Kirby Group

Success built on strong values and local presence

Since entering the Scottish market 13 years ago, Kirby Group Engineering has established itself as a market leader in design and build services for the Power & Renewables sector, delivering both AIS (air insulated) and GIS (gas insulated) substations, alongside solar, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and wind connections, up to 400kV. 

The company has steadily grown its presence in Scotland over that period and now employs 200 people across the country. “We recruited an additional 70 employees in Scotland in 2025, and continue to expand this year,” says Kirby’s Group Business Development and Power & Renewables Director, Michael Murray. 

Founded in 1964 in Limerick, Kirby is a leading mechanical and electrical engineering contractor operating across Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe, directly employing over 1,900 highly skilled professionals. 

The company provides full mechanical and electrical contracting services as well as specialist high voltage (HV) and medium voltage (MV) design and construction services to clients across a number of different sectors including data centres, life sciences, industrial, and power and renewables.

With offices in Glasgow and Inverurie, Kirby has established strong relationships with SP Energy Networks, the distribution and transmission network operator for central and southern Scotland, and SSEN Transmission which operates and develops the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland.

The company’s initial entry to the Scottish market came through SP Energy Networks. “We’ve been supporting SP Energy Networks for more than 13 years with substation design and construction,” says Murray. “We deliver over 20 projects each year across two substation works frameworks - Lot 2 for substation construction - and Lot 5 for electrical balance of plant (EBOP) works. At the moment, we are active on 15 EBOP projects and two major 400kV GIS projects.”

The company’s long-standing relationship and the quality of its performance was recognised in 2025 when SP Energy Networks’ parent Iberdrola named Kirby its ‘Global Supplier of the Year’. 

“Our relationship with SSEN Transmission, now in its fifth year, has seen us deliver new build projects and upgrades to existing substations across Scotland,” Murray adds. “Last year, we were included on the National Grid framework in England meaning that we now work with all three transmission service operators in the UK. We also undertake private connections and in September were awarded the EBOP contract for ESB’s 96MW Chleansaid Wind Farm, located near Lairg in the Scottish Highlands.”

He attributes much of the company’s success in Scotland to its commitment to the market and to its own values. “We've got very strong values,” he explains. “People is a core value for us, and we look after our people very well.” Other values are safety, value, delivery and quality.

“We work collaboratively in partnership with our clients, and make sure they are supported,” he continues. “We never over-promise or under-deliver. We've also invested significantly to grow and develop a great team in Scotland, that’s what sets us apart.”

Social value is also very important to Scottish clients, he adds. “As well as providing job opportunities and apprenticeships local to our projects, we’re supporting the communities we work in, and have donated £30,000 to charities across Scotland in the last two years. We also sponsor local youth football teams as part of our commitment to grassroots skills development – teaching resilience and teamwork to young people through sport.”

He points out that innovation is also key to the success of the delivery of energy infrastructure across the UK. The company is currently involved in the modularisation of substations and the enhancement of sustainable construction methods on site. It is also playing a key role in reducing the curtailment of renewable energy through the installation of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

With multibillion pound energy investments in transmission and distribution networks continuing, he believes the outlook is bright for Kirby in Scotland. “We are preparing for future growth and have relocated to a larger Glasgow office with capacity for 100 people - doubling our hiring ability in the region.

“Enterprise Ireland has been a great partner,” he continues. “The introductions and the support to be able to establish presences in different countries is invaluable. My advice to any company considering the Scottish market is that you need to have a local presence and invest in communities. That’s something Kirby continues to do. This will ensure local communities continue to benefit from our clients’ investment in energy infrastructure for many years to come.”

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