Grontmij had itself acquired Trett, which specialises in dispute resolution and contractual advice, in 2008 but had recently decided that it was a non core business.
Trett has its headquarters in Leeds and offices in Altrincham, Coventry and London as well as in Holland, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Houston, Texas. Its 2011 revenues were about £14.0m underlying pre-tax profits were £100,000.
Trett’s 70 employees now transfer to Driver, taking Driver staff numbers up to 230..
Driver chief executive Dave Webster said: “This acquisition provides a global platform for the full service offering of the group, plus opportunities to leverage our project services business that Trett does not currently provide across a world market and a broader sector and client base.
"The combined strength of two of the strongest brands in the dispute and advisory market will ensure Trett and Driver clients receive unparalleled expertise and advice. It’s a really good blend. As our businesses and culture are very similar, the integration process should be reasonably straightforward."
Grontmij UK managing director John Chubb said: “Following the release of our 'Back on Track' strategy early this year, the disposal of Trett is another move in the restructuring work stream as we focus on our core markets and core capabilities. I believe that the acquisition by Driver of Trett is a good fit and that represents value to both companies.”
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