Halcrow Group Explained

Halcrow Group Limited
Type:Subsidiary
Key People:Tony Pryor, Chairman,
Peter Gammie, Group Chief Executive,
Industry:Design, construction, engineering and business services
Revenue:£238 million (2011)
Num Employees:3377 (2011)
Parent:CH2M Hill (acquired by Jacobs in 2017)
Homepage:www.halcrow.com
Foundation:1868 by Thomas Meik
Location:London
United Kingdom
90 offices worldwide, of which 28 are in the UK

Halcrow Group Limited was a British engineering consultancy company. It was one of the UK's largest consultancies,[1] 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.

Established by Thomas Meik in 1868, the company quickly became involved in the maritime and railway industries across the British Isles. During the first half of the 20th century, William Halcrow led the business into new avenues of civil engineering, including deep tunnelling and hydroelectric dams. Its expertise was harnessed in many capacities throughout the Second World War, highlights include the construction of the Mulberry Harbours and consulting on the bouncing bomb. In the peacetime, Halcrow worked with the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board on a new generation of hydroelectric schemes to generate power for public consumption, such as the Glen Affric scheme, as well as numerous dams in Wales to regulate water levels and supply drinking water. It was also involved in the design studies for the Channel Tunnel as well as various other railway projects, such as the Woodhead Tunnel and the Victoria line.

By 2000, Halcrow Group's British-based projects accounted for roughly 60 percent of the company's turnover while the rest came from its overseas activities. During 2011, the company was acquired by US firm CH2M Hill, and in 2013 it was announced that the Halcrow brand would eventually be discontinued.[2] The parent rebranded the whole group to CH2M in 2015. Two years later, CH2M was subsequently acquired by Jacobs Engineering Group.

History

Origins

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 across the North of England, in Wales and in Scotland. During the 1890s, the business undertook the first of many international commissions.[3]

20th century

During the first half of the 20th century, William Halcrow (later Sir William) directed the company to diversify into other areas of civil engineering, including tunnelling and hydroelectric schemes.[3] The company was called on for various projects during the Second World War, this included the design and supervision of the construction of deep tunnel shelters, military ports, and the Mulberry Harbours (used in the D-Day landings).[4] The company also consulted on the bouncing bomb developed by Barnes Wallis and on damage control measures during The Blitz.[5]

After the conflict ended, Halcrow's attention was soon focused upon upon various schemes in 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 of these;[6] however, 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.[7] [8]

In Wales, Halcrow's largest works were typically related to water supply schemes, such as the Claerwen dam (completed in 1952) and the Clywedog dam (completed in 1967), which created reservoirs that controlled the water levels of various rivers as well as reliably supplying various towns and cities across the West Midlands. Halcrow also designed several railway tunnels, such as the Woodhead Tunnel (completed in 1954[9]) and at Potters Bar (completed in 1955[10]), as well as starting work on the new Victoria line underground line beneath central London.[11] Halcrow was also involved in the design studies produced for the Channel Tunnel.[12] [13] In the aftermath of the Aberfan disaster, Halcrow was engaged by the National Coal Board to monitor the condition of various colliery spoil tips across the country.[5] [14]

The company's overseas work at this time included a wide range of roads, bridges and harbours in countries such as Ghana, Libya and Mozambique. Halcrow also worked on multiple dams in Venezuela,[15] [16] as well as a power station in Buenos Aires.[17]

The firm had several names during the 20th century, including CS Meik and Buchanan (1920), CS Meik and Halcrow (1923), WT Halcrow and Partners (1941), Sir William Halcrow and Partners (1944), and, finally, Halcrow Group (1998).[18] [3]

21st century

By 2000, Halcrow Group's British-based projects accounted for roughly 60 percent of the company's turnover, while the remainder was derived from its undertakings outside of the British Isles.[3] By this point, the firm's consultancy work included a wide array of 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.

During 2008, the company reported a turnover of £468 million; by this point, projects undertaken outside the UK accounted for 48% of total turnover.[18] It was long owned and managed by its employees and staff shareholders, Halcrow was operated as an independent concern up until late 2011.

CH2M

During September 2011, CH2M Hill announced it was set to acquire the company,[19] and on 10 November 2011 CH2M Hill announced that it had completed the acquisition of Halcrow in exchange for £124m.[20]

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 (to 31 December 2011), 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.[21]

Jacobs Engineering Group

On 2 August 2017, CH2M agreed to be purchased by Jacobs Engineering Group in a US$2.85 billion cash and stock deal.[22] Shareholders approved the deal in December 2017,[23] and the completion of the acquisition was announced on 18 December.[24]

