What Ops Structures Ltd does

Ops Structures Ltd is a privately held UK structural engineering consultancy headquartered in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, with a second office in Farringdon, London. Founded in 2013 by Mike Otlet and Mike Stephens — both formerly of Anthony Hunt Associates and Atkins — and joined shortly after by Simon Ho (ex-Buro Happold) and Lindsey Ellis, the firm delivers structural engineering design services across the full project lifecycle: concept and detailed design, calculations, drawings, site surveys, inspections, expert witness work, and ongoing framework advisory services. Its portfolio covers stadia and event structures, bridges and transport infrastructure, commercial and educational buildings, residential developments, facades, refurbishment, and forensic engineering, with notable commissions including Wembley Stadium, London Stadium, the YTL Arena Bristol, the Elizabeth Line architectural components, Doha Metro, and the Emirates Air Line cable car.

The firm operates a project-based professional services model, charging bespoke fees scoped per engagement. Its technology stack centres on BIM workflows at BIM Level 2, using Revit for 3D modelling, Navisworks for clash detection, Rhino and Grasshopper for parametric and complex geometry design, Robot Structural Analysis and Tekla Structural Designer for structural analysis. Approximately 16 staff — directors, senior engineers, architects, BIM specialists, graduates and administrative support — serve clients in the UK and internationally, including the Middle East (Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain), Asia Pacific (South Korea), and parts of Europe and Africa. The firm is ISO 9001 certified and holds Constructionline Gold accreditation.

Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: clients are acquired through the founders' and directors' professional networks with leading architects (Grimshaw, Foster + Partners, Populous), developers, contractors, and public bodies, supported by an extensive project portfolio and a track record of award-winning landmark work (including the 2024 RIBA Stirling Prize for the Elizabeth Line). Demand generation is via the firm website and direct outreach rather than traditional marketing; no external funding rounds or M&A activity are disclosed, indicating the business is bootstrapped and grown organically through retained earnings and recurring framework agreements with anchor clients such as the FA and the London Legacy Development Corporation.

Name

Ops Structures Ltd

Legal name

OPS Structures Ltd

Website

https://opsstructures.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ops Structures Ltd is a privately held UK structural engineering consultancy, headquartered in Cirencester with a London office, that provides bespoke design, analysis, and advisory services across stadia, bridges, transport infrastructure, commercial, residential, and facade projects for public bodies, developers, and architects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Engineering Consultancy

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA), Sports & Recreation Facility Construction (Stadiums, Arenas, Community Centers) (IMAFACAI), Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA)

Keywords

• Structural engineering consultancy
• Building structures design
• Stadium structural engineering
• Bridge design services
• Facade engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Cirencester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Structural Engineering Consultancy Services: OPS generates revenue by providing structural engineering design services on a project-by-project basis. Engagements cover the full project lifecycle including concept design, detailed design, calculations, drawings, site surveys, structural inspections, expert witness work, and ongoing framework advisory services. Revenue is earned through professional service fees scoped per project.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

OPS Structures provides structural engineering design consultancy services for complex domestic and commercial building projects. The firm delivers concept design, detailed design, calculations, drawings, site surveys, structural inspections, expert witness work, and ongoing framework advisory support across stadia, bridges, transport infrastructure, residential developments, facades, and refurbishment projects, using BIM Level 2 workflows and parametric design tools.

Product overview

OPS Structures Ltd is a structural engineering consultancy offering a comprehensive range of engineering services rather than a software product. Their core offerings include Building Structures, Stadia + Events Structures, Bridge Design, Complex Geometry, Facades, Forensic Engineering, Refurbishment, and Domestic Structures. The company utilizes BIM workflows (Revit, Navisworks), parametric design (Rhino/Grasshopper), and structural analysis software (Robot Structural Analysis, Tekla Structural Designer) to deliver projects. They emphasize sustainable design practices and have particular expertise in stadium engineering, complex geometry structures, and facade engineering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Structures Structural engineering design services for commercial and residential buildings, including new builds and structural modifications, delivered for architects, developers, contractors, and public sector clients across the UK and internationally.
• Stadia + Events Structures Specialist structural engineering for stadiums and large-scale event venues, including retractable roof stadiums and spectator facilities. Notable projects include Millennium Stadium, Wembley Stadium, and Aviva Stadium. Includes ongoing framework advisory services for major UK venues such as London Stadium.
• Bridge Design Structural engineering for bridge structures including footbridges, cycle ramps, and railway bridges, delivered for public sector clients and developers. Notable projects include Newport City Footbridge and Enneus Heerma Bridge.
• Complex Geometry Structural engineering for architecturally complex structures with challenging geometric forms, often using parametric design tools to model multi-curvature surfaces and ambitious structural forms.
• Facades Specialist facade engineering services including structural glazing, cladding systems, and facade assessments, delivered for architects, public sector clients, and specialist contractors. Notable projects include Al Khobar Tower and Sheikh Jaber Al-Subah Cultural Centre in Kuwait.
• Forensic Engineering Investigation and assessment of existing structures for defect analysis, safety evaluations, and expert witness legal roles. Includes structural surveys, condition assessments, and independent technical reviews of specialist contractors' designs.
• Refurbishment Structural engineering for building refurbishment and adaptive reuse projects, often involving retention of existing structures and material reuse for sustainability and embodied carbon reduction outcomes.
• Domestic Structures Structural engineering for residential developments including houses and apartment buildings, ranging from individual high-specification domestic properties to large multi-plot housing developments. Notable projects include Brabazon Residential and Single Oak.

