Back from left: Jim O’Callaghan, co-managing director, O’Callaghan Moran (OCM); John Brennan, managing director, ORS; Rachel Murray, director of People and Brand, ORS; Luke Martin, director of Environmental Services, ORS; Ronan Daly, investment director, Erisbeg; Olivia Cuddihy, group integration lead, ORS; Barry Coffey, managing director, Coffey Consulting Engineering (CCE). Front: Sean Moran, co-managing director, O’Callaghan Moran (OCM); Sandra McCann, workplace operations lead, ORS; Andrew Murphy, partner, Erisbeg; Linda Williams, business operations manager, Consulting Engineering (CCE).

ORS completes two new acquisitions

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ORS, one of Ireland’s leading multidisciplinary consultancies for the construction sector, has successfully completed two new acquisitions. The firm has now completed six acquisitions in just over two years.

In January 2023, one of Ireland’s leading private equity investors, Erisbeg, acquired a majority stake in ORS, and since then, ORS has completed six acquisitions and grown its workforce by 300% . The skills and services it offers have expanded to cover the full range required in the construction sector.

The six acquisitions have grown turnover at the group by 275% to more €30 million between 2022 and today.

The two newly acquired business, O’Callaghan Moran (OCM) and Coffey Consulting Engineering (CCE), bring expertise in environmental consultancy and mechanical and electrical services respectively.

John Brennan, MD of ORS, with Linda Williams and Barry Coffey of Coffey Consulting Engineering.
John Brennan, anaging director, ORS, with Jim O’Callaghan and  Sean Moran, joint managing directors of O’Callaghan Moran.

CCE is based in Mullingar; founded in 2009, it provides consultancy services in mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineering, specialising in services design, energy efficiency and sustainability and building system optimisation.

OCM is based in Cork and Waterford. It was established in 1997 and has expertise in waste management, regulatory compliance, environmental impact assessments and contaminated land assessment and remediation.

Following the acquisitions, services provided by ORS now range from civil and structural engineering, project management, infrastructure, health and safety, building surveying, assigned certifier, fire safety, energy management, environmental services and mechanical and electrical engineering.

John Brennan, MD of ORS said: “These are two key acquisitions which build out our service offering significantly. But more importantly, OCM and CCE are run by people who share our values of ambition, commitment to quality, and people-first approach.

“We have known and worked alongside both teams for years, so this was a natural evolution of already strong and trusting relationships.

“We have been in their shoes. Just over two years ago, we partnered with Erisbeg to scale our own business and we have seen firsthand what the right support can do when it is built on trust, shared ambition, and cultural alignment.

“That experience now shapes how we approach every conversation with business owners. We know that legacy, culture, and integrity matter. That’s why we approach each of our acquisitions with care.”

Andrew Murphy, Partner at Erisbeg and chairman of ORS said; “Our investment in ORS was about backing a strong management team with a clear vision for growth. In just over two years, the team has executed that vision with energy and ambition – completing six acquisitions and significantly increasing the scale and value of the business.

“What has been achieved at ORS is exactly what we aim for in all our investments: building sustainable businesses with real market impact. These latest acquisitions deepen ORS’s capabilities at a time when demand for technical expertise in construction and sustainability is growing rapidly.”

Erisbeg was founded in 2017 and is funded from various Irish and international institutional investors. It has completed 29 deals in six B2B sectors with consolidation and expansion opportunities.

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