RSK Group

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RSK Group Ltd
TypePrivate company
IndustryEnvironmental services
Founded1989
HeadquartersHelsby, England
Key people
Alan Ryder (CEO)
Revenue£350.5m (2021)[1]
Number of employees
6,000 (2021)[2]
Websiterskgroup.com

RSK Group is a privately held UK-based environmental, engineering and technical services group, comprising over 110 companies employing some 6,000 people and with turnover of £350.5m in 2021.

History[]

RSK Group was established in 1989 in Aberdeen by Alan Ryder,[3] and has grown both organically and through an accelerating programme of acquisitions.[4] Today based in Helsby in Cheshire, it aims to become Europe's largest privately-owned environmental and engineering business with a £1 billion turnover and employing 10,000 people worldwide by 2025.[4] RSK has acquired over 70 businesses in six years from 2016.[1]

In the year to April 2021, RSK's turnover reached £350.5m, up from £274.8m the previous year. It has still not made a profit. Its 2021 figures showed a pre-tax loss of £18.9m, having made interest payments to backers of £22.8m. The previous year it lost £15.7m before tax, having made interest repayments of £18.8m.[1]

Acquisitions[]

Following a number of early acquisitions including Structural Soils (2007),[5] Dynamic Sampling and JB Site Investigations (both 2016),[6] RSK Group made its first large acquisition with ADAS in late 2016.[7] ADAS was the UK’s largest independent provider of agricultural and environmental consultancy services, bringing with it a then 300-strong workforce that made the RSK Group one of the largest environmental consultancies in the UK in 2016.[8]

In May 2017, the company acquired Acies Civil and Structural, followed in June by the acquisition of KMGP Ltd. In December, RSK completed a trio of deals, acquiring C.J. Associates Geotechnical Ltd, Up and Under Group Ltd and all outstanding (80%) shares of RSKW Ltd.

In 2018, after securing a £140m funding package in the form of a unitranche senior debt facility from funds managed by Ares Capital Europe (Ares)[9] to make around 10 acquisitions, RSK acquired Manchester-based acoustics consultant Cole Jarman[10] and Washington, UK-based 108-strong site investigation specialist Ian Farmer Associates (£10m annual turnover).[11] Specialist ecological and grounds maintenance business, Twig Group, also joined RSK Group in 2018[12] along with Non-Destructive Testing Services and Copeland Wedge Associates. In October 2018, RSK acquired CAN UK Holdings. In December 2018, the business acquired J&A Pelling, Pelling and Pellings LLP.

In February 2019, the business acquired Dr Tillmans & Partner GmbH. RSK completed the acquisition of tbf Contracting and BTS Group,[13] and in March the group acquired Headland Group and Drilling Supplies.[14] In April RSK acquired Consents Solutions, followed by Biocensus (renamed RSK Biocensus) and AA Milieu-En Adviesbureau BV in May. In June, the business acquired all share capital of Raw Technology (renamed RSK Raw), followed by Geocore Site Investigations in August and Ecologia Environmental Solutions Holdings in September. In October the business acquired ATP Architects + Solutions and Silcock Leedham Group.

In February 2020, RSK acquired Salix River & Wetland Services and a month later in March, acquired consultancy Nicholas O'Dwyer,[15] and Morrison (Falklands). In September, the business acquired WRc (formerly the public-funded Water Research Centre).[16] In December 2020, RSK acquired Black & Veatch's 1,200-strong UK and Asia water and environment businesses, and rebranded it by resurrecting the historic Binnie brand.[17][18]

In early 2021, RSK acquired CAS Ltd[19] CR Civil Engineering (200 staff), the Enviresearch group (19),[20] and EDP Health, Safety and Environment Consultants (50),[4] and in April, RSK Orbital, SkyVision International, The Scan Station, and Smith & Kennedy Architects.[21] In May 2021, the business announced a quartet of acquisitions: UK planning and landscaping services provider Stephenson Halliday, UK chartered surveyor Waldrams, German geotechnical consultants Althoff & Lang GbR and New Zealand risk management company Quality Solutions International (QSI).[22] In June, RSK acquired Ireland-based Minerex Environmental.[23] In July, in its tenth deal of the year, it acquired UK specialist geotechnical contractor TechnikGS.[24] In August RSK acquired CS2 chartered surveyors[25] and Leap Environmental.[26]

In August 2021, RSK agreed the largest private credit backed, sustainability-linked financing deal on the market to date with Ares European Direct Lending serving as sole lenders of £1 billion available debt facilities to boost the growth of the business.[27] The new debt facilities include an annual margin review based on the achievement of sustainability targets, which are broadly focused on carbon intensity reduction and continual improvement to health and safety management and ethics.[28] RSK anticipates interest savings in excess of £500,000 per year and has committed to donate a minimum of 50% of this margin benefit toward sustainability-related initiatives or charitable causes.[28]

