will be the ones with exceptional talent and sufficient manufacturing capacity to deliver. Both the Ellesmere Port and Swynnerton operations are critical to our combined future strategy; an outstanding team striving for the same goal is vital to the success of both businesses and the Group.
As we emerge from the COVID pandemic, our markets are more attractive again and demand is increasing. Ofgem’s new investment cycle (RIIO2) has come to life, the new Green Gas Support Scheme in biomethane has been launched, and we are experiencing sustained higher oil and gas prices; all of which is leading to an increase in positive investment decisions in the midstream and upstream sectors.
In addition to this, the UK and many other countries are making significant commitments to tackle the climate crisis. This is creating a growing demand for companies like Orbital and Thyson to provide a blend of existing technologies and innovative solutions to decarbonise, supporting customers’ commercial and technological challenges to meet the targets they have set themselves or have been set by Government.
This increasing market demand will need to be met, and the most successful businesses will be the ones with exceptional talent and sufficient manufacturing capacity to deliver. Both the Ellesmere Port and Swynnerton operations are critical to our combined future strategy; an outstanding team striving for the same goal is vital to the success of both businesses and the Group.
Resources
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NEWS RELEASE
[Wednesday 11 May 2022]nZero Group acquires Orbital Gas Systems
Deal creates key industry contributor for UK transition to net zero industry
nZero Group has purchased Orbital Gas Systems from its US-based parent company, Orbital Energy Group (OEG), for an undisclosed multi-million-pound sum. The deal was formally announced to the New York Stock Exchange today.
The Cheshire-headquartered firm aims to become the UK’s leading measurement and control partner across the natural gas, petrochemical, biomethane, and decarbonisation sectors. It said that the acquisition would ensure the necessary skills and capacity are ready and aligned to help the country’s ambition to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Located in Stone, Staffordshire, Orbital Gas Systems specialises in the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of industrial gas sampling, measurement, and delivery systems. It has nearly 40 years’ expertise in the manufacture of a broad range of innovative technologies for the energy, power, and processing markets.
The newly-acquired business complements nZero Group’s facility in Ellesmere Port, where its subsidiary, Thyson Technology, operates.
It will see the enlarged group employ over 150 people with a combined turnover in the region of £16million. Over the next three to five years, the company expects to create more than 50 highly-skilled jobs, whilst continuing to invest in people to create its own talent for the future through apprenticeship and graduate programmes, minimising the impact of UK-wide skills shortages.
Both companies, which retain their existing names, will be led by managing director, Matt Allen, along with the support of a highly experienced leadership team.Matt Allen, managing director of nZero Group, commented:"We would like to welcome everyone associated with Orbital Gas Systems on board for what promises to be an exciting journey together and would like to thank OEG for this opportunity and the local Orbital Gas Systems management for their support.
“This deal represents a significant step forward in our strategy to become a key contributor in the UK net zero energy transition by bringing under common ownership two of the UK’s leading measurement and control partners across the natural gas, low carbon hydrogen, petrochemical, and waste to energy sectors.
“The UK and many other countries are making significant commitments to tackle the climate crisis. This is creating a growing demand for companies, like Orbital and Thyson, to provide a blend of existing technologies and innovative solutions to decarbonise, while supporting customers’ commercial and technological challenges to meet the targets they have set themselves or have been set by government.”Neil Stuchbury, director of sales and marketing at nZero Group, added:“There is critical energy infrastructure which must be maintained and enhanced over the next decade to ensure security of supply, through gas network asset investment and upstream/midstream processing facilities, whilst driving innovation for UK decarbonisation.
“We believe the most successful businesses within these sectors will have a balance of industrial expertise and offer world-class manufacturing facilities supported by exceptional talent with the right mindset to deliver quality and innovation.
“nZero Group has these qualities and will take the lead to succeed, attract new people, and seek strategic partnerships to deliver decarbonisation solutions. With our already world-leading hydrogen blending expertise, we are now positioned to build on these capabilities, ones the UK and the world will require to ensure safe and rapid progress is made to achieve net zero.”The acquisition was backed by NVM Private Equity, the majority shareholder of nZero Group. Pannone Corporate acted on the transaction as the company’s legal advisers, led by corporate partners, Tim Hamilton, Andy Walsh, Rosie Korcz, and Amy Chandler.Andy Leach, partner at NVM Private Equity, commented:“The combination of Thyson and Orbital creates a business with extensive resource, expertise and technologies that is well positioned in its niche markets.
