Groupe GCC, independent for more than 25 years and a major player in construction and energy in France, continues its growth strategy to strengthen its offering in energy infrastructure and electrical engineering with the acquisition of Groupe SME. With around fifty operating entities across France and Switzerland, GCC ranks among the top 10 construction and public works companies in France. Its GCC Énergie division brings together 981 employees, 22 branches, and generated €193 million in revenue in 2024. Committed to building a sustainable society, GCC emphasizes a strong human dimension, employee autonomy, close regional presence, and recognized innovation capabilities.
In this context, GCC Énergie has acquired Groupe Société Méditerranéenne d’Électricité (SME), a specialist in electrical engineering operating from low to very high voltage. Based in Vitrolles, near Marseille, SME relies on nearly 50 employees and an integrated engineering office. Its teams operate across the entire industrial project lifecycle, from design and engineering to on-site implementation, including in complex and constrained environments.
The group is active in industrial sectors such as petrochemicals, steel (e.g., Berre), and energy, working with electricity producers and distributors such as EDF, RTE, and Albioma (French overseas territories). Groupe SME is primarily structured around its entity SME Industrie, an integrator in high and very high voltage electrical engineering (HV and EHV), with expertise in automation, supervision, and maintenance.
This acquisition strengthens GCC ÉNERGIE’s strategic offering, consolidates its position in a dynamic market, and creates synergies at multiple levels – commercial, technical, and cross-functional with the group’s other business lines. It also expands Groupe GCC’s ability to deliver integrated projects combining civil engineering, electrical infrastructure, and industrial automation.
“With the acquisition of Groupe SME, GCC ÉNERGIE reaches a key milestone in strengthening its offering. It consolidates our positioning in the high-growth energy infrastructure market and unlocks synergies within Groupe GCC to deliver more efficient projects for our clients. Our ambition is to provide more integrated and comprehensive solutions while ensuring high service quality through strong technical expertise and committed teams” says Jean-François Delgado, Managing Director of GCC ÉNERGIE.
AURIS Finance leveraged its M&A expertise in the energy sector to support the acquirer throughout all stages of the transaction, including strategic analysis, opportunity identification, transaction structuring, and follow-up through closing.
This new transaction led by AURIS Finance’s “Engineering & New Technologies” division adds to previous deals such as IESA, INGENOVA, and RVI. It highlights the importance of targeted acquisitions to strengthen sector-specific and technical capabilities, accelerate growth, and consolidate an industrial player’s strategic positioning, built on a long-term, trusted advisory relationship.
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