R3, a company specialising in the deployment and financing of corporate transition strategies, has acquired the Lyon-based engineering office EPM. This acquisition will enable R3 to enhance its engineering capabilities, particularly with regard to technical performance and the deployment of renewable energies. AURIS Finance, a consultancy specialising in mergers and acquisitions, takes a closer look at this latest market move.
Founded in 2021, R3 supports companies in their energy and strategic transitions. The firm employs around a hundred experts, including CSR consultants, positive innovation specialists, carbon and climate consultants, and engineers specialising in decarbonisation, energy efficiency, and photovoltaics. They also have specialists in financing solutions.
A high level of expertise
By acquiring the EPM design office, R3 has expanded its range of technical engineering services. Based in Lyon and Paris, EPM has extensive expertise in the management of energy and renewable energy projects. It works with 140 clients and specialises in three areas: fluid and thermal engineering; the design and sizing of HVAC-ELEC-GTB-ENR systems, including photovoltaic, geothermal and heating network technologies; and strategic support through energy audits and decarbonisation programmes.
A €200 million investment via CP3D
Since its creation, R3 has enjoyed significant sales growth. This figure tripled in 2024. The group has over a thousand corporate clients spanning a variety of sectors, including construction, industry, banking, media, logistics and fashion. This growth is largely due to the launch of a solution called CP3E. R3 has devised a performance contract that commits a company to a transformation trajectory over several years, backed by performance commitments and a financing plan. R3 claims to have already secured €200 million in investment to upgrade companies’ equipment through this system.
Sustainable growth
In order to support its development, R3 acquired a stake in Crédit Agricole Transitions & Énergies (CATE), a new entity belonging to Crédit Agricole SA which was tasked with amplifying and better structuring its support for its customers’ energy transition. Having held 40% of the company’s capital since 2023, CATE strengthened its position in 2025, becoming R3’s reference shareholder.
Headwinds
Over the last few years, the ecological transition has become a major concern for French businesses, largely due to European incentive-based regulations. Nevertheless, 2025 saw a significant slowdown in progress on these issues. The postponement of the CSRD directive, which aimed to encourage companies to adopt quantified environmental indicators, is an example of this.
Our experts at your service
Although the CSRD directive has been postponed by two years, this does not mean that it has been cancelled. Companies must therefore continue their efforts to transition to more resilient, environmentally friendly models. As part of this process, they are seeking advice from specialist consultancies. R3 has implemented a two-pronged development strategy. Firstly, they have created CP3E, a tool dedicated to the tangible assessment of companies’ progress. Secondly, it has acquired the engineering company EPM as part of a targeted acquisition strategy. Technical design offices are regularly targeted by consultancies. The experts at AURIS Finance are specialised by sector and will support you throughout your acquisition or disposal operation.
