3t has acquired GTSC, the largest energy training business in the Middle East, bolstering its presence across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
The Aberdeen-headquartered specialist in training for safety-critical industries has acquired GTSC from Al Mansoori Specialized Engineering.
The deal sees more than 100 employees and several purpose-built training facilities become part of 3t.
Founded in 1993, GTSC has trained almost a million people in the Middle Eastern energy sector, with an array of industry-accredited technical, offshore survival, firefighting and road safety training courses.
3t is backed by private equity firm Bluewater, which has driven seven acquisition since 2017. This latest transaction closely follows the deal in June for US-based ALL STOP!
These acquisitions position 3t on track to break through the $100m revenue during 2024, following a record-breaking year of profitability and growth in 2023.
3t provides more than 600 different training courses at 11 global centres, training more than 100,000 people every year to the highest industry standards.
Chief executive Kevin Franklin said: “The Middle East is booming with projects across the whole energy spectrum; demand for world-class training and skilled workforce is high.
“The GTSC team has developed a strong business that is highly respected, with a track record that speaks for itself – we complement each other well, allowing us to invest and build a stronger service for our customers.”
Mario Nahas, chief executive of GTSC, commented: “ am immensely proud of how the business has developed under the ownership of Al Mansoori and the support and leadership provided by their CEO Nabil Al Alawi.
“We have gotten to know 3t well and I am excited by the next phase of development for GTSC.”
Martin Somerville, managing director at Bluewater, added: “Having built 3t into a clear UK market leader in recent years, this pivotal acquisition underscores the group’s international ambitions and their commitment to becoming a global powerhouse.
“Bluewater’s experience in the Middle East is quite unique for any private equity firm – we have actively been investing in the region for over 10 years and now have many of our portfolio companies based there.
“The recent sale of Kent, as well as this acquisition for 3t demonstrates our ability to successfully transact in this region hence it remains a strategic focus for us as we launch our third fund.”
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