Fife plant-hire firm buys local drainage contractor

Kelty-based Meiklem Drainage will continue to operate as a standalone business within the Penman group umbrella.

The deal comes as Meiklem founder John Meiklem moves towards retirement, although he is to remain as an adviser to the business for the foreseeable future.

A total of 15 Meiklem staff are affected by the change, all of whom are transferring to the Penman group.

The new, enlarged Penman operation will be run out of the firm’s existing offices on the Mitchelston Industrial Estate at Kirkcaldy and will have a total of around 65 staff.

Meiklem has been in a number of high-profile contracts including being involved in major civil engineering works to reduce the flooding risk to Elgin and helping to restore a number of open-cast coalfield sites during the 1990s.

In recent months Meiklem has been among the contractors working on the flagship Queensferry Crossing project over the Forth.

James Penman operates in similar fields, and the two companies have often worked alongside each other on various projects.

Mr Penman said bringing the two companies together was a “natural move”, and he was delighted to retain Mr Meiklem’s experience as the new operational set-up bedded in.

“We have often been working alongside each other on various development sites,” Mr Penman told the Courier.

“The Meiklem brand has a tremendous reputation and I can assure clients that it will be business as usual – and I hope we will be around for another 50 years.”