Forte Engineering

What Forte Engineering does

Forte Engineering Ltd is a UK-based mechanical, electrical, telecoms, and civil engineering subcontractor focused on the rail and metro sectors. The company delivers design, construction, testing, and commissioning services covering station M&E upgrades, tunnel ventilation, signalling power, telecoms and fire/security systems, and ancillary civils, with disclosed engagements across Network Rail, Network Rail (High Speed), Merseyrail, ScotRail, and principal contractors including BAM Nuttall, Morgan Sindall, Story Contracting, and Babcock International. The firm is registered in Scotland, headquartered in East Kilbride, and operates from regional offices in Liverpool and London, with a new entry into Northern Ireland through the Lisburn signalling works.

The core operating model is project-based specialist subcontracting, with revenue generated primarily through competitive tender and direct appointment on a contract-by-contract basis, supplemented by a 5-year framework agreement with Rail Systems Alliance Scotland (a Network Rail/Babcock/Arcadis alliance). Pricing is bespoke per scope, with no standardised public pricing; contracts are typically multi-year for larger programmes. The company holds the rail-sector pre-qualification stack required to compete at tier-1 (RISQS audited and verified, NIC/EIC, CIRAS, Constructionline, Builders Profile, ISO 9001/14001/45001, and Cyber Essentials Plus), positioning it within a limited pool of accredited SMEs.

Forte is actively evolving up the value chain — from subcontractor to Principal Contractor on the London St. Pancras Highspeed tunnel ventilation renewal — and is diversifying into renewables and adjacent infrastructure while building internal systems capability through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of the West of Scotland. The business is founder-led under Managing Director Derek Riddell, with no disclosed external institutional capital.

Name

Forte Engineering

Legal name

Forte Engineering Ltd

Website

https://forte-engineering.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forte Engineering Ltd is a UK rail and metro engineering subcontractor delivering mechanical, electrical, telecoms, fire/security, and civil works for principal contractors and operators including Network Rail, Merseyrail, BAM Nuttall, and Morgan Sindall.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Engineering Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Product Design & Mechanical Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Systems Engineering & Technical Program Management (BPAHAIAI)

Keywords

• Rail engineering services
• Mechanical electrical engineering
• Telecoms infrastructure installation
• Civil engineering contracting
• Station M&E works

Headquarters

HQ city

East Kilbride

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Rail Infrastructure M&E Services: Delivers mechanical and electrical engineering works for rail infrastructure projects including station upgrades, tunnel ventilation systems, signalling power, and access improvement schemes. Revenue generated through project-based contracts with principal contractors and direct appointments from rail operators.
2. Telecommunications Engineering Services: Provides telecoms installation, CCTV, public address systems, and communications infrastructure for rail stations and networks. Delivered as part of broader infrastructure projects.
3. Civil Engineering Services: Ancillary civil works including drainage, earthworks, and structural elements supporting M&E installations across rail projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Forte Engineering is a specialist engineering contractor delivering mechanical and electrical (M&E), telecoms, and civil engineering design, construction, testing and commissioning services for rail, metro and renewables infrastructure projects across the UK. The firm operates as a single-source subcontractor to tier 1 principal contractors and is directly appointed by rail operators for station upgrades, tunnel ventilation renewals, signalling power upgrades, and accessibility improvement schemes.

