Westlakes Engineering Limited Is Now Fully Employee Owned
As of 30th April 2025, Westlakes Engineering Limited is entirely owned by an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
For over 20 years Westlakes Engineering have been providing Civil and Structural Design Consultancy services in the UK, predominantly carrying out work in the Property, Nuclear and Water industries, from their offices in Manchester, Preston and their head office in Whitehaven, Cumbria. As of 2015 Westlakes developed their service provisions by offering in-service and pre-use checks on theme park attractions world wide, including some of the largest theme parks in the world.
As an SME, the shareholders and board at Westlakes Engineering developed a succession plan to sustain the existing Westlakes Engineering culture. A culture which employees enjoy working in and is highly regarded by its clients for the quality and integrity of the services provided.
This succession plan included developing a senior leadership team in 2022 with the existing board and shareholders providing them the opportunities, skills and support in leadership to lead the company into the future. Some of these senior leaders are now on the Board of Directors with more likely to follow.
The succession planning also had to consider what would happen once the existing shareholders retired and so reviewed various ownership options. The option favored by the directors, senior leaders and existing shareholders was for the company to be entirely owned by an EOT. This option allows each employee to help shape the future of Westlakes Engineering via the establishment of the EOT Board which includes employee representation. Each employee can also share in the successes of the business through annual employee tax free bonuses.
Managing Director Andy Hooper highlighted the importance of Westlakes Engineering becoming an EOT stating “Looking back over the last 20 years, there have been decision points in time which have significantly shaped the business going forward. Becoming fully employee owned is arguably the most significant. It allows all of our employees to share and influence how the future of Westlakes Engineering will develop and ensures there is a long-term vision for the business. This now provides a platform for the business to grow, beyond the time in which the former shareholders remain with the company.”
Former Shareholder and existing Director Chris Pratt said “It’s taken a lot of effort from a lot of people to get us to this point in which we can sign the documents and formally be entirely owned by an EOT. Thank you to everyone who has helped us get there. A special thank you to Andrew Harrison from Co-Ownership Solutions for providing the specialist advice.”
The EOT is the next chapter in the history of Westlakes Engineering, one that provides long-term sustainability of the business and one that all employees can influence and help to drive the company from strength to strength.
The future management structure of Westlakes has been secured by recent promotions to the Board. Andrew Branthwaite steps up to managing the Nuclear division in Whitehaven and Preston, enabling Andy Hooper to focus on his Managing Director role, Adam Jenkins, Tom Walker and Nick Easton join Ron Dale in heading up the Attraction Safety Team in Manchester, and Matt Short and Chris Pratt continue to run the Property Team, also in Manchester, and Sue Peacock continues in her role as Finance Director.