Notable modern projects

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. For example, it was ranked 5th in the New Civil Engineer 2009 Consultants File listing: Top firms by number of civil and structural staff, with 6275 staff - http://www.nce.co.uk/top-firms-by-number-of-civil-and-structural-staff/1995394.article . Accessed: 27 June 2012.
  2. News: Pitt . Vern . Interview: Jacque Hinman . 3 May 2016 . Building . 18 April 2013 . en-GB.
  3. Web site: Improving the quality of life across the world . gazetteandherald.co.uk . 18 November 2002.
  4. Web site: Mulberry Harbours: marine engineers' biggest challenge . New Civil Engineer . 11 November 1999 . en-GB.
  5. Web site: D-Day: Memories of working at Swindon's Burderop Park . 5 June 2024 . Daniel . Angelini . swindonadvertiser.co.uk . en-GB.
  6. Web site: GLEN AFFRIC HYDRO ELECTRIC SCHEME, MONAR DAM AND DEANIE TUNNEL INTAKE TOWER . portal.historicenvironment.scot . 10 June 2024 . en-GB.
  7. Design Aspects of the Strathfarrar and Kilmorack Hydroelectric Scheme . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers . 1753-7789 . 30 . 3 . March 1965 . 449–487 . Cyril Mitchen . Roberts . Edgar Burke . Wilson . James Gordon . Wiltshire . 10.1680/iicep.1965.9522 . en-GB.
  8. Web site: A real gem in hydro history . . 30 November 2020 . en-GB.
  9. Web site: Nostalgia on Tuesday: Tunnel vision . yorkshirepost.co.uk . 12 December 2017 . en-GB.
  10. New Tunnels Near Potters Bar in the Eastern Region of British Railways . 18 . 4 . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers . 1753-7789 . April 1961 . 289–304 . Alexander Key . Terris . Horace Denton . Morgan . 10.1680/iicep.1961.11442 . en-GB.
  11. Victoria Line : Experimentation, Design, Programming, and Early Progress. (Includes Plates.) . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 1753-7789 . 31 . 1 . May 1965 . 1–24 . Cedric Ethelwulf . Dunton . Jasper . Kell . Horace Denton . MORGAN . 10.1680/iicep.1965.9551 . en-GB.
  12. The Site Investigations for a Channel Tunnell 1964-65 . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers . 1753-7789 . 45 . 1 . January 1970 . 103–123 . A. M. Muir . Wood . A. . Grange . 10.1680/iicep.1970.7207 . en-GB.
  13. Web site: Obituary: Mr Horace Morgan . Daily Telegraph . 27 February 1971 . en-GB.
  14. Web site: Aberfan's engineering legacy . The Geological Society . Paul . Maliphant . Helen . Reeves . Bob . Leeming . Darren . Bryant . October 2016 . en-GB.
  15. Web site: Amaila Falls Hydropower Project revisited . stabroeknews.com . Anand . Goolsarran . 14 March 2022 . en-GB.
  16. OBITUARY . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers . June 1966 . 34 . 2 . 312–313 . 10 June 2024 . en-GB . 10.1680/iicep.1966.9001 .
  17. The new Buenos Aires power station . Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers . 1753-7789 . 29 . 1 . 101–136. Charles Kenneth . Haswell . Luis . Sancha . 29 September 1964 . 10.1680/iicep.1964.9627 . en-GB.
  18. Web site: Halcrow - About us home page . 12 November 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100304005439/http://www.halcrow.com/Who-we-are/ . 4 March 2010 . en-GB.
  19. News: CH2M Hill to take over Halcrow . 29 June 2020 . The Construction Index . 26 September 2011 . en-GB.
  20. Web site: Completion of Acquisition of Halcrow / CH2M HILL . Newsroom.ch2mhill.com . 10 November 2011 . 12 November 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111111201908/http://newsroom.ch2mhill.com/pr/ch2m/completion-of-acquisition-of-halcrow-218791.aspx . 11 November 2011 . en-GB.
  21. News: Pitt . Vern . Halcrow was £71m in the red before CH2M Hill takeover . 10 April 2013 . Building . 10 April 2013 . en-GB.
  22. Web site: 2 August 2017 . Jacobs to Acquire CH2M to Create Premier $15 Billion Global Solutions Provider . 11 December 2020 . businesswire.com . en.
  23. News: CH2M shareholders back merger with Jacobs . 18 December 2017 . The Construction Index . 15 December 2017 . en-GB . 9 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180109180927/http://www.theconstructionindex.com/news/view/ch2m-shareholders-back-merger-with-jacobs . dead .
  24. News: Jacobs completes acquisition of CH2M . 18 December 2017 . The Construction Index . 18 December 2017 . en-GB.
  25. Web site: Halcrow - Project - Second Severn Crossing . 2 March 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100310164651/http://www.halcrow.com/Our-projects/Project-details/Second-Severn-Crossing-England-and-Wales/ . 10 March 2010 . en-GB.
  26. Web site: Halcrow - Project - One King West . 26 February 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101125162011/http://halcrow.com/Our-projects/Project-details/1-King-Street-West-Canada/ . 25 November 2010 . en-GB.
  27. Web site: Halcrow - Project - Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi . 2 March 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100306003546/http://www.halcrow.com/Our-projects/Project-details/Grand-Mosque-Abu-Dhabi/ . 6 March 2010 . en-GB .
  28. Web site: Halcrow - Projects - High Speed 1 page . 25 February 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091002220518/http://www.halcrow.com/html/our_projects/projects/high_speed1.htm . 2 October 2009 . en-GB.
  29. Web site: Halcrow - Project - Abu Dhabi International Airport . 2 March 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100306034212/http://www.halcrow.com/Our-projects/Project-details/International-Airport-Abu-Dhabi/ . 6 March 2010 . en-GB.
  30. Web site: Gulf Building Awards 2008: Infrastructure Project of the Year . building.co.uk . 1 January 2008.
  31. Web site: Halcrow - Project - Yas Island . 26 February 2010 . dead . https://archive.today/20130125014035/http://www.halcrow.com/Our-projects/Project-details/Yas-Island-Abu-Dhabi/ . 25 January 2013 . en-GB.
  32. Web site: Halcrow - Project - Busan Geoje fixed Link . 2 March 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100310164025/http://www.halcrow.com/Our-projects/Project-details/Busan-Geoje-Fixed-Link-Korea/ . 10 March 2010 . en-GB.
  33. Web site: Action station: Bond street tube station . building.co.uk . Andy . Pearson . 19 June 2015 . en-GB.
  34. Web site: Thames Hub: An integrated vision for Britain . Foster+Partners . 5 November 2013 . en-GB.
  35. Web site: First glimpse of Tottenham Court Road Crossrail station . building.co.uk . Michael . Willoughby . 13 January 2009 . en-GB.

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