Northern Ireland insulation firm acquires majority share in Scottish flooring contractor for an undisclosed sum

Northern Ireland insulation manufacturer and installer energystore has acquired a majority share in award-winning Scottish specialist flooring contractor Advanced Traditional Screeding (ATS) for an undisclosed sum.

Headquartered in Holywood, energystore designs, manufactures and installs insulation systems for floors, walls and roofs and is the leading supplier of high-performance EPS (expanded polystyrene) bead insulation products to the UK and Irish construction industry.

Fife-based ATS was established in 2014 and works with commercial customers across Scotland and the rest of the UK on all aspects of pre-construction and construction flooring installation, with experience of all types of screeds, resins and underfloor heating systems.

ATS has been a long-term installer of energystore TLA, a flagship energystore product which combines eps beads coated in an innovative additive with cement to create a pourable insulation. This unique poured insulation offers a non-combustible alternative for use in floor and roof construction as a high strength void former or insulation.

Following the acquisition, ATS will continue to operate as a standalone company within the energystore group and all 17 staff will be retained.

Connor McCandless, managing director of energystore, said: “We have known Jason and his team at ATS for a number of years and have been impressed by their work for tier one construction firms across a wide range of projects. We have been looking at opportunities to grow energystore’s footprint across the UK and we felt that ATS’s culture, values and growth ambitions were very aligned with our own. Like us, they are a company that is committed to delivering quality work and to supporting the communities they work in. We were already working together on some exciting development opportunities, so it has been an easy move to formally join forces.”

Jason Lister, founder and managing director of ATS, will continue to lead the business following the acquisition by energystore.

Jason continued: “I’m really proud to be able to announce this partnership with energystore at a time when ATS has been enjoying significant growth and has a very healthy order book for the year ahead. In the most recent financial year ATS grew our turnover to a record £5m and I am confident we will increase that again this year.

“As a customer and installer of energystore TLA, we know they are a company committed to innovation and sustainability. ATS now has a great opportunity to expand the range of products and services we provide to our customers as part of the energystore team. It is a very positive day for the company, our people and our customers.”

Energystore, which is celebrating 50 years in business in 2024, currently operates from six locations across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, employing 90 people and supplies homeowners and commercial customers, including construction companies, new build developers and housing associations.

Last year the business launched its Emission-less Mission, a far-reaching strategy that will see energystore invest £2m across the business to reach net zero emissions from its operations by 2028.