Engineering firm Fingleton White focuses energy on water management sector

Fingleton White, a Portlaoise-based engineering business, plans to increase its focus on water management as part of its growth strategy.

The business was started by spouses John Fingleton and Mary White in 1981. It has grown to now have 185 staff with a turnover of €20 million in 2023.

“We design, develop, and deliver projects for large energy users. These are companies that spend €5 million or more on energy every year,” Ann Fingleton, director at Fingleton White and daughter of the co-founders, told the Business Post.

“We provide them with on-site generation, that insulates them from gas price fluctuations. We are also designers for energy providers as well.”

The company’s clients include Diageo, Lakeland Dairies, and Pfizer. The business has expertise across civil, electrical and mechanical engineering in order to provide comprehensive services.

Fingleton White expanded through acquisition in the last two years, buying WEW in Co Kilkenny and PDE in Co Antrim. This has enabled the Portlaoise-based business to expand its offering.

“We are able to provide more for our clients now and solve a wider range of engineering challenges. We’re a 40-year-old company that wants to be around for another 40. The sustainability of what we do is key to that,” Fingleton said.

“The Antrim office opened up the Northern Ireland market and provided us with more skills in fuel storage and battery storage. PDE has also done extensive work on hydrogen. With WEW, it has helped us develop work on the water management side of the business. There’s a significant opportunity in the UK with that.”

The water management side of the business is where Fingleton believes the greatest potential for growth lies. Fingleton White has been supported by Enterprise Ireland, particularly in its increased expansion into the UK in the water sector.

“They helped explain to us what was going on in the UK market and, with it being a regulated market, helped us get in position to apply for contracts under the regulatory frameworks there. They have introduced us to potential clients and linked us in with advisers,” Fingleton said.

“We are also planning on accessing Enterprise Ireland’s market discovery fund. That will help us to build out our team both in Ireland and the UK. A lot of the work we are doing now is designing ways to decarbonise, which is important to water projects.”

Fingleton White plans to develop multiple projects in the water sector over the next 18 months as part of its growth plans.

“We want to make water 20 per cent of our revenue by the end of 2025. That diversification is part of our long-term sustainability strategy.”

This Making it Work article is produced in partnership with Enterprise Ireland