Two long-standing German consulting engineering firms have been combined, hard on the heels of the Dutch DHV-Haskoning merger.
Lahmeyer Group, which works in energy, hydropower and water resources, announced on 2 March 2012 that it had acquired Pöyry Environment GmbH, which operated until 2006 as GKW Consult GmbH. Pöyry specialises in water supply, seawater desalination, wastewater and solid-waste disposal.
With some 70 staff, Pöyry Environment had a turnover of € 12.4 million in 2011. Its key markets are in Africa, and the firm is also represented in southeast Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia. The company will in future operate under the name Lahmeyer GKW Consult and will co-ordinate its services closely with Lahmeyer International.
“With the acquisition of Pöyry Environment GmbH, Lahmeyer is taking an important step towards our strategic goal of markedly strengthening our capacity in the future-oriented water market,” said Dr-Ing Bernd Kordes, CEO of Lahmeyer International. “Our worldwide competence in the construction of major storages and long-distance water conveyance systems has now been significantly reinforced by the addition of key competencies and capacity in the water supply and wastewater treatment segments.”
“This additional strength is complemented by regional capabilities and client synergies,” Kordes added. “Lahmeyer continues to grow and proactively to seek attractive acquisition opportunities”.
On 27 February 2012, leading Dutch consulting engineers DHV and Royal Haskoning signed a letter of intent to merge.