WSP buys US environment consultant for £5.3m

International consultant WSP has acquired US firm Environmental Strategies Consulting as part of its ongoing plan to build a global environmental business.

WSP will pay £5.3m for ESC, and will also cancel the inter company account between ESC and its former parent Quanta Capital Holdings up to a value of £0.5m.

ESC is an environmental consulting and remediation business based in Reston, Virginia. It has 10 major offices in the US and employs 120 staff. For the three years to December 2005, the firm’s turnover averaged £17.4m and its pre-tax profits £1.3m.

WSP chief executive Chris Cole said: “We are absolutely delighted to secure this deal which substantially increases our environmental capacity in the important US market. ESC brings new blue chip clients to the WSP Group and will support our other activities in the region.”