Founded in 1986 by Jeffrey Barnett and headquartered in Manchester, IDS has evolved into a national group with just under 100 staff, operating from three regional hubs in Manchester, the Midlands and London.
The business keeps commercial, industrial and public sector sites safe, secure and compliant, with engineers on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and full nationwide coverage. Its multi-disciplinary engineers are cross-trained across roller shutters, industrial and pedestrian doors, gates and barriers, loading-bay equipment and fire doors, so a single visit can cover a whole site. Large multi-site customers are supported from a single point of contact. IDS holds the accreditations that blue-chip and public sector buyers look for, including CHAS, SafeContractor, ADSA and DHF.
Statutory inspection and maintenance requirements for powered doors, gates and fire doors mean customers need a trusted partner who can keep their estates compliant all year round, and IDS has built long-standing relationships with its customers, many of which go back decades.
Rockpool is backing the existing management team, led by Claire Harrison (CEO) alongside Darren Clarke (Sales Director), Euan Henderson (Finance Director) and Katie Willott (Operations Manager). The team has modernised how the business operates and is well placed to lead its next phase.
As part of the investment, Rob Flinn will join as Chair. Rob was, until recently, Chief Executive of Marlowe Fire and Security Group, which was acquired by Mitie plc in 2025. He brings deep experience of building, integrating and scaling compliance-led services businesses through acquisition, and will work alongside the management team and Rockpool as the group grows.
IDS will look to acquire complementary businesses, prioritising regions where the group can increase its geographical density and strengthen its nationwide coverage for customers. The UK market remains fragmented, with a large number of regional specialists that would benefit from the scale, systems and compliance expertise of a national platform. Progress is already underway, with a pipeline of acquisition opportunities identified and several in active discussion.
Toby Hurdle, Investment Manager, and Ryan McTigue, Investment Associate, led the investment for Rockpool.
