Scottish energy and infrastructure group Global has acquired Aberdeen-based Pier Solutions and launched a new division, Global Modular, in a move set to create up to 80 jobs over the next 12 months. Pier’s 20-strong team will transfer into the new entity, which is targeting a headcount of 100 as demand for modular solutions accelerates across the energy and utilities sectors.
Global Modular has been created to tap into rising demand for standardised, engineered modular systems serving transmission-critical infrastructure and wider engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) programmes. The business will focus on delivering modular solutions for projects spanning energy, utilities, transport and defence, reflecting the breadth of infrastructure investment linked to the energy transition.
The new division will operate from Pier’s existing bases in Kintore and Inverurie, with the main facility in Inverurie extending to 44,000 sq ft. The site combines corporate and engineering offices with a workshop fitted with overhead lifting cranes capable of handling a wide range of modules and bespoke structures, positioning the business to deliver large-scale, complex builds.
By bringing modular design, manufacture and delivery into the group, Global aims to strengthen its ability to offer joined-up services across the project lifecycle. The company said Global Modular will complement existing front-end consultancy and design capabilities within businesses such as Apollo and Arthian, as well as its work on transmission infrastructure for various operators.
Gordon Farmer, director at Global, said the move was a direct response to changing client expectations on major energy projects. “We have listened closely to the market and to the challenges facing major energy projects — and the message is clear: clients want joined-up, end-to-end solutions delivered by partners they trust,” he said, adding that Global Modular is “a critical first step” in building that capability.
He said the integration of modular solutions with the wider group’s consultancy, logistics, construction and delivery expertise would help position Global “at the centre of the energy transition”, supporting a more efficient and sustainable future for Scotland and the wider UK. The group believes the approach can reduce programme risk by accelerating delivery while improving safety and quality across complex infrastructure schemes.
As part of the deal, Ryan Milne will become modular solutions director at Global Modular, tasked with leading the division’s technical and delivery strategy. From the Pier team, Jordan Ferguson will move into a newly created role of corporate development director, focusing on growth and integration opportunities within the wider group.
Ferguson said joining Global would provide “an exceptional platform” for the next phase of Pier’s development. “The investment brings scale, stability and access to complementary expertise that will allow us to offer far greater value to our clients, while creating exciting opportunities for our people,” he added.
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Chief financial officer Doug Gibb, who was part of Pier’s management takeover in 2023, will become finance and operations director for the new business. In that role, he will support the next phase of growth by overseeing both financial management and operational delivery as Global Modular scales.
Global Modular’s offering will include e-houses, substations and transmission infrastructure, alongside industrialised solutions for offshore energy, nuclear, defence and transport projects. The division aims to deliver adaptive, standardised platforms that can be tailored where necessary, aligning with the push for repeatable, lower-risk approaches to major infrastructure delivery.
