AMEC acquires Geomatrix

London-based AMEC has announced that it will acquire Geomatrix Consultants (Geomatrix) from its owner-managers for £43m. The cost will be split with £32.3m paid at closing and the balance, after adjustments, paid within two years.

California-based Geomatrix employs 500 engineers, scientists and other professionals in 18 offices across the United States and one office in Canada. The company offers specialist environmental, geotechnical and water resources services to clients in sectors such as oil and gas and mining.

The purchase is consistent with AMEC's strategy of expansion in the Earth and Environmental business and follows the acquisition of six smaller environmental consultancies in the UK, Europe and the USA since January 2007.

AMEC’s chief executive Samir Brikho said: ‘With services from environmental impact assessments to remediation, Earth and Environmental business is an important differentiator in AMEC’s portfolio of services.’

AMEC's president of Earth and Environmental division Roger Jinks added: ‘This acquisition not only strengthens our presence in the United States, but adds significant depth to our consulting talent in the environmental remediation, seismic and groundwater services growth markets.’

The acquisition is expected to close later this month.