What The James Mercer Group does

The James Mercer Group Ltd is a Preston-headquartered, family-owned mechanical and electrical building services contractor operating in North West England. Founded in 1936 by James (Jim) Mercer and incorporated in 1941, the firm has been wholly owned by the Moxham family since a 2000 restructuring and is currently led by third-generation Managing Director Andrew Moxham alongside Directors Paul Moxham, Andrew Lowe, Paul Catterall, Stephen Potter and Jenny Mayor. From a Preston headquarters and a Liverpool branch opened in 1957, the company designs, installs and maintains HVAC, plumbing, electrical, air-conditioning and public-health systems across healthcare (NHS trusts including The Christie, Royal Preston, Salford Royal, Royal Bolton and Lancashire Care), education (Lancaster, Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan, UCLan), leisure, military/prisons (five HM Prison sites), industrial (BAe Systems, GEC Alstom, Leyland Trucks), and facilities-management clients (Capita, Interserve, Engie).

The company's core service lines are Mechanical Building Services (contract values up to £8m), Electrical Building Services (up to £4m), a Service & Maintenance division operating 24/7/365 with 44 mobile engineers, a dedicated Air Conditioning & Ventilation department (in-house since 1998, partnering with Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Daikin, Fujitsu, Airedale and Sanyo), and a Public Health Services plumbing arm (added 2003). Delivery is supported by in-house CAD design, Contracts Managers and a workforce of approximately 200 employees including 90+ site-based mechanical engineers, with 12% of staff on a four-year apprenticeship programme via JTL Training. Differentiated technical capabilities include Building Management System integration, IoT and AI-driven predictive maintenance, hybrid gas-boiler/heat-pump heating systems, flue gas heat recovery, and a 90% electric/hybrid 102-vehicle fleet aligned to a Net Zero 2040 target.

Commercially, James Mercer generates revenue through project-based installation contracts (one-time, multi-year) ranging from £20,000 to £8 million and through recurring managed service and maintenance contracts with private industry, local authorities and health authorities. Marketing is driven almost entirely by reputation, industry accreditations (ISO 14001 since 2009, ISO 9001, NICEIC, CHAS, Constructionline No. 4935, Refcom Elite, Gas Safe), Mitsubishi Business Solutions Partner status, and direct tendering through its Preston and Liverpool offices — with no digital or outbound demand-generation channels evident. Stated revenue reached £47 million in 2024, up from £4,800 at incorporation in 1941, with the business maintaining a deliberately regional 90-mile service radius from Preston.

Name

The James Mercer Group

Legal name

The James Mercer Group Ltd

Website

https://jamesmercergroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The James Mercer Group is a family-owned mechanical and electrical building services contractor in North West England, designing, installing and maintaining HVAC, plumbing, electrical and air-conditioning systems for NHS, education, leisure, prison, industrial and facilities-management clients across a 90-mile radius from Preston.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mechanical and Electrical Building Services

NAICS

Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (238220), Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (238210), Building Equipment Contractors (2382)

SIC

Electrical Work (1731)

akta.pro primary industry

HVAC & Refrigeration Contracting (IMAFALAB)

Keywords

• Mechanical building services
• Electrical building services
• HVAC engineering
• Building maintenance services
• Plumbing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Preston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Mechanical Installation Contracts: Design and installation of mechanical building services including air conditioning, plumbing and ventilation ductwork for public and private sector schemes. Contract values range from £20k to £4 million per project.
2. Electrical Installation Contracts: Design, installation and maintenance of power, lighting, fire alarm and security installations up to £4 million in contract value.
3. Service and Maintenance Contracts: Routine service, planned maintenance and breakdown attention on building services and equipment. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with on-call engineers. Contracts with private industry, local authorities and health authorities.
4. Air Conditioning and Ventilation Services: Design, installation, service and maintenance of air conditioning equipment from major manufacturers including Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Daikin, Fujitsu, Airedale and Sanyo.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The James Mercer Group designs, installs, and maintains mechanical and electrical building services for commercial, industrial, healthcare, education, leisure, and public sector facilities. The offering spans HVAC, plumbing, ventilation ductwork, air conditioning, power, lighting, fire alarm, and security installations, with contract values ranging from £20,000 to £8 million, supported by 24/7 emergency call-out coverage and a mobile service engineer fleet across the North West of England.

