What Haden Freeman does

Haden Freeman Ltd is a privately held, UK-based multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy headquartered in Manchester with a secondary design centre in Teesside. Founded in 1985 (originally as Freeman Process Systems), the firm delivers process engineering, process safety and functional safety (HAZOP/HAZID chair, LOPA, FSA, BS EN 61508 compliance), mechanical and piping, electrical and instrumentation, control systems, civil/structural, and construction management services to process industries. Project scope spans small consultancy engagements through full EPC contracts with maximum completed values up to £30M, supported by in-house construction delivery and carefully selected sub-contractors.

The firm serves enterprise clients across chemicals (BASF, Lanxess, TATA Chemicals, Scott Bader, Tradebe), pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals (Bio Products Laboratory), food and beverage (Diageo, Tamdhu Distillery, Ian Macleod), energy (Total, IntES), and resource efficiency/waste management (Knowaste, Remediiate, Fiberight, Exolum). Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales from the Manchester and Teesside design centres with international project delivery capability; pricing is quote-based on project scope. Through sister organisation HFL-CI, Haden Freeman extends into operational design and capacity modelling (Lean tools, value stream mapping), and through The Knowaste Consortium it pursues European AHP recycling projects.

Revenue model combines professional services (consultancy, construction management, ongoing SLAs) with one-time project (EPC) contracts. Certifications include ISO 9001:2015 (British Assessment Bureau, 2023), RoSPA Gold Award, CHAS, BSI, CQI, and NEPIC membership, anchoring credibility in regulated UK process industries.

Name

Haden Freeman

Legal name

Haden Freeman Ltd

Website

https://hadenfreeman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Haden Freeman Ltd is a UK-based multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy serving process industries with process engineering, process/functional safety, EPC, and construction management services from design centres in Manchester and Teesside, delivering projects up to £30M.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Process Engineering Consultancy

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD)

Keywords

• Process engineering consultancy
• EPC project delivery
• Process safety services
• Functional safety engineering
• Construction management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consultancy Services: Multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy including process engineering, process safety (HAZOP/HAZID chair), project management, mechanical/layout/piping, electrical/instrumentation, control systems, civil/structural, HSE support, and operational design services. Projects range from small consultancy engagements to large-scale EPC contracts up to £30M.
2. EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction): Full-scale EPC project delivery from feasibility through construction, with completed projects ranging up to £30M contract value.
3. Construction Management: Construction management services including quantity surveying, procurement management, cost control, programming/scheduling, constructability reviews, construction phase plans, subcontractor management, shutdown management, HSE, and modular construction. The procurement and construction phase accounts for up to 90% of total installed project cost.
4. Operational Design and Capacity Modelling: Through sister organisation HFL-CI, providing operational excellence consultancy services including operational design philosophy optimization, capacity modelling, value stream mapping, and Lean implementation to deliver operational improvements and cost savings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Haden Freeman Ltd provides multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy, FEED studies, process safety and functional safety services, project management, mechanical/electrical/control/civil design, and EPC/EPCM delivery for chemical, pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, food and beverage, and resource efficiency process industry clients. Projects span from small consultancy engagements to large-scale EPC contracts up to £30M in value. Through sister organisation HFL-CI the company also delivers operational design and capacity modelling services applying Lean techniques at plant design stage.