“With the infrastructure investment that will be made in the UK over the coming years to decarbonise and deliver energy security, these markets are set for a sustained period of growth. The next few years will, undoubtedly, be an exciting period for nZero Group and its employees.”Press release issued on behalf of nZero Group by DXDMedia. For further information, please contact Deborah McCombie at deborah@dxdmedia.co.uk or call 07812 739208.Notes to editors:Orbital Gas Systems has a rich history in delivering operational technology such as gas quality measurement, fiscal metering, and odourisation solutions to the UK natural gas industry, while Thyson Technology’s pedigree was formed by delivering complex integrated analytical solutions to a range of industries, including offshore oil and gas, petrochemical, and natural gas sectors.Both organisations have a significant installed base across the UK of biomethane gas to grid packages and share complementary firsts in hydrogen blending for gas networks and industrial fuel switching, with ambitions to serve the UK’s decarbonisation programme – and beyond.For further information, please visit:www.nzerogroup.comwww.thyson.comwww.orbital-uk.com
FAQs
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nZero Group is the parent/holding company of both Orbital Gas Systems and Thyson Technology. The directors and shareholders of nZero Group are Matt Allen, Neil Stuchbury, Nick Maguire, Karl Daniel, Russell Brown, Ron Smith (non-executive chair), and Andy Leach (non-executive director), who represents our majority shareholder and funder NVM private equity, based in Manchester. They are the same directors who have been running Thyson, three of whom were previously long-standing employees of Orbital.
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The opportunity to acquire such a well-established, dynamic and knowledgeable business with an outstanding history of successful B2B project delivery in the UK energy sector was unmissable, and one which made complete sense to the Group owners.
Both Orbital and Thyson have strong reputations in instrumentation, measurement, and control of gases across the Gas Distribution and Transmission Networks, Biomethane to Grid, Petrochemical, and Oil and Gas sectors.
Exceptional talent can be hard to find, and this transaction will strengthen the Group’s attractiveness as a major employer in our operational sectors. Equally, across the Group, we will be improving our knowledge and experience, which translates into providing higher quality customer service and an even greater desire to achieve a right first-time engineering experience for our customers. -
Over the last decade, there’s been a crossover of people between Orbital and Thyson, with employees at all levels transferring from one business to another. In other words, there’s always been reasonable insight and understanding about what the other business is doing.
Orbital has a rich history in delivering operational technology such as gas quality measurement, fiscal metering and odourisation solutions to the UK natural gas industry, while Thyson’s pedigree was formed delivering complex integrated analytical solutions to a range of industries including offshore Oil and Gas,
petrochemical, and natural gas sectors. Both organisations have a significant installed base across the UK of biomethane to grid packages and share complementary firsts in hydrogen blending for gas networks and industrial fuel switching, with ambitions to serve the UK’s decarbonisation programme – and beyond. -
Thyson and Orbital both have their strengths and opportunities to improve, and by creating an environment that promotes the sharing of knowledge and best practices, both businesses will improve their performance together.
To enable this to be achieved, the initial Group structure will bring together the sales teams, service teams, and support functions such as finance, IT, SHEQ and HR. The Engineering/Project Delivery teams will continue to operate as they did before this transaction, with the added benefit of sharing knowledge, best practices, and resources (skills and manufacturing space) between the two businesses.
Matt Allen will continue as Managing Director of the Group with overall responsibility for the direction and leadership of both Orbital and Thyson.
Neil Stuchbury will continue as Sales & Marketing Director of the Group and will lead the sales team and marketing partners across both Thyson and Orbital.
Russell Brown will continue as Innovation & Technology Director of the Group and will lead the service and maintenance activities of both Orbital and Thyson, supported by a new Customer Service Manager, Richard McDowell.
Karl Daniel will continue as a Director of the Group, and will assume the role of Operations Director at Thyson, leading the existing Thyson senior management team of Jim Smith and Neil Ayre.
Nick Maguire will continue as a Director of the Group, and will assume the role of Operations Director at Orbital, leading the existing Orbital Senior Management Team of Jonathan Smith, Tristan Roberts and Andrew Wood.
Jonathan will become the Head of Commercial for Orbital, with a longer-term plan to widen his role across the Group, whilst Tristan and Andrew will continue in their existing roles.
Simon Main will be promoted to Group Financial Controller, reporting directly to Matt Allen, and will gradually assume the responsibility for the finance and IT functions of both Thyson and Orbital. -
This move will further sharpen the high levels of service, solutions, and collaboration each business provides to our customers, making both businesses more competitive through its quality of service and deliverability.
