Gravatom becomes part of ONET
07 January 2009
The UK-based nuclear engineering company Gravatom Engineering Systems has been acquired by corporate services provider ONET Group to become part of its decommissioning division.
Under the terms of the acquisition, Gravatom will become part of ONET Technologies, the specialist nuclear and engineering division of ONET Group. According to a statement, the division is the leader in France in the decommissioning market and number two in reactor maintenance. The division has a turnover of €167 million ($227 million) and employs some 2000 people across Europe.
In November 2008, Gravatom announced that it had "forged an exciting partnership with ONET Technologies, the principal suppliers of nuclear decommissioning solutions in France. The Anglo-French alliance brings together Gravatom's proven technical design and manufacturing skills with ONET Technologies' unrivalled decommissioning experience in France."
Dominique Mouillot, president of ONET Technologies, said, "ONET Technologies has acquired Gravatom as part of an ambitious strategy to expand in the UK and exploit the opportunities for nuclear decommissioning and new build." She added, "Gravatom's capabilities, coupled with ONET Technologies' experience of decommissioning and new build in France, provides a perfect union to take the business forward and become a major player in the UK nuclear industry."
Gravatom employs 130 people at sites in the English counties of Hampshire and Cumbria. The company had revenues of £9.7 million ($14.6 million) in the year ending May 2008.
Gravatom's current managing director, Dave Barker, commented: "Becoming part of ONET Technologies will drive our business forward internationally, allowing us to exploit opportunities in new build and nuclear decommissioning as well as our other core markets of nuclear medicine and contract manufacturing." He added, "Importantly, it presents a huge opportunity to exploit the Sellafield decommissioning program and the dismantling of Magnox graphite reactors."
Pierre Bertet, currently head of ONET Technologies UK, which was set up in 2008 to forge new business in the UK prior to the acquisition of Gravatom, will take over the role of managing director of Gravatom from Barker.
Commenting on plans to grow the business, Bertet said: "The goal is to become a major player in the UK nuclear industry by bringing together Gravatom's expertise with ONET Technologies' technical know-how and experience in engineering, dismantling, decontamination, waste treatment and management, robotics and bespoke tools. To achieve this goal, additional staff will be required."