Stantec to acquire Australia's Wood & Grieve Engineers
Edmonton-based design and engineering consultancy Stantec has signed a letter of intent to acquire Perth, Australia-headquartered Wood & Grieve Engineers (WGE).
WGE is a consulting firm specializing in buildings engineering, providing structural, mechanical, electrical, hydraulics, and other engineering consulting services to clients across Australia. The firm has six offices throughout the country – in Albany, Busselton, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney – drawing on the professional talent of 600 engineers and specialists.
The Australian consultancy will be acquired by global engineering giant Stantec, pending due-diligence, with an expected transaction close in January 2019. The deal will bolster Stantec’s footprint and capabilities in Australia, where the company currently has offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Rockhampton, and Sydney.
Stantec has over 400 global offices across six continents, with the majority of its offices situated in Canada and the United States. The transaction will add 600 employees to its global headcount of 22,000+ employees. The firm posted global revenues of $5.14 billion in 2017.
“WGE brings the creative culture, demonstrated expertise, and regional presence to help us continually serve communities throughout Australia with an expanded array of services and reach into new sectors,” said Gord Johnston, Stantec president and chief executive officer. “Together, our teams will successfully support some of the largest, most critically important infrastructure projects in the region.”
Since 1961, WGE has worked on numerous recent high-profile projects, including the 60,000 seat Optus Stadium in Perth, for which the firm delivered electrical, fire engineering, mechanical, sustainability, and technology design and documentation. The firm also delivered electrical and vertical transportation services for the $2 billion Stanley Hospital in Perth, as well as a range of design services for the MONA Hotel in Hobart, Tasmania.
“Like Stantec, we share a passion for the culture and talent that define our teams,” said Jose Granado, WGE chief executive officer. “We see this as an incredible opportunity for our staff to enjoy growth opportunities within a global network while extending our capabilities to grow and support markets in our resident region.”
The deal is one of several expansions Stantec has made this year outside of North America, bolstering its international capabilities. Earlier in 2018, the firm acquired UK engineering consultancy Peter Brett Associates, as well as UK environmental advisory specialist ESI Consulting.
