Monthly Mergers: Top Engineering Partnerships and Acquisitions in May 2024

For next month’s roundup of partnerships and acquisitions, email [email protected].

Stantec takes over Hydrock

Global design and engineering firm Stantec has acquired Bristol-based integrated design and engineering firm Hydrock. The addition of the 950-strong company has increased Stantec’s UK workforce by over 30%.

Hydrock was founded in 1995 and has 22 locations across the UK and has gained experience in providing solutions for large projects in the public and private sectors.

Stantec president and CEO Gord Johnston said the company looks forward to welcoming the Hydrock team. “Combined with the strategic acquisitions of ZETCON and Morrison Hershfield, we will increase our global workforce by over 2,700 people in the first four months of 2024, further strengthening our offering in line with market demands,” he added.

T&T and Jumbo join in

Turner & Townsend and Jumbo Consulting Group have formed a new strategic partnership to support their expansion in the clean energy sector.

Thanks to this, Turner & Townsend will take over 70% of shares in Jumbo, a leader in the procurement and management of contracts in the field of offshore wind energy.

Turner & Townsend Jumbo will jointly create a comprehensive service for clients wishing to start and implement projects in the offshore wind sector, as well as around energy islands, network expansion and interconnections.

T&T also buys On The Mark

In a busy month for Turner & Townsend, the company also acquired UK and US-based boutique consultancy On The Mark (OTM). This will reportedly support Turner & Townsend’s efforts to “modernize ways of working across infrastructure, natural resources, real estate and defense.”

OTM has 34 years of experience working with leading private and public sector clients to modernize operating models for regional, national and international companies, governments and non-governmental organizations

The two companies have previously collaborated on major defense transformation programs.

The 27-person OTM team will join Turner & Townsend’s team of program advisors. OTM’s current management team will continue to lead OTM’s work under the new combined business.

Motts buys Australian energy consultancy

Mott MacDonald has completed the acquisition of Merz Consulting, an Australian engineering and energy consultancy specializing in the design and implementation of energy distribution, transmission and generation projects.

Merz Consulting specializes in detailed electrical engineering design of substations, switchgears, transmission lines and network connections, and supports clients with power system modeling, policy consulting and strategic planning services. The company has a long history of supporting energy transition projects across Australia and has unique experience in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The consulting firm’s team of experienced engineers, project managers and strategic advisors will complement and strengthen Mott MacDonald’s energy capabilities to better serve clients in Australia, New Zealand, the Asia-Pacific region and around the world.

Egis buys a Scottish construction consulting company

Global architecture, construction and engineering firm Egis has acquired Edinburgh-based property and construction consultancy Thomas & Adamson.

Egis says the move will “significantly enhance” its advisory services to clients in the UK and beyond, “reinforcing its commitment to strengthen and expand its presence in the UK.”

Thomas & Adamson was founded in 1935 and employs over 100 people in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and the Middle East. Provides cost and project management, construction surveying and principal design services across all major sectors of the built environment, including commercial, education, sports and hospitality.

Vinci relies on Swedish renewable energy sources

Vinci acquired Helios Nordic Energy, a Swedish developer of large-scale photovoltaic farms and energy storage solutions. The purchase of 100% of the shares was made through Vinci Concessions subsidiary SunMind for €73 million (£62.2 million).

Helios Nordic Energy operates in Northern Europe (mainly in Sweden and the Baltic countries) and develops projects until they are ready for construction (RTB).

GBRTT announces new members of the commercial sounding board

The British Rail Transition Team (GBRTT) has announced the latest line-up of its Trade Partnerships Advisory Board. It recorded a 37% increase in applications on last year and worked with the Office of Rail and Road to ensure an impartial selection process.

As a result, it has attracted equal representation of large and small and medium-sized enterprises, with over 40% of the cohort being women- or minority-led enterprises.

Partners include: Arcadis, D2 Global, Ethos Farm, Eversheds Sutherland, FastJP, Freeths, Jellybean Consultancy, Kokpits, Ricardo Rail UK, Shoosmiths, Softwire and Weston Analytics.

These partners will work with GBRTT to increase “shared understanding and vision between rail customers and the supply chain.”

Bouygues creates a new entity supporting green industrialization

Bouygues Bâtiment France, a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, has established an entity called Bouygues Bâtiment Industrie. It is intended for industry, aiming to support green reindustrialization in France and promote decarbonization.

This new entity is organized around eight areas of specialization to provide better service quality: sustainable mobility, data centers, manufacturing, logistics, advanced technologies, life sciences, food processing and energy.

US hydrogen and offshore companies sign memorandum of understanding

Hy2gen, a global developer, financier, builder and operator of facilities for the production of renewable hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with offshore wind developer Ocean Connect Energy (OCE) to mutually explore the potential for producing renewable energy in the form of hydrogen from offshore energy wind power.

The memorandum of understanding formalizes collaboration between the two companies to identify, evaluate and develop favorable locations to power Hy2gen renewable fuel production from the gigawatt offshore wind energy that OCE is developing in the U.S. and around the world.

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