SLR Consulting

Founding

The firm was founded as SECOR Ltd in 1994 by Alan Sheppard, John Leeson and David Richards - whose initials subsequently formed SLR. After establishing the company in Oxford, United Kingdom, in 1994, David oversaw the growth of the business from a small UK operator into one of the fastest growing and most profitable environmental consultancies in the UK, with international operations across Africa, Australasia, Canada, Europe, and the USA.

In 2000, the senior management team completed a management buyout and the company's name was changed to SLR Consulting Limited. In 2004 they secured funding from ISIS Equity Partners, who invested £4.85 million as part of a £13 million investment including other partners, and took a significant minority stake in the company. In 2008, 3i invests £32.5 million in the firm, and replaced ISIS Equity Partners with a significant minority stake.

David Richards, was until his death on 6 November 2013 at the age of 55, Chief Executive Officer during the period 1994–2013. In line with the Group's succession plans, Neil Penhall, formerly Managing Director of SLR Consulting and an Executive Director of SLR Management, assumed the role of CEO.

Expansion

The firm expanded its offices, starting with Bath, Nottingham and Redditch in the UK in 2001, and then over the years additional offices in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Singapore, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and the US. By 2014 there were 65 global offices and around 1100 staff.

Acquisitions

They made a number of acquisitions, beginning with the UK-based Waste Management Engineering Limited in 2005. Then followed the UK-based landscape architect company Insite Environments; the Canadian company SEACOR Environmental Inc. the UK-based company FMH Consulting Engineers; the Irish Dublin-based environmental consultancy CSA; the specialist mineral planning, landscape and land management firm Bowman Planton; the UK based Architecture and Planning Solutions Alaska-based Hoefler Consulting Group; Australia-based Heggies Pty Limited; UK-based company Andrew McCarthy Associates; South African based GreenEng and Metago. In Namibia it acquired Bittner Water Consult CC, a sustainable groundwater consulting firm, and A Speiser Environmental Consultants, a Namibian-based specialist consultancy with expertise in EIAs. In October 2013, Cooper Partnership - Chartered Landscape Architects was acquired in Bristol, UK; and in early 2014, the acquisition of HFP Acoustical was completed, adding offices in Calgary, Alberta and Houston, Texas. In July 2014 South African-based consultancy CCA Environmental Pty (Ltd) was also acquired. Good company to work for.

Alliances

The firm has formed international alliances: in 2007, they renewed an agreement with the Maltese firm, AIS Environmental Ltd; and signed an agreement with the German energy from waste specialists, Born and Ermel. Afterwards, they signed a collaborative agreement with Greek environmental company, EPEM, and Abu Dhabi-based EDESSA.

Operations

SLR provides global consultancy advice and support on strategic and site-specific issues to business, regulatory and governmental clients. They specialise in the Oil & Gas, Renewable & Low Carbon, Mining & Minerals, Waste Management, Planning & Development, Infrastructure and Industrial sectors.

Key projects

East Pit & Margam, South Wales, UK City Campus, Northumbria University, UK

They are currently working on a review for the City of Kamloops, BC, Canada of the proposed KGHM Ajax mine. As part of this review they are demanding an additional 67% ($200,000CDN) to release the required information to the City.