Acquisition
Balfour Beatty PLC
02 August 2007
2 August 2007
BALFOUR BEATTY STRENGTHENS BUSINESS MIX WITH
THREE NICHE ACQUISITIONS
Bolt-on acquisitions completed in rail,
professional and technical services and road management
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Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction and services group,
announces today that it has completed three niche acquisitions which strengthen
its position in the European rail, professional and technical services and road
management and maintenance markets at an aggregated cost of approximately
£9 million.
Commenting on these acquisitions today, Balfour Beatty Chief Executive, Ian
Tyler, said:
'We continue to strengthen our business through acquisition where appropriate
opportunities arise. Through these three transactions in market areas where we
already have strong businesses, we have both further improved our market
position and added to our earnings growth potential.'
In Sweden, Balfour Beatty Rail has acquired Carillion's Swedish rail contracting
company. The business, which had 2006 sales of SEK 418 million, has a broad
range of capabilities including in trackwork, electrification and power supply,
multi-disciplinary and maintenance projects. The business will be merged with
Balfour Beatty's existing multi-disciplinary Swedish rail operations, which were
recently also strengthened by the acquisition of SAAB's Nordic rail signalling
and communications operations, and the combined business will be well-placed to
take advantage of the significant anticipated growth in the investment
expenditure of Banverket, Sweden's mainline network owner and operator, as well
as in Norway and Denmark.
In the UK, Balfour Beatty's fast-growing professional and technical services
arm, Balfour Beatty Management (BBM), has acquired the NAP Partnership, based in
Middlesbrough. NAP has annual sales of approximately £6 million and provides
cost and contract consultancy and project management services to a variety of
clients in the north of England. The acquisition strengthens BBM's presence in
the north of England and broadens the range of services that it can offer in
that region as part of the expansion of its regional service capability.
Also in the UK, Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Services (BBIS), the Group's road
management and maintenance arm, has acquired Chris Britton Consultancy, one of
the UK's leading consulting engineering companies in the highways and pavement
management sector. The company offers specialist services relating to pavement
engineering, network management and asset management and its acquisition is an
important step in growing BBIS's professional services capability.
ENDS
Enquiries to:
Tim Sharp
Tel: 020 7216 6884
www.balfourbeatty.com
Notes to Editors
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1. Balfour Beatty's rail business in Sweden is currently working on the major
Botniabanan trackwork and electrification contract and track modernisation
work on the Blekinge coastline, amongst other projects. Balfour Beatty Rail
AB has capabilities in rail electrification and power supply, trackwork,
signalling, maintenance and multi-disciplinary projects.
2. Balfour Beatty Management employs approaching 500 professional staff in
providing design, programme management, project management and other
specialist technical services to major infrastructure owners. Amongst its
current major projects are for National Grid in upgrading the electricity
and gas networks, Northern Gas Networks and project management for the new
Kings Cross Underground Station for the Department for Transport.
3. Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Services is a leading UK road management and
maintenance company. Amongst its major clients are the Highways Agency, for
whom it manages the strategic road network in the south of England from the
Channel Tunnel to the West Country, and a number of regional and local
authorities, including North Yorkshire, Hampshire, Essex, North West
Scotland and the City of Westminster in London.
4. Balfour Beatty is a world-class engineering, construction, services and
investment business, well positioned in infrastructure markets which offer
significant long-term growth. We work in partnership with sophisticated
customers who value the highest levels of quality, safety and technical
expertise. Our skills are applied in appropriate combinations to meet
individual customer need. Its financial position, with significant net cash
and with strong operating cash flows, offers continuing flexibility to add
additional capacity and expertise to the business mix and to make
appropriate investments in PPP and other long-term growth opportunities.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange