The international infrastructure group, Balfour Beatty, has announced that it has acquired the Halsall Group, a Canadian professional services firm based in Toronto, for a cash consideration of £33 million.

Halsall, which was employee owned, provides design and engineering services to the building market, with particular strengths in sustainable design and restoration. Halsall also provides structural engineering services to clients in the transportation market.

With seven offices in Canada and over 300 employees, Halsall has grown in the buoyant Canadian market generating £26 million in revenue in 2009 and achieving strong margins.

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Balfour Beatty Chief Executive, Ian Tyler, said: "The acquisition of Halsall extends the geographic reach of Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB), our professional services business, in Canada, which we believe is an attractive infrastructure market. Halsall will provide PB, and the wider Balfour Beatty Group, with a great platform to develop a successful Canadian business."

Parsons Brinckerhoff President and Chief Executive Officer, George Pierson, said: "We are thrilled to have the Halsall Group as part of PB. The joining of Halsall's strength in buildings with PB's strength in transportation infrastructure allows us both to offer enhanced services to existing and new clients throughout Canada. We share Halsall's values and commitment to community sustainability and are enthusiastic about the great potential to be realised by this acquisition."

(CD/BMcC)