Consultant snaps up long-standing water sector partner JN Bentley

Keith Howells

Mott MacDonald has bought 拢120m-turnover Bentley Holdings, the parent company of civil engineer JN Bentley.

The firm employs over 700 people and works mostly in the water sector.

Over 80% of the firm鈥檚 business is derived from an existing joint venture with Mott MacDonald, called Mott MacDonald Bentley, which was set up in 1999.

The joint venture has won a number of roles with Yorkshire Water, Severn Trent Water, Anglian Water, United Utilities and Welsh Water for the Asset Management Plan Six spending period that runs from 2015 to 2020.

Keith Howells, chair of Mott MacDonald (pictured), said the acquisition was the 鈥渘ext step for our partnership鈥.

He added: 鈥淭he delivery model we have forged with our water industry clients continues to help them maximise value for their operations and their stakeholders 鈥 now we鈥檙e looking forward to using our collective ingenuity to achieve ever greater benefits across the triple bottom line of social, economic and environmental value.鈥

Paul Bentley, managing director of JN Bentley, said the acquisition would 鈥渂enefit our clients and also offers fantastic opportunities for the employees of both companies鈥. 

He said: 鈥淭he longstanding success of the joint venture is because we share the same culture and principles. Becoming part of the Mott MacDonald Group will allow us to develop further to meet the challenges we face.鈥