CH2M HILL to acquire Halcrow

 DENVER — CH2M HILL announced that it has agreed to acquire the share capital of Halcrow for approximately £124 million. The acquisition is subject to the approval of Halcrow shareholders and the U.K. High Court. The agreement is expected to close in November.

Halcrow, a U.K.-based engineering, planning, design, and management services firm founded in 1868, specializes in transport, environmental, and other infrastructure projects. The firm has 6,000 employees and is known for signature projects, such as High Speed 1 in the U.K. (also known as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link), the Chongzun Expressway in China, and Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates. Halcrow reported revenues of £465 million in 2010.

CH2M HILL is a global engineering firm with expertise in consulting, design, operations, and program management. Signature projects include the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Program, the Panama Canal expansion program, the sustainable MASDAR City in the United Arab Emirates, the Singapore Deep Tunnel Wastewater Program, and the Management of The Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site in the US, one of the most complex nuclear decommissioning and environmental cleanup programs in the world.

CH2M HILL Chairman and CEO Lee McIntire said, “This acquisition is a game changer for our clients. Our global footprint will be deeper and our bench strength will be even more robust. By combining our resources and leveraging our collective technical know-how, we will set a new standard for the marketplace. Best of all, our two firms are ideally suited in terms of cultures, markets, geographies, and we have a shared long-term vision for the future.”

With the addition of Halcrow’s operations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and South America, CH2M HILL will more than double its international presence to almost 30,000 employees globally including more than 11,000 outside of the U.S.