Strategic report
Governance
Financial statements
3 OCU Group Annual report and financial statements 2026
Chair’s statement
This year marks another important milestone in OCU's evolution. Through continued disciplined growth, operational excellence and an unwavering commitment to safety, we have further strengthened our position as a leading infrastructure delivery partner across the UK while establishing a platform for long-term international growth.
David Taylor-Smith, MBE Non-Executive Chair
Building a platform for long‑term growth
Expanding capability and reach Over the past year, OCU has continued to enhance its capabilities through a combination of organic development and targeted acquisitions. The integration of businesses acquired in recent years has progressed well, broadening our expertise across specialist civil engineering, HDD technologies, mechanical and electrical services, and design capabilities. A significant milestone was the establishment of an international footprint through the acquisition and continued investment in our new Australia and New Zealand operations. Building on the acquisition of All Energy Contracting (AEC) in Brisbane in July 2025 and subsequent investments, OCU now has an established ANZ platform capable of supporting clients across multiple infrastructure sectors while creating opportunities to share expertise, talent and best practice across Group territories.
The markets in which we operate continue to benefit from powerful long-term drivers. Energy security, electrification, ageing infrastructure, digital connectivity, and environmental resilience are driving sustained long-term demand for the specialist services and solutions that OCU provides. Our strategy remains aligned with these structural trends, enabling us to invest with confidence while maintaining a balanced approach to risk and opportunity. The scale we achieved during the year is notable, but scale alone is not our measure of success. Our focus remains on quality of growth: balanced organic growth, value‑accretive and well‑integrated acquisitions, disciplined capital allocation, robust commercial control and continued strong service delivery that protects long-term value for clients, colleagues, shareholders and wider communities over time.
In the UK, we have continued to strengthen our presence within regulated Power Transmission & Distribution markets, enhancing our capabilities in transmission infrastructure. We remain a market leader in the UK energy transition market with a growing presence in battery energy storage systems (BESS) and wind projects. We also expanded our position in emerging growth areas such as heat networks. Our strong digital and power capabilities have helped us grow our presence in the data centre and rail markets and our water offering continues to grow well. These developments reflect our strategy of broadening capabilities in markets where long-term investment requirements remain compelling.
This financial year has been another important period in OCU Group's evolution. We have continued to strengthen our position across our core markets of Power Transmission & Distribution, Energy Transformation, Water & Environmental services, and Digital Infrastructure, while extending our geographic reach and broadening the capabilities available to our clients. The continued evolution of the Group has been characterised by our long‑standing commitment to disciplined growth, strong operational delivery and continued investment in our organisational capability to support long-term success. Across the Group, our focus has remained on maintaining high standards of safety, governance and client service while ensuring that OCU is best positioned to support the increasing global demand for critical infrastructure investment.
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