In September 2021, RSK acquired 800-strong, £200m turnover UK water business MWH Treatment,[29] formerly part of MWH Constructors[30] along with EiB and Electrokinetic.[31] In November 2021, RSK announced six acquisitions; renewable ground pump technologists Carbon Zero Consulting, water specialists Envireau Water, specialist waste management Enviroflow, traffic management services business Streetwise,[32] surveying and engineering services business Centara[33] and tree surgery and management company Hi-Line Contractors S.W..[34] In December 2021, RSK made three acquisitions: Optisol Services, a solar farm maintenance and civil works contractor; Non Entry Systems Limited, which makes automated equipment for cleaning of difficult access areas; and ATV Contract Services, a landscape management firm.[1]

In January 2022, RSK took over Singleton Clamp & Partners, a transportation planning, highway and drainage consultancy with 45 employees in Manchester, Leeds and London. In February, RSK acquired Fishtek, a Devon-based consultant specialising in marine environments and designing fish passes. In March 2022, RSK took over Ireland's 26-strong Inis Environmental Consultants and UK-based Richard Allitt Associates.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e "RSK perseveres with acquisition strategy". The Construction Index. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  2. ^ "RSK Group Limited: Annual Report & Accounts". Companies House. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  3. ^ Begum, Shelina (7 December 2016). "£10m funding for RSK Group to support long-term growth plans". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "CEO question time: Alan Ryder, RSK - part I". Environment Analyst. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  5. ^ "RSK merges with Structural Soils to become the UK's number one site investigation company". Environmental Expert. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ "RSK Group becomes UK's largest site investigation provider | Permira Credit". www.permiracredit.com. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  7. ^ "RSK Group plc acquires ADAS to add agricultural and additional environmental services to its portfolio • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  8. ^ "RSK buys ADAS". Environment Analyst Global. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  9. ^ "RSK Group raises financing from funds managed by Ares Capital Europe and announces acquisitions of bts and tbf • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  10. ^ "RSK goes private". The Construction Index. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  11. ^ Ford, Coreena (8 January 2018). "Washington's Ian Farmer Associates snapped up by global business RSK". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Sale of Twig Group to RSK Group". Castle Corporate Finance. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  13. ^ "tbf Contracting join forces with RSK". tbfTraffic. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  14. ^ "New Era For Drilling Supplies As Established Group RSK Acquires Business From Long-Term Owner". Business Up North. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  15. ^ "RSK acquires again, expanding domestic and overseas footprint". Environment Analyst. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  16. ^ "RSK scoops up WRc in ongoing acquisition campaign". Environment Analyst. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  17. ^ Morby, Aaron (20 December 2020). "RSK swoops for Black & Veatch UK and Asia water ops". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  18. ^ "RSK set to acquire B&V's UK and Asia water & environment business". Environment Analyst. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  19. ^ "RSK bolsters specialist access provision after rapid growth • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK.
  20. ^ "Chemistry Right For RSK Group's Acquistion of Newcastle's Enviresearch". RMT. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  21. ^ Robinson, Jon (13 April 2021). "RSK Group acquires four new businesses as international reach grows". BusinessLive. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  22. ^ "RSK continues its strategic expansion with further growth in the UK, Germany and New Zealand • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK.
  23. ^ "RSK Group continues expansion in Ireland • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK.
  24. ^ "RSK Group Ltd acquires TechnikGS". Private Equity Wire. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  25. ^ "CS2 chartered surveyors join the RSK Group • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK.
  26. ^ "Leap Environmental joins RSK Group • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK.
  27. ^ "RSK secures funding boost from Ares Management Corporation in largest private credit backed sustainability linked financing to date • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  28. ^ a b "Ares Management Corporation Leads £1 Billion of Available Debt Facilities to RSK Group in Largest Sustainability Linked Private Credit Financing to Date". www.businesswire.com. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  29. ^ "MWH Treatment joins RSK". The Construction Index. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  30. ^ Stein, Joshua (3 September 2021). "RSK Group acquires £200m-turnover specialist". Construction News. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  31. ^ "Specialist service providers EiB and Electrokinetic join the RSK group • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK.
  32. ^ "RSK welcomes four new businesses into the growing group • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK.
  33. ^ "RSK Group welcomes surveying and engineering business Centara • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK.
  34. ^ "RSK Group delighted to add leading tree surgery company Hi-Line to its growing business • RSK • Engineering and Environmental Consultancy". RSK.
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