Top 100 law firm Birketts has advised the owners of MLM Group, one of the largest, privately-owned engineering, environmental and building control consultancies in the UK, on its sale to Swedish consulting engineer Sweco. The purchase price was not disclosed.
Established in 1966, MLM has 13 offices located in London, Southern England and Ireland and employs 460 people. The deal has created a combined business with an annual turnover of £108m and 1,340 employees, across a network of 26 offices in the UK and Ireland.
James Austin, Senior Partner and Head of Birketts’ Corporate and Commercial Teams in Ipswich and Alexandra Nelson led the transaction with support from Andrew Tubb (banking and finance), Sarah Branwhite (corporate), Stacy Aspden (commercial property) and Amy Guest (employment)
Steve Oliver, Chairman at MLM Group, said: ” We are proud of our long history and achievements and we are delighted that MLM Group are now part of Sweco, Europe’s largest engineering, environment and design consultancy. This is a really exciting time for our development and strategic growth . Sweco and MLM Group are an excellent fit – culturally, operationally and geographically. We have shared values and by working together, we will strengthen Sweco’s brand and position in the UK. Our strong synergies in buildings, infrastructure, environment and compliance – coupled with complementary areas of expertise – will strengthen our offer and create new opportunities for the future , always putting our clients and people at the centre of what we do.”
Mr Oliver continued: “The Birketts team impressed us throughout. They provided exceptional support in the commercial negotiations and expertly co-ordinated the various stakeholders and advisers throughout the transaction. It was a pleasure to be advised by commercially astute lawyers who were easy to get hold of and easy to deal with.”
James Austin concluded: “We are delighted to have advised MLM on this sector-leading transaction. MLM has specialist expertise in structural engineering and compliance, complementing Sweco’s skills in transportation, environment, energy and building design and their combined future looks very bright.”
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The content of this article is for general information only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you require any further information in relation to this article please contact the author in the first instance. Law covered as at May 2019.