AFS

What AFS does

AFS Ltd is an independently owned UK fabrication and industrial services company headquartered in Lowestoft, Suffolk, operating since 1999. It delivers structural and piping fabrication (certified to BSEN 1090 and PED respectively), IRATA-certified rope access, scaffolding, asset integrity, site services, multiskilled personnel supply, and procurement/expediting with same-day/next-day UK delivery. Its fabrication capability spans Carbon, Stainless, Duplex, Super Duplex, Aluminium and exotic alloys, supported by a library of over 100 Welding Procedure Qualification Records (WPQRs), with technology investments including RFID-enabled inspection, equipment management and logistics software and handheld tablets deployed in 2020.

The company serves primary verticals of Oil & Gas, Renewables (offshore wind), and Marine, with secondary exposure to Nuclear, Decommissioning, and Construction/Structural Steel. Operations are anchored at the Lowestoft yard and delivered via mobilised mobile repair units offshore or to client sites. It holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 27001 certifications, alongside IRATA membership, FPAL, UVDB and Achilles procurement-system accreditations; over 50% of employees and contractors are multiskilled, and the firm runs an apprenticeship pipeline (e.g., January 2025 distinction-grade EPA). A dedicated decommissioning department offers turnkey late-life, simplification and topside removal services for North Sea and international projects, while a Structural Steel Division launched in 2020 serves UK construction clients.

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based professional services contracts (one-off fabrication, maintenance, decommissioning and rope access engagements), personnel/labour supply, and procurement/expediting with bespoke, contact-based pricing (phone, email, contact form). The GTM is enterprise field sales targeting large industrial buyers. The company is privately held under founder Carl Honeywood with no disclosed external investors, and revenue is not publicly reported.

Name

AFS

Legal name

AFS Ltd.

Website

https://afsgb.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AFS Ltd is an independently owned UK fabrication and industrial services firm headquartered in Lowestoft, delivering structural and piping fabrication, rope access, scaffolding, asset integrity, multiskilled personnel, procurement and decommissioning services to Oil & Gas, Renewables, Marine, Nuclear and Construction clients under BSEN 1090 and PED certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lowestoft

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fabrication Services: Structural and piping fabrication services delivered onshore and offshore to BSEN 1090 and PED standards respectively. Covers carbon, stainless, duplex, super duplex, aluminium and exotic alloys.
2. Personnel and Labour Supply: Supply of multiskilled workforce including tradesmen, coded welders, and technicians for offshore and onshore projects.
3. Procurement and Expediting: Supply of consumables and equipment with same day or next day deliveries within the UK, leveraging long-standing supplier relationships.
4. Asset Integrity Services: Maintenance services and solutions as an integrated or standalone service ensuring asset performance and integrity optimisation.
5. Site Services: Planning and execution of new projects and repair work from Lowestoft yard facilities or mobilised mobile repair units.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AFS Ltd is an independently owned UK manufacturing company providing structural and piping fabrication, offshore labour supply, scaffolding, rope access, asset integrity, procurement and site services. The company serves the Oil & Gas, Renewables, Nuclear, Marine, Decommissioning and Construction sectors from its Lowestoft headquarters, delivering projects onshore, offshore and internationally to certifications including BSEN 1090 and PED.

Product overview

AFS Ltd is an independently owned manufacturing company providing high-quality fabrication, offshore services, and labour supply globally to the Oil and Gas, Renewable Energy, Nuclear, Marine, and Maritime industries. The company operates multiple specialized divisions including Oil & Gas Services, Decommissioning, Marine Repair, Nuclear Services, Renewables, and Structural Steel. Core services include Fabrication (structural and piping to BSEN 1090 and PED), Rope Access (IRATA-certified), Scaffolding, Asset Integrity, Site Services, Personnel Supply (with 50%+ multiskilled workforce), and Procurement/Expediting with RFID-enabled logistics tracking. The portfolio represents a unified service offering with integrated multi-disciplinary capabilities delivered through dedicated departments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oil & Gas Services Onshore and offshore services for the oil and gas industry including fabrication, modifications, maintenance, installation, hook-ups, structural surveys and piping work to BSEN 1090 and PED standards. Aimed at oil & gas operators, EPC contractors and offshore service firms.
• Decommissioning Services

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Aker Solutions: Global provider of offshore production systems, fabrication, and modification services with a strong North Sea presence. Comparable to AFS in offshore fabrication and modification work, but at substantially larger scale.
• Petrofac: UK-listed integrated energy services company with offshore and onshore operations spanning engineering, procurement, fabrication, and operations & maintenance. Overlaps with AFS in offshore hook-ups, structural fabrication, and decommissioning support.
• Wood Group (John Wood Group): Global energy services and engineering company with significant North Sea operations providing offshore maintenance, fabrication, and project services. Comparable to AFS across oil & gas, renewables, and decommissioning but operating as a tier-1 EPCM.
• Bilfinger UK: Large European industrial services group with a UK division delivering offshore maintenance, fabrication, and asset integrity to North Sea oil & gas and process industry clients. Comparable to AFS in oil & gas offshore services and asset integrity but operates at vastly greater scale across a broader portfolio.
• Stork (Fluor company): UK-headquartered asset integrity, maintenance, and modification specialist serving oil & gas, petrochemical, and power clients. Direct overlap with AFS in offshore modifications, mechanical services, and integrated maintenance.
• Heerema Fabrication Group: Major North Sea offshore fabrication and decommissioning contractor operating large structural fabrication yards. Direct peer in topside removal and structural fabrication but at much greater scale and yard capacity than AFS.

Regional players

• Rotech Subsea: UK-based subsea services specialist operating in the North Sea focused on trenching, excavation, and decommissioning support. Comparable to AFS as a regionally anchored offshore services firm, though more specialized in subsea tooling.

Direct peers

• Briggs Marine Contractors: UK-based marine services and offshore contractor providing vessel management, marine civil engineering, and offshore construction support. Closely comparable to AFS in marine repair, offshore mobilization, and emergency call-out services for vessels.
• Freyssinet (UK): UK arm of a global specialist contractor providing structural repair, post-tensioning, and heavy lifting to nuclear, marine, and infrastructure clients. Comparable to AFS in structural steel fabrication and specialist repair work for nuclear and marine sectors.
• Cammach Rhys Group: UK-based recruitment and workforce solutions specialist serving oil & gas, renewables, and decommissioning sectors with multi-discipline personnel supply. Directly comparable to AFS's multiskilled personnel supply and IRATA rope access service offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/afslowestoft

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 AFS