Entrepreneur buys William Hare

Owner of Sale Sharks rugby club and business entrepreneur, Simon Orange has bought steelwork contractor William Hare for an undisclosed sum.

Founded in 1945, William Hare is the UK’s second largest steel fabricator and employs nearly 2,000 staff at its Europe, UAE and India sites.

Under the new ownership, the current management team that includes Chief Executive Susan Hodgkiss and Group Board Director Matthew Nesbit, will stay in place.

Mr Nesbit commented: “This is an exciting moment for William Hare and will support our continued growth. The business is in a really strong financial position, with historically high levels of cash, providing clients the confidence to continue trusting us to deliver the quality and outcomes that we have built our reputation on.

“In the current climate, it’s clear the market needs confidence in its supply chain and with our expertise and strong financial position we believe we are well placed to provide that and deliver world class projects across the built environment.”

Mr Orange said: “I am thrilled to be investing in William Hare, a company with a strong culture and rich history, which is working with a broad spectrum of clients on some of the largest and most exciting buildings in the world.

“With market leading credentials in engineering, fabrication, construction and sustainability, I know that William Hare is a business that is built for the future and has an exciting role to play in the future of construction and manufacturing.”

The business has been involved in some of the UK’s most significant building and infrastructure projects including Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station, Battersea Power Station, several HS2 Bridges, 40 Leadenhall, Broadgate redevelopment and 20 Fenchurch Street (The Walkie Talkie Building).