Halcrow Group


Halcrow Group Limited was a multinational engineering consultancy company, based in the United Kingdom
Halcrow was one of the UK's largest consultancies, with origins stretching back to 1868. The UK-based consultancy specialised in the provision of planning, design and management services for infrastructure development worldwide. With interests in transportation, water, maritime and property, the company undertook commissions in over 70 countries from a network of more than 90 offices. In 2011, the company was acquired by US firm CH2M Hill, and in 2013 it was announced that the Halcrow brand would eventually be discontinued. The parent subsequently rebranded the whole group to CH2M. Two years later, in December 2017, CH2M was acquired by Jacobs Engineering Group.

History

The company was founded in 1868 by civil engineer Thomas Meik, and originally bore his name, and later those of his sons, Patrick and Charles. It worked extensively on port, maritime and railway projects in the North of England, in Wales and in Scotland, before undertaking its first commissions outside the UK in the 1890s.
During the first half of the 20th century, William Halcrow established the firm in other areas, notably tunnelling and hydroelectric schemes. Their war time work included the design and supervision of the construction of tunnels under London and the Mulberry Harbours used in the D-Day landings.
After the war, Halcrow's attention once again turned to Scotland. For the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board, a new generation of hydroelectric schemes to generate power for public consumption was developed. The Glen Affric scheme, started in 1947, was the biggest, but there were similar projects in neighbouring catchments such as Glen Garry and Glen Moriston – the latter including one of the first underground power stations in the UK – and Strathfarrar and Kilmorack.
In Wales, Halcrow's attention turned to water supply projects. The Claerwen dam opened in 1952 and, later, the Clywedog dam, helped create reservoirs to supply the towns and cities of the English West Midlands. Halcrow also designed railway tunnels at Potters Bar and the earlier Woodhead Tunnel and starting work on the new Victoria line underground line beneath central London. Overseas work ranged from roads, bridges and harbours in Ghana, Libya and Mozambique to dams in Venezuela.
The firm had several names during the 20th century, including CS Meik and Buchanan, CS Meik and Halcrow, WT Halcrow and Partners, Sir William Halcrow and Partners, and, finally, Halcrow Group.

21st century

Halcrow's consultancy work included water, transportation, maritime, environment, power and property projects. Its customers included government departments, public sector authorities and utilities, industrial and commercial companies, international funding agencies and financial institutions.
In 2008, the company reported a turnover of £468 million. Projects undertaken outside the UK accounted for 48% of turnover. Owned and managed by its employees and staff shareholders, Halcrow remained an independent firm until late 2011. In September CH2M Hill announced it was set to acquire the company, and on 10 November 2011 CH2M Hill announced that it had completed the acquisition of Halcrow for £124m.
It was subsequently reported that Halcrow was effectively rescued by CH2M Hill, having incurred a pre-tax loss of £71m in its last year of independent trading, on a turnover of £238m, down from £331m in 2010. Accounts lodged with Companies House showed that CH2M Hill's financial backing was crucial to Halcrow’s survival; the US firm agreed a secured loan to the company in December 2012 without which there would have been doubt regarding the firm’s ability to continue as a going concern.
On 2 August 2017 CH2M agreed to be purchased by Jacobs Engineering Group in a US$2.85 billion cash and stock deal. Shareholders approved the deal in December 2017, and the completion of the acquisition was announced on 18 December.

Notable modern projects