Van Elle Holdings, a UK ground engineering contractor, has signed an eight-year partnering agreement with Wood Transmission & Distribution.

The deal, worth over £30m ($36.6m), involves ground investigation, design, and construction of piling and foundations across several transmission schemes under Ofgem's ASTI programme in Scotland.

Works have already begun on initial projects in New Cumnock, Argyll, and Beauly-Loch Buidhe, with ground investigation works mobilising throughout this month.

The construction of 240 towers is planned for 2026-27, marking a significant advancement in energy infrastructure in Scotland.

In October 2024, Van Elle Holdings expanded operations in Scotland with the acquisition of Albion Drilling Holdings.

Albion's integration brings a fleet of rigs, workforce, and customer base that complements Van Elle's existing operations, reinforcing the company's position in delivering complex infrastructure projects.

Van Elle Holding chief executive Mark Cutler said: “Wood has been a longstanding customer for Van Elle, so we are delighted to announce this partnering agreement to help deliver part of the significant scale of energy infrastructure in Scotland together over the coming years. Our breadth of capability allows us to integrate ground investigation, design and piling and foundation solutions best suited to the project requirements. 

"Initial works have commenced, and activity levels will now increase as other schemes are mobilised across Scotland."