Website www.halcrow.com Number of employees 3,377 (2011) | Revenue £238 million (2011) Founded 1868 Parent organization CH2M Hill | |
Key people Tony Pryor, Chairman,Peter Gammie, Group Chief Executive, Subsidiaries A-one+, Sir William Halcrow & Partners, Halcrow Gilbert Associates Ltd | ||
Yu wah spent her year at halcrow group ltd
Halcrow Group Limited was a multinational engineering consultancy company, based in the United Kingdom
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Halcrow was one of the UK's largest consultancies, with origins stretching back to 1868. The UK-based consultancy specialised in the provision of planning, design and management services for infrastructure development worldwide. With interests in transportation, water, maritime and property, the company undertook commissions in over 70 countries from a network of more than 90 offices. In 2011, the company was acquired by US firm CH2M Hill, and in 2013 it was announced that the Halcrow brand would eventually be discontinued. The parent subsequently (2015) rebranded the whole group to CH2M.
History
The company was founded in 1868 by civil engineer Thomas Meik, and originally bore his name, and later those of his sons, Patrick and Charles. It worked extensively on port, maritime and railway projects in the North of England, in Wales and in Scotland, before undertaking its first commissions outside the UK in the 1890s.
During the first half of the 20th century, William Halcrow (later Sir William) established the firm in other areas, notably tunnelling and hydroelectric schemes.
The firm had several previous names, including CS Meik and Buchanan (1920), CS Meik and Halcrow (1923), WT Halcrow and Partners (1941), Sir William Halcrow and Partners (1944), and, finally, Halcrow Group (1998).
Modern company
Halcrow's consultancy work included water, transportation, maritime, environment, power and property projects. Its customers included government departments, public sector authorities and utilities, industrial and commercial companies, international funding agencies and financial institutions.
In 2008, the company reported a turnover of £468 million. Projects undertaken outside the UK accounted for 48% of turnover. Owned and managed by its employees and staff shareholders, Halcrow remained an independent firm until 2011. On 10 November 2011 CH2M Hill announced that it had completed the acquisition of Halcrow for £124m.
It was subsequently reported that Halcrow was effectively rescued by CH2M Hill, having incurred a pre-tax loss of £71m in its last year of independent trading (to 31 December 2011), on a turnover of £238m, down from £331m in 2010. Accounts lodged with Companies House showed that CH2M Hill's financial backing was crucial to Halcrow’s survival; the US firm agreed a secured loan to the company in December 2012 without which there would have been doubt regarding the firm’s ability to continue as a going concern.