Product overview

Haden Freeman Ltd operates as a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of integrated services for process industries. Established in 1985, the company provides end-to-end engineering solutions ranging from initial process engineering and FEED studies through to full EPC and EPCM project delivery. The core offering centers on process safety services (including HAZOP/HAZID chair facilitation, functional safety assessments, and LOPA), complemented by mechanical, electrical, control systems, civil/structural, and construction management services. Through sister organization HFL-CI, the company extends into operational design and capacity modeling. Services are delivered across eight sectors including chemical, pharmaceutical, food & beverage, and resource efficiency, with project values spanning from small consultancies to £30M EPC contracts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Process Engineering Specialist process engineering consultancy for chemical and pharmaceutical industries including process design, development, and optimisation.
• Process Safety and Functional Safety Process safety services including HAZOP chair, HAZID chair, LOPA, FSA, functional safety design compliant with BS EN 61508, DSEAR assessments, COMAH consultancy, and HSE-driven safety support delivered by TUV-trained personnel.
• Project Management Full project management for engineering and construction projects across process industries, from small consultancies to £30M EPC projects.
• Mechanical, Layout & Piping Mechanical engineering design services including plant layout and piping design for process facilities.
• Electrical and Instruments Electrical engineering and instrumentation services for process plant installations and upgrades.
• Control Systems Control systems engineering including hardware and software support, 24/7 maintenance agreements, and control system upgrades for critical processes.
• Civil and Structural / Building Services Civil and structural engineering and building services design for process industry facilities.
• HSE Health, Safety and Environmental consultancy including safety requirement specifications, incident investigation training, and HSE audit support.
• Construction Construction management services including quantity surveying, procurement management, cost control, programming/scheduling, constructability reviews, construction phase plans, shutdown management, subcontractor management, and modular construction.
• Operational Design and Capacity Modelling Operational excellence consulting via sister organisation HFL-CI integrating new plants into existing operations, applying Lean tools and techniques, capacity modelling, value stream mapping, and supply chain optimisation at plant design stage.
• Due Diligence and Capability Assessments Independent technical due diligence services and engineering capability assessments for process industry facilities, mergers, acquisitions, and project investments.
• FEED (Front End Engineering Design) Front end engineering design studies providing conceptual design, cost estimates (±20% Total Installed Cost), and project feasibility assessments for new capital investments.
• EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) Complete engineering, procurement, and construction delivery for process industry projects up to £30M in value.
• EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management) Construction management services where HFL manages procurement and construction while the client retains procurement responsibility.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 projects completed since 1985 ranging from small consultancies to £30M EPC contracts
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KnowastecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaden Freeman and Knowaste formed The Knowaste Consortium, a strategic partnership focused on European projects for Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHP) recycling. Knowaste, founded in 1987, offers proven patented technology in AHP recycling to the Waste Management Industry. Haden Freeman brings multi-disciplinary engineering capabilities. Both organisations continue to operate worldwide independently while collaborating through the consortium to provide customers with turnkey solutions for AHP recycling requirements. The partnership builds on 10 years of successful joint project delivery.
• HFL-CI (Haden Freeman Continuous Improvement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHFL-CI is the sister organisation of Haden Freeman, operating as an Operational Excellence consultancy. Through this partnership, Haden Freeman can offer integrated operational design and capacity modelling services alongside traditional engineering. HFL-CI brings expertise in Lean tools and techniques, value stream mapping, and continuous improvement methodologies to optimise plant design and operational philosophy at the design stage, complementing Haden Freeman's engineering and construction capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Worley: Global EPC and consultancy firm serving chemicals, refining, and pharmaceuticals. Direct competitor in mid-market process-industry EPC and HAZOP chair services; both firms deliver multi-disciplinary engineering from feasibility through construction.
• Wood plc: Major EPC firm with strong process-industries and chemicals/pharma presence built from the legacy Amec Foster Wheeler and John Brown heritage. Overlaps with Haden Freeman on HAZOP/functional safety and FEED/EPC delivery for European chemicals clients.
• Boulting Group: UK-based multi-disciplinary engineering and electrical/process safety firm serving water, pharmaceutical, and process industries. Closest UK mid-market comparable to Haden Freeman in terms of size, geographic focus, and integrated EPC/EPCM offering.
• Petrofac: Oil & gas EPC and engineering services firm with process safety and operations support capabilities. Comparable on EPC and EPCM delivery model for process industries, including mid-cap refining and chemical projects.

Broad incumbents

• AtkinsRéalis: Global engineering services and project management firm with chemicals and process-industry practice. Competes broadly in the same FEED/EPCM space as Haden Freeman but at materially larger scale across infrastructure and nuclear as well.
• Fluor Corporation: Global EPC major serving chemicals, energy, and process industries. Competes for the upper end of Haden Freeman's pipeline and sets the global benchmark for process safety and FEED-to-EPC integration in chemical projects.
• Stantec: International engineering, consulting, and construction firm with chemicals and water/wastewater capabilities. Overlaps with Haden Freeman on EPC delivery to process industries and on water systems support (cf. BPL purified water SLA).
• Jacobs Solutions: Global professional services and engineering firm with process safety, chemicals, and pharmaceutical practices. Overlaps with Haden Freeman on functional safety / HAZOP chair and EPCM services at much larger enterprise scale.
• WSP: Global engineering professional services firm with process industries and pharma/water practices. Adjacent competitor for UK and European process-industry engineering mandates; comparable in services but vastly larger and broader.
• Mott MacDonald: Large UK-headquartered engineering consultancy with established chemicals and process industries capabilities. Direct overlap on multi-disciplinary engineering for BASF, Total, and similar chemical clients but at much broader portfolio scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hadenfreeman
• Facebookfacebook.com/haden.freeman.982
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haden-freeman-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/hadenfreemanltd22

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Haden Freeman