Donaldson Associates name to disappear 12 Oct 2016

After 29 years the name Donaldson Associates is to disappear following news that owner COWI intends to rebrand its UK companies under the name of the parent company.

From 1 January next year (2017), the UK civil and geotechnical engineering consultancy that specialises in underground structures will be known as “COWI in the UK.” The new entity will continue to offer specialist civil and structural engineering services, particularly within bridge, tunnel and marine infrastructure.

Donaldson Associates name to disappear

The move reflects COWI’s continued investment in the UK and will allow closer collaboration with COWI around the world to deliver a variety of complex civil and structural engineering projects. When it acquired Donaldson Associates in 2014 COWI effectively doubled, to 280, the number of staff it had at its disposal for underground construction and tunnel design projects. In the process it also added specialist knowledge of caverns, hard rock excavation, leading-edge SCL and microtunnelling.

Lars Hauge, COWI’s Regional Vice President for the global Bridge, Tunnel and Marine Group stated; “We welcome this step forward. It unites all activities under the COWI brand worldwide, strengthening our relationships with our key clients. COWI is committed to delivering world-class skills and solutions and now firmly established in the UK, we have great opportunities to increase our offering.”

Andy Sloan, Managing Director of Donaldson Associates, and who also heads COWI’s Tunnel and Underground Structures Group in the UK and southeast Asia, said: “Over the past two years with COWI we have experienced the benefits and opportunities as part of one of the world’s leading engineering companies.

“Moving forward as one brand will improve our position in the market, and enable us to deliver a wider range of services, drawing on the technical expertise and resources in COWI offices around the world.”

COWI, which employs 6,500 people worldwide and has been operating for 85 years, will operate in the UK from offices in London, Bristol, Derby, Uttoxeter, Glasgow and York. The office in Hong Kong will continue to be managed from the UK.