Hercules PLC looks to strategic expansion after strong first half

Jul 17, 2025 - 16:00

Overhead line national grid image for Hercules construction

Hercules Site Services PLC, the innovative tech-enabled labour supplier for the UK infrastructure and construction sectors, has announced robust half-year results, trading in line with expectations. The second half is building momentum and will be underpinned by strategic acquisitions and a bold move into the power and energy sector.

For the six months of FY2025, Hercules delivered a strong financial performance with revenue growing 18 per cent year on year from £46.2m to £54.6m. This expansion is supported by effective financial management strategies. Hercules PLC was listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange in 2022 with the specific aim of establishing the necessary investment platform for growth.

This highlights the resilience and scalability of its business model. Revenue growth and margin stability have been supported by ongoing demand across many infrastructure sectors:

Rail
Highways
Water
Utilities
Nuclear

But it’s the company’s recent, post-period-end activity in the power and energy space that signals a bold new chapter.

A new frontier: Power and Energy Sector

In June, Hercules completed the acquisition of Advantage NRG, which supplies skilled overhead linesmen – a highly specialised labour force critical to the maintenance and expansion of the UK’s power grid. This marks a turning point in Hercules’ growth journey.

The addition strengthens its delivery capacity and opens doors to new and existing client relationships within the power and energy sector, reinforcing Hercules’ commitment to delivering value through both organic growth and smart, targeted expansion.

The UK, currently experiencing an overhead linesman shortage, means that Hercules is in a prime position to fill that gap. Hercules Site Services, now known as Hercules PLC, has a proven track record of profitability and growth since the company was founded in 2008, and there are no clear signs of slowing down.

This move reflects Hercules’ forward-looking strategy of expanding into sectors with long-term growth potential as the UK accelerates investment into energy transition and grid resilience.

“Our entry into the power transmission and distribution labour market is not only timely but essential,” said CEO, Brusk Korkmaz, “With the UK’s energy networks undergoing rapid transformation, our ability to supply highly trained, safety-critical overhead linesmen, positions us as a key player in enabling net zero infrastructure.”

National Grid proposals include £58bn of investment to support a projected 64 per cent increase in electricity demand by 2035. This includes constructing a north-to-south electricity network, offshore electricity grids, and extensive reinforcements ranging across tens of thousands of miles in total.

This investment has been supported and backed by the government and is focused on expanding and modernising the country’s transmission and distribution networks. This, in turn, means the UK can deliver sustainable and reliable power across the nation.

Scottish Power energy networks and SSEN transmission maintain over 9,000 km of overhead lines, and the UK’s national grid looks after approximately 20,000 km in England and Wales.

As a result, demand for skilled operatives, particularly overhead line workers, is expected to increase substantially. However, a significant shortage of qualified workers remains in the UK. The acquisition of Advantage NRG provides Hercules with a highly skilled workforce, training capability, and compliance framework to develop domestic talent and sponsor international operatives, giving Hercules a significant advantage in this high-growth market.

Earlier in June, Hercules also acquired the business and assets of Quality Transport Training Ltd (QTT), a training provider with a proven track record of supporting unemployed individuals into work through fully funded programmes, often in partnership with local authorities, probation services, and employers.

QTT also has a contract to run skills boot camps with the Department for Education.

The addition of QTT to Hercules’ existing Academy in Nuneaton strengthens their capacity to scale operations and quickly support the UK’s rapidly growing infrastructure project pipeline.

This is an important step as the Construction Industry Training Board predicts that the UK will need nearly 225,000 additional construction workers by 2027.

Hercules Site Services PLC: Strong core, diversified future

While Hercules continues to lead in traditional sectors such as rail and highways, its diversification into power and energy reflects an agile response to evolving infrastructure needs. The business remains rooted in its founding principles: workforce safety, innovation and exceptional service.

The power transmission market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 4.5 per cent in the UK between 2025–2030. Hercules is poised to play a significant role in this movement, with trends underpinned by grid decarbonisation and electrification. With a positive outlook for the whole year, Hercules is well-positioned to continue scaling its offering across both established and emerging infrastructure segments. The company’s recent moves are not just about growth. They’re about future-proofing.