Product overview

Forte Engineering is an engineering services company offering a unified portfolio of mechanical, electrical, telecoms, and civil engineering services. The core offering consists of three main service areas (M&E Engineering, Telecoms Engineering, and Civil Engineering) supported by three process-focused modules (Design, Construction, and Testing and Commissioning). Projects span rail, metro, and renewables sectors, delivered by an in-house team of qualified professional engineers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Services Comprehensive mechanical and electrical engineering design and construction services for rail, metro, and renewables infrastructure, covering station M&E works, signalling power upgrades, tunnel ventilation renewal, electrification and accessibility improvement schemes. Delivered for principal contractors and rail operators across the UK.
• Telecoms, Fire & Security Engineering Services Telecommunications engineering services including installation of CCTV, public address systems, communications infrastructure, and fire detection and security systems for rail stations, depots and networks across the UK.
• Civil Engineering Services Civil engineering works for rail and infrastructure projects, including ancillary civils, drainage, earthworks, structural elements, and station construction works supporting M&E installations.
• Engineering Design Services Engineering design services for M&E, telecoms and civil works on rail and infrastructure projects, forming the upfront phase of the company's project delivery process.
• Construction Services Construction delivery services for mechanical and electrical, telecoms and civils works on rail and infrastructure projects, executed by in-house qualified professional engineers.
• Testing and Commissioning Services Testing and commissioning services to ensure all installed M&E, telecoms and civils systems meet required safety, performance and client specifications on rail and infrastructure projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Generated £235,421 in social value through Rail Safe Friendly partnership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• Rail Safe FriendlycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Bronze level partnership with Rail Safe Friendly programme to educate children and young people on rail safety. As a Bronze partner, Forte Engineering sponsors 10 schools to become Rail Safe Friendly certified. The programme delivers Network Rail's video safety content to schools via the Learn Live channel.
• University of the West of Scotland (UWS)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funded by Innovate UK. Partnership aims to develop an innovative process and system control management solution merging SME capabilities with university systems expertise. Focus on improving project management capability through streamlining, automation and integration of systems.
• Rail Systems Alliance ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Rail Systems Alliance Scotland (partnership between Network Rail, Babcock and Arcadis) awarded Forte Engineering a 5-year framework contract to provide electrification and plant services across the Scotland rail network. Works include domestic renewal works and Highland mainline survey works.
• Learn LivemoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerLearn Live delivers the Rail Safe Friendly programme. Forte Engineering partners through the RSF programme to deliver rail safety education to schools across the UK.
• BAM NuttallcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrincipal contractor for Reston Station development. Forte Engineering contracted by BAM Nuttall in October 2021 to develop all M&E and telecoms work for the £20m station development including station lighting, carpark lighting, telecoms, lift electrical supplies, EV charging points, earthing and bonding, and UPS commissioning.
• Morgan Sindall InfrastructurecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMorgan Sindall appointed to deliver M&E projects on Merseyrail stations. Selected Forte Engineering to undertake M&E works including electrical upgrades, lighting, CCTV, public announcements, fire detection systems, and fire protection works at Liverpool Lime Street and other stations.
• Story ContractingmoderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork Rail and Story Contracting contracted Forte Engineering to provide all electrical and power services for £5m accessibility improvement project at Port Glasgow station, including new footbridge with lifts.
• Babcock International GroupmoderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBabcock leading programme to upgrade signalling, improve track layout and extend platform at Lambeg Station in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. Appointed Forte Engineering to provide electrical power supply upgrades for signalling and track systems as part of the Lisburn Area Renewal project.
• Network Rail (High Speed) LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork Rail (High Speed) Ltd appointed Forte Engineering as Principal Contractor to lead the renewal of Tunnel Ventilation assets on the London St. Pancras Highspeed route. Works include replacement of 10 variable speed drives and 4 power quality filters in the Thames Tunnel.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Linbrooke Services: UK SME rail contractor delivering mechanical, electrical, telecoms and signalling works across the rail network — directly comparable in scope, customer base (Network Rail, Tier-1 contractors) and size to Forte Engineering.
• Dyer & Butler: UK rail and infrastructure contractor with a comparable specialism in M&E and civils works for rail stations and infrastructure programmes, often serving as subcontractor to Tier-1 contractors — direct overlap with Forte.
• VolkerRail: Specialist UK rail infrastructure contractor delivering track, signalling, OLE and M&E works across Network Rail frameworks — overlapping capability and customer base with Forte, but at significantly larger scale.
• SPL Powerlines UK: UK specialist in rail electrification and power systems, delivering OLE and plant works for Network Rail — directly comparable to Forte's signalling power and electrification services (e.g., RSAS framework activities).
• Telent Technology Services: UK telecoms and digital infrastructure services provider with a significant rail telecoms (CCTV, PA, comms) practice — directly comparable to Forte's Telecoms Engineering Services and Design/Construction/T&C delivery model.
• Rhomberg Sersa UK: Rail services specialist delivering track, welding, OLE and plant works to Network Rail and international operators — overlaps with Forte's rail M&E and electrification scope, primarily in UK rail renewals.

Broad incumbents

• Story Contracting: Scottish-based Tier-1/2 rail and civils contractor that is both a Forte customer (e.g., Port Glasgow) and a peer on similar rail station and infrastructure M&E scopes across Scotland and northern England.
• Colas Rail: Major UK and international rail infrastructure services contractor with track, OLE, signalling and station M&E capability — competes with Forte for Network Rail and devolved-rail framework work but at substantially greater scale.
• Balfour Beatty Rail: Large UK rail contractor delivering electrification, signalling, track and station upgrades across CP7 frameworks; overlaps materially with Forte's scope but operates at national-incumbent scale with bundled delivery.
• Amey (Rail): Major UK infrastructure services provider with a rail division covering stations, OLE, telecoms and civils — competes with Forte on station upgrade and framework bids but at substantially larger scale and breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ltdforte
• Facebookfacebook.com/forteengineer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forte-engineering-ltd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forte Engineering