SLR Consulting explained

SLR Consulting Ltd
Type:Private limited company
Foundation:1994
Location:Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Revenue:£150.8 million (2019)[1]
Num Employees:Over 3,000
Industry:Sustainability consulting

SLR Consulting is a privately owned international sustainability consultancy with offices in Europe, North America, South America, Australasia, and Africa. In 2019, it reported revenues of £150.8 million.[1] Its purpose is ‘Making Sustainability Happen’, which it achieves through its global team of expert advisors and technicians, who partner with clients to tackle some of the world’s most complex sustainability challenges. [2] Its ultimate owner is Solar Holdings Topco Limited[3] .

History

Founding

The firm was founded as SECOR Ltd in 1994 by John Leeson, Alan Sheppard, and David Richards. After establishing the company in Oxford, United Kingdom, in 1994, David oversaw the growth of the business from a small UK operator into an environmental consultancies in the UK, with international operations across Africa, Australasia, Canada, Europe, and the US

In 2000, the senior management team completed a management buyout and the company's name was changed to SLR Consulting Limited.[4] In 2004 they secured funding from Livingbridge, who invested £4.85 million as part of a £13 million investment including other partners, and took a significant minority stake in the company.[5] In 2008, 3i invested £32.5 million in the firm, and replaced Livingbridge with a significant minority stake.[6] In March 2018, Charterhouse Capital Partners (CCP) acquired a majority shareholding in the business.[7] In June 2022 Charterhouse Capital Partners agreed to a sale of SLR Consulting to Ares Management private equity partners.[8] [9] [10]

David Richards was Chief Executive Officer from 1994–2013. In line with the Group's succession plans, Neil Penhall, formerly Managing Director of SLR Consulting and an Executive Director of SLR Management, assumed the role of CEO.[11]

Expansion

Over the years the firm has expanded its offices, with additions across Europe (including the UK & Ireland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands), Africa (including Ghana, Namibia and South Africa), Asia-Pacific (including Australia, New Zealand and Singapore), and the US, Canada, & Chile in the Americas. By 2023 there were more than 100 offices across 15 countries, with over 3,000 staff.[12]

SLR has made a number of acquisitions, beginning with the UK-based Waste Management Engineering Limited in 2005. Then followed the UK-based landscape architect company Insite Environments;[13] the Canadian company SEACOR Environmental Inc.[14] the UK-based company FMH Consulting Engineers;[15] the Irish Dublin-based environmental consultancy CSA;[16] the specialist mineral planning, landscape and land management firm Bowman Planton;[17] the UK based Architecture and Planning Solutions[18] Alaska-based Hoefler Consulting Group;[19] Australia-based Heggies Pty Limited;[20] UK-based company Andrew McCarthy Associates;[21] South African based GreenEng[22] and Metago.[23] In Namibia it acquired Bittner Water Consult CC, a sustainable groundwater consulting firm,[24] and A Speiser Environmental Consultants, a Namibian-based specialist consultancy with expertise in EIAs.[25] In October 2013, Cooper Partnership - Chartered Landscape Architects was acquired in Bristol, UK; and in early 2014, the acquisition of HFP Acoustical was completed, adding offices in Calgary, Alberta and Houston, Texas. In July 2014 South African-based consultancy CCA Environmental Pty (Ltd) was also acquired. In November 2014 SLR acquired the UK-based oil and gas solutions provider Challenge Energy,[26] and in February 2015 SLR acquired E.Vironment LLC, a Houston-based environmental management, health and safety, process safety, and transaction advisory firm.[27] In April 2019, SLR acquired Novus Environmental, a Canadian specialized environmental firm.[28] [29]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Register. registration. environment-analyst.com. Environment Analyst . 2023-09-15.
  2. Web site: About Us . 2023-09-15.
  3. Web site: 2017-06-30 . Companies Register . 2024-08-07 . Companies Register . en.
  4. Web site: SLR Holdings Limited: Private Company Information - Businessweek. https://archive.today/20130118221445/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=12722158. dead. January 18, 2013. investing.businessweek.com. 2014-02-20.
  5. Web site: ISIS investing in brighter future for SLR. - Free Online Library. thefreelibrary.com. 2014-02-20.
  6. Web site: ISIS Divestment of SLR Holdings. cleantechinvestor.com. 2014-02-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20140224222430/http://www.cleantechinvestor.com/portal/mainmenucomp/companiess/1870-slr-holdings/7700-isis-divestment-of-slr-holdings.html. 2014-02-24. dead.
  7. Web site: 2018-03-26 . Charterhouse acquires 3i-backed SLR Unquote . 2023-07-30 . www.unquote.com . en.
  8. Web site: Charterhouse agrees to sale of SLR Consulting to Ares management . 2023-09-15.
  9. Web site: Charterhouse agrees sale of SLR Consulting to Ares Management . 2023-11-08 . Environment Analyst Global . en.
  10. News: Wansboro . David . 2022-06-20 . Ares Management buys SLR Consulting from Charterhouse PE Hub . en-US . PE Hub . 2023-11-08.
  11. Web site: Dunton . Jim . 2013-11-18 . Planning consultancy chief dies at 55 . 2023-07-30 . www.planningresource.co.uk . en.
  12. Web site: SLR Locations . 2023-09-15.
  13. Web site: SLR increases masterplanning services with Insite acquisition | Planning Resource. planningresource.co.uk. 2014-02-20.
  14. Web site: SEACOR Environmental Inc. . June 8, 2012.
  15. Web site: Environment Analyst | SLR acquires Bath-based consulting engineers FMH. environment-analyst.com. 2014-02-20.
  16. Web site: Consultancy Market Guide 2008 . Endsreprot.com . 2014-03-07.
  17. Web site: SLR acquires two waste consultancies . December 11, 2008 . July 22, 2017.
  18. Web site: Environment Analyst | SLR acquires two waste consultancies. environment-analyst.com. 2014-02-20.
  19. Web site: Generational Equity Announces Sale of Hoefler Consulting Group to SLR International Corporation. Gecpress.com. 2014-02-20.
  20. Web site: 3i-backed SLR buys Heggies | Environmental consultancy in Australian acquisition. 22 February 2010 . growthbusiness.co.uk. 2014-02-20.
  21. Web site: Environmental firms combine their power | Exeter Express and Echo. https://archive.today/20130505143037/http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/Environmental-firms-combine-power/story-11801791-detail/story.html. dead. 2013-05-05. thisisexeter.co.uk. 2014-02-20.
  22. Web site: Environmental Business International. ebionline.org. 2014-02-20.
  23. Web site: SLR acquires environmental mining consultant Metago | News | The Engineer. theengineer.co.uk. 2014-02-20.
  24. Web site: Environment firm SLR Consulting expands in Africa - The Journal. nebusiness.co.uk. 2014-02-20.
  25. Web site: Environment Analyst | SLR acquires second Namibian enviro consultancy. environment-analyst.com. 2014-02-20.
  26. Web site: Consultancy.uk | Environmental consultancy SLR buys Challenge Energy. 21 November 2014 . consultancy.uk. 2017-07-22.
  27. Web site: Business Mag | Oxford: SLR Consulting acquires E.Vironment. 12 February 2015 . businessmag.co.uk. 2017-07-20.
  28. Web site: Charterhouse backed SLR Consulting acquires Novus Environmental - Private Capital Journal . 2023-11-08 . privatecapitaljournal.com.
  29. Web site: SLR acquires Canadian environmental specialist . 2023-11-08 . Environment Analyst Global . en.