County Durham’s Quorum Technology acquired by Norwegian energy transition specialist Volue

The IT infrastructure firm’s senior management team will remain in post

Energy sector IT and software firm Quorum Technology has been acquired in an international deal which should lead to further recruitment.

The NETPark-based firm which specialises in system for electricity companies has been snapped up by Norwegian group Volue in an undisclosed deal. Oslo-based Volue offers a range of products used in the production, trading, distribution and consumption of energy.

Quorum was founded by Paul Fothergill and two former colleagues and describes itself as supporting the key processes for companies “in the important business of keeping the lights on”. Its technology integrates into infrastructure such as power stations.

Having started working in fossil fuels, the 28-strong business now operates mainly in the renewables market thanks to an evolving landscape including wind energy and battery energy storage systems and the need for complex forecasting, trading and asset management tools.

The firm says it enjoys a market share of more than 65%, serving high profile customers such as Drax, Shell and EDF, among others. Volue is said to have been attracted to Quorum thanks to the UK’s increased balancing with flexible and low-carbon energy.

Paul Fothergill, managing director of Quorum Technology is part of the senior management team that Volue is retaining. He said: “This transaction marks a major milestone in Quorum’s growth journey and is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our team. Over the years, we’ve built a business that plays a critical role in supporting the UK’s energy infrastructure, helping operators manage increasingly complex systems with resilience and precision.

“Becoming part of Volue provides an incredible opportunity to accelerate our growth at a pivotal time in the evolution of the UK’s energy industry. We look forward to working closely with our new colleagues and would like to thank Roy Whaling and our advisory team for their invaluable support and guidance throughout this process.”

Stephan Sieber, CEO of Volue, added: “We are proud to welcome Quorum to Volue. Together, we will empower UK energy companies with world-class digital solutions, strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure, and support a secure, sustainable energy system for the future.

“The UK is at the forefront of the energy transition, with increasing system complexity, real-time balancing requirements and ambitious decarbonisation targets. Quorum has built an outstanding business with deep technical expertise and an exceptional reputation across the UK energy sector and we look forward to enhancing this further.”

Quorum’s shareholders were advised by North East-based RG Corporate Finance (RGCF), led by partner and RGCF technology lead Nick Johnson with support from director Connor McBride, manager Euan Mulholland, and manager Ben Kain.

Mr Johnson said: “Quorum is an exceptional business and a true North East success story, demonstrating the strength of the region’s technology sector and its growing influence in the UK energy industry. This transaction represents a significant inward investment into the UK, recognising the talent, innovation and capability that make companies like Quorum highly attractive to international acquirers such as Volue, who can add scale, reach and complementary expertise.”

Transactional tax advice was provided by RG Tax, led by corporate tax partner Simon Whiteside and tax director Simon Hopwood. Legal advisor to Quorum was Swinburne Maddison LLP, led by corporate partner Martyn Tennant and managing associate Rebecca Louge.

Accounting and tax advice was provided by Andy Thomas, founder and director at Abacus Jack Accountancy. Volue was advised by Hogan Lovells, which provided legal advice, and EY-Parthenon, which carried out financial and tax due diligence.