Gemma McLeod News

G Stow appoints Divisional Director

G Stow, one of the UK’s leading specialists in groundwater engineering and borehole services, has announced a key leadership change as the business prepares for its next phase of growth. 

Mike Williams has been appointed Divisional Director of G Stow and fellow South Staffordshire Plc Group business IWS M&E, effective 5 January 2026. In this newly titled role, Mike will lead both businesses and support continued investment in technical excellence, safety and customer service. 

Mike brings over 18 years’ operational and customer‑focused leadership experience across HM Courts & Tribunals Service, Severn Trent Services and Severn Trent Water. He has led UK‑wide operations in highly regulated environments, delivering sustained improvements in performance, customer experience and employee engagement, and has a strong track record in large‑scale operational delivery, commercial contract management and transformational change. 

This change follows Dean Adams’ transition to a new leadership role within OnSite, another South Staffordshire Plc business. Dean has played an important role in supporting G Stow’s development in recent years, and the company thanks him for his contribution. 

Barry Hayward, Group CCO at South Staffordshire Plc said: 

“Mike’s leadership will help us build on G Stow’s long heritage and technical expertise as we continue to support customers with reliable, sustainable groundwater solutions. I am delighted to welcome him to the Group. A huge thank you to Dean for his contributions to G Stow, and I look forward to continuing to work with him in the future.” 

Mike Williams added: 

“I’m thrilled to step into this role and a business with both a strong heritage and huge future potential. G Stow has a talented team and strong technical capability, and I’m excited to build on that foundation and drive the next stage of growth and performance.” 

G Stow will continue to focus on delivering high‑quality engineering services across the water, environmental and infrastructure sectors, with a strong emphasis on safety, innovation and customer value. 

Gemma McLeod News

G Stow offers new pump storage solution

G Stow, a leading provider of borehole drilling and engineering services, and part of South Staffordshire Plc, now offers a pump storage solution to its customers.

A 43m2 facility is available for safe storage of pumps, not only saving customers the hassle of storing a pump themselves, but also ensuring the pumps are cared for and stored correctly, in line with manufacturers’ guidance.

Assets are stored at the correct temperature, in a secured building with 24hr surveillance, and rotated once a month, until they are ready to use.

For more information, please get in touch.

Gemma McLeod News

Double contract win for G Stow

G Stow Plc, one of the UK’s largest borehole engineering companies with over 100 years of experience and part of South Staffordshire plc, is delighted to have secured contracts with two high profile infrastructure businesses to deliver essential water engineering services.

A four-year framework has been agreed with Wessex Water and awarded through a tendering process. The scope of works includes a combination of new borehole design and construction, and repair and maintenance of existing boreholes. Initial works have started with the cleaning of boreholes.

A second contract has also been secured with Network Rail High Speed, working on phase two of a pump renewal project at Stratford Box Station. G Stow completed the phase one investigation works on 22 boreholes and have now been approached directly to complete the phase two delivery works.  These works include cleaning and acidizing boreholes and changing borehole pumps.

Jade Willis, business manager commented: “We are thrilled to have been selected by Wessex Water and Network Rail to deliver a scope of borehole works. Being approached directly by Network Rail demonstrates G Stow’s reputation as a trusted and reliable supplier of water engineering services and we are confident that we can deliver the high-quality service and expertise that both companies expect of us.”

Gemma McLeod News

G Stow appoints new Business Manager to drive company growth

G Stow is delighted to welcome Jade Willis to the team as its new Business Manager.

With over 100 years of borehole drilling and maintenance in the engineering industry, G Stow is an established market leader in the UK and Europe, specialising in all aspects of the water sector and providing a mechanical and electrical service.

In her role as Business Manager, Jade will be responsible for increasing awareness of G Stow’s services and expertise to drive forward business growth – with a particular focus on borehole engineering, the bread and butter of the business. Jade brings with her over ten years’ experience in utilities with a background working in project management and business planning for companies such as British Gas and Network Plus.

Jade is passionate about supporting the Women’s Utilities Network and their mission to give women the skills and confidence they need to build fulfilling careers in the utility sector. In her previous roles, Jade was an advocate for female colleagues and aspires to continue this in her role at G Stow.

Dean Adams, interim general manager, commented: “We are pleased to welcome Jade to the business. Her expertise and enthusiasm will be an important asset for us as we focus on business growth whilst delivering high-quality services and building upon our team of talented people.”

Jade added: Being local to the company, I know how important the brand is and presence it has in this sector. I’m excited to lead and grow the business in many ways and the challenges it brings. The people are wonderful and make it all worthwhile.”

Outside of work, mum-of-two Jade is a keen Formula 1 fan. She also enjoys watching her sons play football, paddleboarding and walking the family dog, Ben.

Gemma McLeod Boreholes, Drilling, News

Borehole drilling in Africa

Since being founded in 1912, our work has taken us to exciting locations near and far. In 1975, George Stow Nigeria Ltd was set up, and we were commissioned to start a phase of work drilling for groundwater in the world’s second largest continent.