Quantifiable outcome

• By reusing approximately 5,000 tonnes of existing steelwork in the Aviva Arena (Bristol), OPS is striving to make the arena one of the most sustainable buildings of its type in the world.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of BathcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOPS collaborates with the University of Bath on research projects including ACORN (Automating Concrete Construction) and MEICON (Minimising Energy in Construction). OPS team members support researchers with industry expertise and practical input, contributing to parametric design, off-site robotic fabrication, and modular construction research aimed at improving sustainability and productivity in the construction sector.
• University of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOPS partners with the University of Cambridge on multiple research initiatives including ACORN (Automating Concrete Construction) and MEICON (Minimising Energy in Construction). The collaboration focuses on whole-life construction sector sustainability and identifying research needs for significant energy savings before 2025.
• Grimshaw ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOPS has an established working relationship with Grimshaw Architects on multiple projects and research initiatives. Notable collaborations include the CIRCuIT Demonstrator (a methodology to disassemble and reconstruct a Grimshaw-designed superstore), GIGATONS EV charging infrastructure, and the Brabazon/YTL Arena project. Grimshaw is described as sharing OPS's passion for retaining the historic identity of structures.
• University of DundeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOPS is an industry partner in the ACORN (Automating Concrete Construction) project alongside researchers from the University of Dundee, supporting the project's aim to dramatically improve whole-life construction sector sustainability through automated concrete construction.
• Major UK Technical and Professional InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOPS team members provide technical input into standards and guides and actively shape the future of structural engineering through engagement with major UK professional institutions, including those focused on addressing the climate emergency and the environmental impact of construction.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Buro Happold: Global multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy founded in Bath, with a deep UK structural engineering heritage and significant stadia/complex geometry practice (e.g. Aviva Stadium, London Cable Car — both OPS alumni projects). Larger and broader, but directly overlaps in target projects and client base.
• WSP: Global professional services firm with a large UK structural engineering practice (post-PB World, Wood Group, and other acquisitions). Competes for major transport, stadia, and commercial commissions and has been actively acquiring UK specialist consultancies.
• Arup: Global engineering giant with a major UK structural engineering practice covering stadia, transport, and complex buildings. Competes for the same marquee commissions and frequently employs OPS alumni; a structural-only OPS cannot match Arup's integrated multi-disciplinary offering.
• AtkinsRéalis: Global engineering consultancy where OPS's two founders (Mike Otlet, Mike Stephens) and several other directors previously worked. Most of OPS's most iconic projects (Millennium Stadium, Elizabeth Line, Doha Metro) were led by the founders while at Atkins — direct pedigree overlap and a competitor for the same complex-geometry briefs.

Direct peers

• Expedition Engineering: Independent UK structural engineering consultancy founded by Chris Wise, with similar profile of working on landmark cultural, education, and infrastructure projects alongside leading architects. Comparable in scale, talent-led model, and high-end complex-geometry focus.
• Format Engineers: London-based structural engineering consultancy of similar scale with strong credentials in complex geometry, education, and cultural projects. Directly comparable boutique consultancy competing for the same architect-driven commissions.
• AKT II: London-based structural engineering consultancy of broadly comparable scale and reputation, with a parallel specialty in complex geometry, stadia, and architect-led signature projects (e.g. Google King's Cross, Battersea Power Station). Most direct comparable in size, business model, and project profile to OPS.
• Price & Myers: Established London structural engineering consultancy with a comparable portfolio spanning commercial, residential, cultural, and education projects. Same fee-based consultancy model, similar mix of new-build and refurbishment work.
• Engineers HRW: Independent UK structural and civil engineering consultancy with a comparable boutique profile, working on education, residential, and cultural buildings. Similar fee-based model and competing for architect-led commissions at the same scale.
• Webb Yates Engineers: London structural and civil engineering consultancy of comparable size, working on high-spec residential, cultural, and commercial projects with award-winning architects. Similar fee-based professional services model and boutique market positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ops-structural-engineering

Compliance2 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 Ops Structures Ltd