Plowman Craven has launched a new Infrastructure division, bringing together its Rail, Utilities and Inspection teams to provide a more integrated offering for infrastructure owners and operators across the UK and international markets.
The move strengthens the company's capability to deliver joined-up surveying, inspection and asset intelligence services, building on its long-established Rail and Utilities businesses and the rapid growth of its Inspection division since its launch in February 2025.
The newly formed division will be led by James Arnott, Managing Director of Infrastructure, and will bring together expertise in geospatial and engineering surveying, underground utility detection and mapping, specialist inspections, remote sensing technologies and digital asset intelligence.
The combined service offering is designed to support clients throughout the full asset lifecycle, from planning and construction to maintenance, refurbishment, asset management and eventual decommissioning.
Plowman Craven has already demonstrated the value of its integrated approach on several major infrastructure projects. These include delivering high-precision geospatial surveys for London’s Thames Tideway Tunnel, providing engineering survey and setting-out services for strengthening works on Aberdeen’s historic Don Viaduct, and carrying out drone-led rail bridge inspections using high-resolution imagery and photogrammetry to enhance safety and improve asset condition assessments.
Commenting on the launch, James Arnott, Managing Director of Infrastructure at Plowman Craven, said:
“Our clients are dealing with increasingly complex assets and environments, and those challenges rarely fit into a single discipline. Bringing these three complementary services together is a natural progression that builds on the strengths of each team, allowing us to look at the wider problem a client is trying to solve, understand the information they need and identify the right way to deliver it.”
Investment in Leadership and Technical Expertise
The creation of the new division has been accompanied by targeted investment in people and leadership.
Recent appointments include Daniel Crellin as Senior Project Manager, Josh Allan as UAS Pilot and Johnny Wales as Head of Operations. Collectively, they bring extensive experience spanning infrastructure surveying, project delivery, offshore energy, industrial operations and technical management.
Meanwhile, Jon McDaid has been appointed Head of Technical Delivery for the Infrastructure division. His role will focus on maintaining technical excellence, developing specialist capabilities and strengthening collaboration across the combined teams.
The leadership team is further strengthened by Tom Avery, Head of Commercial – Infrastructure, who was promoted earlier this year following nearly a decade with the business across technical, operational and commercial positions. He will play a key role in supporting existing client relationships while helping to drive new business opportunities.
David Locker, CEO of Plowman Craven, said:
“Plowman Craven has a long-established reputation for delivering specialist surveying services across complex infrastructure environments. The development of our Rail and Utilities capabilities, alongside the growth of Inspection since its launch in 2025, has created an opportunity to offer clients a more connected service.
"We see considerable opportunities for further growth across infrastructure and will continue investing in our people, technology and capabilities to support clients in the UK and internationally.”
The launch of the Infrastructure division reflects Plowman Craven’s wider growth ambitions and increasing focus on delivering integrated digital surveying, inspection and asset intelligence solutions to infrastructure clients facing increasingly complex operational challenges.
Image credits: Plowman Craven
