Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, has acquired Hydrock, a 950-person integrated engineering design firm headquartered in Bristol, England.
Founded in 1995, Hydrock holds a nationwide presence with 22 UK locations and industry-renowned experience providing sustainable solutions for major projects across the country’s public and private sectors. Hydrock has extensive capabilities in fire safety, energy and sustainability, civil and structural, MEP, transport, environmental, and geotechnical services. The transaction closed on April 30 and the terms have not been disclosed.
As part of Stantec’s continued global growth strategy, the Hydrock acquisition will increase Stantec’s UK workforce by over 30 percent, significantly bolstering Stantec’s offering to the energy, buildings, and infrastructure markets, as well as the wider built environment.
“We look forward to welcoming the Hydrock team to Stantec,” said Gord Johnston, Stantec’s president and chief executive officer. “When combined with the strategic acquisitions of ZETCON and Morrison Hershfield, we will have grown our global workforce by over 2,700 people within the first four months of 2024, further strengthening our offering in line with market demands.”
“The coming together of Stantec and Hydrock is an ambitious and compatible evolution for both our firms in the UK,” commented Cath Schefer, Stantec’s executive vice president and chief operating officer for Global. “Hydrock provides us with a highly complementary line of services and expertise which only reinforces our UK offering. Our combined experience, knowledge, and creativity, as well as our shared commitment to create better, more liveable places for people and communities, puts us in an exceptional position to deliver meaningful value for our industry-leading clients.”
Merging expertise and cultures
By adding Hydrock’s workforce, Stantec will gain a range of additional built environment expertise, notably fire safety and energy, complementing its already comprehensive client offerings.
In recent years, both Hydrock and Stantec have committed to sustainable operations, purpose-driven design and engineering, and inclusive cultures.
As the UK transitions to a low-carbon economy and the country’s requirements for future-proofed utilities, infrastructure, and communities grow, the addition of Hydrock allows Stantec to diversify and expand its offering while supporting positioning efforts for a range of transformative cross-sector projects and programmes.
“Hydrock’s people are united by a shared purpose to be a force for good. I’m delighted that this aligns so well with Stantec’s culture,” commented Dr Scott Elliott, managing director of Hydrock, now Stantec.
“Through our integration, we’ll be able to expand our reach and influence internationally, penetrate exciting new markets, and provide excellent new career opportunities for our people. Together, we’ll pioneer engineering solutions, drive energy resilience, and support this country’s vital transition to a low-carbon economy. I’d like to thank our retiring founder Dr Brian McConnell for his tireless efforts growing the business over the last 29 years into what is now a highly respected national brand. This is a pivotal moment in our company’s history and an exciting new chapter for our colleagues and our clients.”
