Acquisitions strengthen SYSTRA and WYG

The acquisition of JMP Consultants and Signet Planing by SYSTRA and WYG respectively have strengthened both consultancies’ offers in the UK.

WYG’s acquisition of Signet Planning will enable the project management and technical consultancy to expand its planning and urban and landscape design offering across the UK, in particular to take advantage of significant opportunities in London, and the North and North East regions.

Signet Planning is a well-respected planning and urban design consultancy. Established by Simon Chadwick, James Hobson and Ian Rowe in 2005, it now employs 37 staff operating from offices in Harrogate, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham.  

The acquisition is part of a planned strategy of growth that follows on from the merger with Alliance Planning, in September 2014, and the more recent acquisitions of FMW Consultancy, North Associates (Cumbria) and Taylor & Hardy, in 2015.

Simon Chadwick, managing director, Signet Planning, said: “We already have a long-standing relationship with WYG having worked alongside some of its senior staff for several years. We have a complementary ethos and approach to our work and the acquisition promises to bring great benefit to both our staff and our clients.”

WYG’s head of planning Steve Fidgett commented: “The strong strategic fit between our teams will bring tremendous benefits to our respective clients and will significantly accelerate our growth across the UK.”

Meanwhile, SYSTRA’s acquisition of JMP Consultants Limited is set to substantially increase their transport planning and engineering resource in the UK. SYSTRA say the acquisition will bring them into the top five transport planning companies in the UK in terms of staff numbers and turnover, allowing the combined company to offer its clients a greater breadth and depth of expertise in all aspects of the transport sector.

Tim O’Neill, SYSTRA chief executive, said: “I am delighted to welcome JMP staff to SYSTRA. Our acquisition is a critical element of SYSTRA’s overall growth plan and demonstrates our commitment to the UK market. Our combined entity will maximise future opportunities by providing diversification to projects and clients. I believe this will be a great advantage in growing our markets and attracting new staff.”

Gordon Baker, JMP’s chief executive, commented: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our motivated and professional staff at JMP to join forces with one of the global leaders in the transport business. I have no doubt that the combined businesses will go forward to deliver excellence outcomes from the many new and exciting challenges that will undoubtedly come their way. I and my senior management colleagues, cannot wait to get started on this exciting journey for us all and to take our combined client services to even higher standards of delivery, quality and value for money.”