Houston private equity firm SCF Partners said April 20 it is investing in the U.K.-based Tekmar Group to help accelerate the deployment of offshore wind projects worldwide.

The amount of the investment was not disclosed, but Tekmar focuses on engineering services and technologies dedicated to protecting offshore wind farms, and other offshore energy and marine infrastructure.

Tekmar will remain publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange as SCF continues the trend of private equity firms investing in publicly traded energy companies.

“Importantly, this transaction emphasizes continuity and confidence to Tekmar’s key stakeholders, with Tekmar remaining an independent publicly traded company, now with enhanced investment capacity to develop new technology, expand our product offerings and enter new markets,” Tekmar CEO Alasdair MacDonald said in a prepared statement. “The strategic investment by SCF therefore very successfully concludes the strategic review process.”

SCF is receiving two seats on Tekmar’s board as a result of the investment.

“We firmly believe this creates an unrivalled platform for Tekmar to grow with their customers and industry partners, creating a leading player in the offshore energy market,” said Steve Lockard, an SCF operating partner and former wind industry executive, who will take one of the two board seats.

Lockard noted that Tekmar plays a key role in the decarbonization of the offshore energy sector.

 “Our investment reinforces Tekmar’s market leading position today and provides flexible capital to accelerate growth in a dynamic industry where investment is scaling rapidly in support of the world’s evolving sources of energy,” he added.

Tekmar has 18 locations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and in Maine in North America.

Offshore