Browne Jacobson’s UK and Ireland corporate team has successfully advised the shareholders of C-Kore Systems, a leading provider of advanced subsea testing technology to the offshore energy industry, on its acquisition by Motive Offshore, an offshore equipment, engineering, and services specialist backed by H2 Equity Partners. 

C-Kore was founded in 2012 and specialises in developing automated tools that simplify and enhance the accuracy of subsea cable and asset monitoring. These tools are designed to test electrical, optical and fluid lines, enabling efficient fault-finding, monitoring during new installations and verifying asset health. C-Kore's technology aims to reduce vessel time and personnel costs, improve deck safety and provide reliable, real-time data. 

Motive Offshore is a global provider of marine and lifting equipment, engineering solutions and related services. Founded in 2010, the company focuses on the design, manufacture, rental and inspection of marine, lifting, SURF and cable handling equipment. Its operations are organised across three core divisions – rentals, manufacturing, and certification and inspection – serving clients in the renewables, oil and gas and decommissioning markets. The business operates internationally from locations across the UK, Europe, the MENA region and Asia-Pacific. 

The Browne Jacobson team was led by consultant Rob Metcalfe and corporate partners Matt Bolton and Kirk Glenn. They were supported by a multi-disciplinary team across the firm which included tax partner Craig Thomas and corporate associate Abigail Noakes. 

Matt Bolton said: “We’re delighted to have advised the shareholders of C-Kore on this exciting transaction with Motive Offshore, backed by H2 Equity Partners. We continue to see strong private equity-backed appetite for specialist UK technology assets in the energy and infrastructure sector. Congratulations to Tim and his team on this exciting partnership.” 

Paul Hill, partner and Head of Energy and infrastructure at Browne Jacobson, added: “Our research on inward investment in the UK and Ireland found that technological innovation is one of the principal drivers of investment appetite in energy and infrastructure, and the subsea sector – which sits at the intersection of oil and gas, offshore renewables and decommissioning – is a particularly active area within that.  

“With 50% of energy and infrastructure respondents expecting the role of private equity to increase, the backing of a well-capitalised PE platform for this combination is consistent with the direction of travel we are seeing across the sector.  

“As the UK continues to advance its offshore energy ambitions – whether in active production, energy transition or the growing decommissioning programme – investors who back innovative, sustainable assets that reduce cost and improve resilience will be best placed to capture future growth, and this acquisition is a strong example of that logic in action.” 

The transaction is Browne Jacobson’s latest energy and infrastructure M&A deal. Other recent successes including advising leading global provider of testing, inspection, certification and compliance services Phenna Group on numerous deals including most recently its acquisition of Dublin-based MEP engineering consultancy ENX, and advising the shareholder of Transvac Systems, a UK-based global supplier of ejector solutions and sustainable process technologies, on its acquisition by New York Stock Exchange-listed Ingersoll Rand Inc.