G Stow had a big presence in Nigeria, with offices in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Ilorin, Kaduna, Sokoto and a head office in Kano. There were various numbers of employees based at each site and they worked on a six-month contract, rotating between six months on site and one month at home in the UK before returning to Nigeria. They were paid in the local currency, Naira.

Drilling work was carried out in Sokoto, Ilorin, Enugu and Port Harcourt, with 3-4 drilling crews on site and equipment shipped over such as rotary and percussion drilling rigs, Land Rovers, compressors, generators, and steel tubing for lining boreholes. Over the years that G Stow were based in Nigeria, it’s estimated they drilled approximately 1,000 boreholes, providing the Nigerian country with thousands of cubic litres of groundwater.

Mike Baker, Sales Engineer, joined G Stow in 1974. He swapped UK life for the experience of working in Nigeria from 1975 until the early eighties. Mike was based in the Lagos office where he was responsible for the shipping. Equipment would be procured and shipped to Nigeria from the UK and Mike would meet the vessel, get the equipment offloaded and transported to various G Stow sites.

Mike commented: “Working in Nigeria was an amazing experience, however, there seemed to be little law and order and I was attacked on several occasions during my time there. There were a lot of good, religious people but others were violent and extreme. It was a completely different world. It is fascinating to compare the attitudes and methods on site in those days, compared with the present day.”

G Stow spent approximately ten years drilling for groundwater in Nigeria before George Stow Nigeria Ltd closed due to a decrease in work. During this time, the industry was male dominated and it seems that, fifty years later, that’s about to change…

Click here to view the article ‘Nigeria: Meet the one of the country’s first female borehole engineers’ on the BBC News website.

Joseph Holdsworth News

G Stow PLC has successfully passed the Achilles UVDB verify (Category B2) audit.

G Stow PLC has successfully passed the Achilles UVDB verify (Category B2) audit, with a 100% pass rate across all subject areas. 

During a two-day audit, G Stow PLC were assessed on internal management systems, processes and operational procedures.  The company’s on-site production of a new abstraction borehole was also audited. 

The the company successfully achieved 100% in areas that include Health and Safety, Environment, Quality and Corporate Social Responsibility. 

This is a great achievement, highlighting commitment to maintaining comprehensive management systems and processes, and the effective management of health, safety and environmental systems. 

The audit provides pre-qualification assurance for utilities and commercial customers,  enabling G Stow PLC to access suitably pre-qualified suppliers they can confidently invite to tender for their requirements. Successfully passing and achieving a 100% score will allow G Stow PLC to continue to provide essential operational support to the water utilities industry. 

What is Achilles UVDB Verify Audit? 

Achilles UVDB (Utility Vendor Database) is a pre-qualification scheme that is designed to ensure accountability and ethical considerations throughout the utility sector within the UK. 

Achilles UVDB Verify is an independent audit of an organisation’s Safety, Health, Environment, Quality (SHEQ) management systems and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). 

Joseph Holdsworth News

South Staffordshire Plc appoints new Head of Ground Source Heat Pump Services as it expands its sustainable service offerings

The business welcomes Richard Canning as it continues to support essential services providers on their journey to net zero.

South Staffordshire Plc, the integrated services group that supports clients in essential services markets such as water, rail and gas, has welcomed Richard Canning to the business to lead the growth of its ground source heat pump solutions division. This news follows hot on the heels of the recent appointment of Iain Coleman to lead its EV charging infrastructure solutions division, as the business continues to grow its sustainable solutions arm to support its clients on their decarbonisation journeys.

Richard has worked in the heating industry for equipment manufacturers, heating system installers and as a building services design consultant, acquiring an in-depth knowledge of all things heating. In the last ten years, Richard has worked for heat pump manufacturers as well as renewables sales and installers.

South Staffordshire Plc is harnessing the significant expertise within its Group companies –to offer a unique end-to-end ground source heating solution for district heating, ambient loops and ultimately carbon reduction.

Simon Dray, managing director – water and heat energy services, at South Staffordshire plc said: “With the country’s efforts to reach net zero increasing, we are already seeing growth in heat pump deployment as a low carbon option of choice, and we only expect this to accelerate further in the coming months and years. We’re pleased to be able to draw upon our expertise gained through working in highly regulated industries and our ability to deliver end to end engineering services for heating solutions using ground and water source heat pumps for commercial and industrial premises. Richard is a key appointment for us to support our future growth in this space, and we are delighted to welcome him to our business.”

Richard Canning, head of ground source heat pump services, South Staffordshire Plc added: “It’s a great time to join South Staffordshire Plc as the business expands its core skills and services into new emerging asset markets. Commercial and industrial clients are beginning to more seriously consider heat pumps as a route to carbon reduction and ultimately a carbon zero future. With the current environmental agenda, and following COP26, clients are looking for specialist advice, guidance, and project management to achieve their ambitions. I’m really looking forward to working with both existing and new clients to help them achieve their goals.”