Product overview

The James Mercer Group Ltd operates as a mechanical and electrical building services company offering a coordinated portfolio of services. The core offerings include Mechanical Building Services and Electrical Building Services (both covering design, installation, and maintenance up to £8 million and £4 million contract values respectively), supported by a dedicated Service & Maintenance division providing 24/7 emergency support across the North West. The Air Conditioning & Ventilation department specializes in comfort cooling systems with manufacturer partnerships, while the Public Health Services division handles sanitary ware and plumbing. All services are delivered by a combined workforce of approximately 200 employees operating from Preston and Liverpool offices, supported by CAD operators and contracts managers for design capability. The company also provides Boiler Optimisation and Energy-Efficient Heating solutions as part of their sustainability-focused service offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mechanical Building Services Design, installation, and maintenance of mechanical building services including air conditioning, plumbing, and ventilation ductwork for public and private sector schemes. The department manages contracts up to £8 million in value with over 90 site-based mechanical engineers of varying grades from Team Leader to Apprentice.
• Electrical Building Services Design, installation, and maintenance of electrical systems including power, lighting, fire alarm, and security installations for commercial and public sector buildings. The department manages contracts up to £4 million in value with a team of electrical engineers, and the company is an NICEIC approved contractor.
• Building Services & Maintenance Responsive and cost-effective maintenance service across the North West of England operating within a 90-mile radius of the Preston head office. Services include routine servicing, planned maintenance, and 24-hour emergency breakdowns covering heating, plumbing, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, with on-call engineers operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• Air Conditioning & Ventilation Design, installation, service, and maintenance of air conditioning equipment from major manufacturers including Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Daikin, Fujitsu, Airedale, and Sanyo for comfort cooling systems. Engineers are certified to City and Guilds standard in refrigerant handling for F Gas regulations, and the company holds Refcom Elite certification and Mitsubishi Business Solutions Partner status.
• Public Health Services (Plumbing) Plumbing department providing installation of sanitary ware, waste disposal systems, rainwater services, and leadwork. The team of qualified plumbing craftsmen work alongside mechanical engineers or independently on public health engineering projects for main contractors and direct clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 30% fuel and energy cost savings for clients using Boiler Maintenance Plans
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers40 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mitsubishi ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationMitsubishi Business Solutions Partner status, enabling the company to receive necessary training to achieve the highest standards when installing and maintaining Mitsubishi electric air conditioning and cooling equipment. The partnership provides access to manufacturer expertise and support for installation quality.
• RefcomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRefcom Elite membership - a voluntary scheme encouraging refrigerant handling best practices and continuous improvement in industry standards for air conditioning and refrigeration. Ensures compliance with F Gas regulations and best practices for refrigerant management.
• Climate PartnercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to calculate corporate carbon footprint for January to December 2023 following the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Climate Partner assists with emissions calculation, target setting, and carbon reduction planning in support of the company's Net Zero by 2040 commitment.
• Supply Chain Sustainability SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistration with Supply Chain Sustainability School to assist in formulating action plans and stimulate thought on improvement topics for environmental performance and sustainability.
• Net PositivesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUtilisation of Net Positives resources to assist in formulating action plans and stimulate thought on improvement topics for sustainability and carbon reduction.
• JTL TrainingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with JTL Training for apprenticeship recruitment and assessment. JTL carries out assessments and shortlists applicants for consideration for The James Mercer Group's apprenticeship programme in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and plumbing trades.
• Local Subcontractors and SuppliersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrong working relationships with local businesses, suppliers and subcontractors supporting a resilient, regionally based supply chain. The company prioritises the use of local subcontractors and suppliers to minimise travel emissions and support sustainable regional growth.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NG Bailey: UK's largest independent mechanical, electrical, and building services contractor. Direct peer for HVAC, electrical, and FM services, with deeper national reach and a broader digital/offering portfolio against which James Mercer competes on regional projects.
• Dodd Group: Mid-sized UK MEP and building services contractor with regional delivery and a similar mix of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and maintenance services. Closest like-for-like comparable in scale and operating model to James Mercer, with comparable public-sector customer mix.
• SES Engineering Services: UK-wide MEP contractor specialising in mechanical, electrical, and public health services for commercial and residential developments. Directly comparable in service portfolio and contract structure.
• TClarke: London-listed UK electrical and building services contractor delivering design, installation, and maintenance across commercial, public, and data centre sectors. Comparable in electrical contracting scope and customer mix to James Mercer's Electrical Building Services division.

Broad incumbents

• EQUANS (formerly Imtech UK): UK arm of EQUANS, a global multi-technical services and energy services group, offering full-scope building services and FM. Larger, broader portfolio than James Mercer but overlapping in mechanical/electrical contracting and public sector tenders.
• Wates Group: Major UK construction, property services, and FM group with significant building services offering. Overlaps with James Mercer's public sector and commercial contracting work, particularly in the North West.
• Bouygues (ETDE/Kier)/Bowmer + Kirkland: Top UK construction and property group with in-house M&E capability. Comparable in serving public and private sector building services demand, although scale and breadth far exceed James Mercer's.
• Morgan Sindall: UK construction and regeneration group with a property services division providing mechanical and electrical building services. Comparable in customer verticals (education, healthcare, public sector) and contract values.
• Mace Group: Global construction and consultancy group with a facilities management and building services arm. Comparable in servicing healthcare, education, and commercial clients across multiple UK regions, though at significantly larger scale.
• Skanska UK: Major international contractor operating across building, civil engineering, and infrastructure in the UK. Competes for larger public and private building services contracts and offers comparable decarbonisation and energy services capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 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 The James Mercer Group