COMPANY NEWS
Capita Symonds acquires Northcroft
Mar 2012
Peter Kenyon, TunnelTalk
- Capita Symonds has acquired construction consultancy Northcroft for an undisclosed sum.
- The move, which follows Halcrow being swallowed by CH2M-Hill (Sept 2011) and Parsons Brinckerhoff being acquired by Balfour Beatty (Sept 2009), is the latest in a series of consolidatory moves within the design and civil engineering sector.
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Northcroft is now part of Capita Symonds
- Northcroft Chief Executive, Nick Howkins, admitted current market conditions had forced his company to seek out an alliance and become part of a larger entity.
- He said: "We recognised some time ago the need to be part of a larger organisation to unlock the opportunities being presented in the current market. Increasingly, a number of our key clients are looking for a broader range of services, both on a global basis and throughout the UK."
- He added: "Working as part of Capita Symonds will give us the enhanced range of expertise and balance sheet to expand and develop our offering to clients, as well as maintaining the high quality service delivery we have provided for over 170 years."
- Established in 1840, Northcroft employs more than 150 staff in ten UK offices, and provides cost and project management services across a wide range of sectors.
- The two companies already have close ties as a result of working together on a number of property and infrastructure schemes.
- In 2009 the pair joined forces to compete for a £400 million contract to become Crossrail's Project Delivery Partner. The JV made the final shortlist to design and manage Crossrail's 21km tunnelled section, but the contract was eventually awarded to the Bechtel/ Halcrow/ Systra consortium.
- More recently Capita was appointed (in JV with Inenco) as one of seven teams that will share out up to £200 million worth of civil engineering and design services under Lot 1 of UK's High Speed 2 rail project.
- Following the acquisition, Northcroft, which is delivering a range of infrastructure projects within the UK and internationally, will join Capita Symonds' Management Division.
- Colin Harvey, Divisional Operations Director (Management), Capita Symonds, said: "Northcroft is a long-established name in the UK construction industry and we're delighted to welcome its staff to our Management division. We aim to scale-up our operations in preparation for the return to growth of the UK economy whilst maintaining our international expansion. Northcroft will play a significant role in helping us achieve this."
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Seven shortlisted for High Speed 2 design - TunnelTalk, February 2012
Consolidation to capture strength and growth - TunnelTalk, October 2011
Halcrow sells out to CH2M-Hill - TunnelTalk, September 2011
Bad debts and downturn left Halcrow exposed - TunnelTalk, September 2011
UK's Balfour Beatty to buy Parsons Brinckerhoff - TunnelTalk, September 2009
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