A FAMILY firm is set to double its employees after announcing a major expansion and investment.

Runcorn company KDE Ltd has taken over a leading north west provider of industrial electrical and hazardous area services.

Directors say the acquisition of Electrical Project Installations (EPI) Limited will increase their workforce  and extend and complement their business.

KDE, a regional firm specialising in electrical, fire alarm, plumbing and heating, is based on Chester Road, Sutton Weaver.

Company director Matthew Darlington said: “Given this is the first acquisition for KDE, we consider this to be an extremely exciting opportunity for all concerned.

“All the directors believe now is the time to build on the momentum and reputation of both companies, which in turn is a significant opportunity to accelerate KDE’s growth and increase the value we bring to our team and ultimately clients.”

Both companies will work towards a seamless integration and guarantee that no employees will be adversely affected by the deal.

They believe the services are a good fit as KDE will acquire an impressive group of individuals to bolster its already experienced, talented and knowledgeable team.

The company has already grown to 75 this year after securing further contracts.

The workforce will increase to 92 through this acquisition and the fleet of vehicles to 46.

A further expansion plan will see staff numbers exceed 100 during 2017.

Gary Partington, managing director at EPI, said: “This is a very exciting opportunity for our own team to grow and develop their skills.

“We will ensure a smooth transition into the KDE organisation, that in turn, will offer a beneficial and seamless synergy for both companies.”

Gary has now become a director of KDE alongside Keith Darlington and his sons Matthew and Lloyd.

KDE has ambitious plans for ongoing growth.

The company intends to develop its portfolio by building relationships with new and existing clients while looking for additional acquisition opportunities in the future.