WestBridge-backed Survey Solutions makes inroads into the rail sector with first acquisition since investment

Survey Solutions, a leading provider of engineering surveying and monitoring services, has made its first acquisition since undergoing a management buyout at the end of 2023, backed by private equity firm WestBridge.

Established in 1997, Survey Solutions now has a national presence with 14 regional offices and 200 full-time employees, most of whom are specialist surveyors. The company provides a full range of engineering survey and monitoring services, including land, building, underground and hydrographic surveys, along with a range of support services, infrastructure asset condition surveys and site engineering, covering the lifecycle of a development. Survey Solutions works on projects in a diverse range of sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, defence, transport, energy, retail, leisure, healthcare, education, heritage, and both the commercial and residential construction industries. Its clients include AECOM, WSP, Balfour Beatty, Amey, Mace and Kier.

The company’s acquisition of JWG Survey & Engineering (“JWG”) provides it with a first foothold in the rail sector. Founded in 2015 by Jake Gaskell, JWG’s team of experienced engineers provides surveys and engineering management services to support the safety, efficiency and reliability of the railway infrastructure.

Working to the highest industry standards, including RISQS, JWG provides automated and manual monitoring, topographic and control surveys, clearance surveys, track alignment and design verification, as well as drainage and utility surveys. The company works closely with railway asset owners, principal contractors and Network Rail’s works delivery and asset protection teams to ensure safe and efficient delivery of projects.

Jake Gaskell, founder of JWG, who will remain with the business as Director of Rail, said: “Although JWG is still a relatively young company, we have already established an excellent reputation. The opportunity to join forces with Survey Solutions was too good to miss and provides a win-win for everyone. We’ll benefit from the resources of being part of a larger group: Survey Solutions will benefit from our expertise in the rail market, and our respective clients will benefit from an even wider range of first-class services delivered by engineers at the top of their game”.

David Lowe, CEO at Survey Solutions, said: “This acquisition will be of great benefit to both JWG and Survey Solutions customers as we take advantage of rolling out JWG’s specialist rail services nationally on the Survey Solutions platform.”

Rebecca Sinclair, Investment Director at WestBridge, said: “We are pleased that JWG represents the first acquisition in our partnership with Survey Solutions. This has followed a period of significant investment in the Survey Solutions platform and growth of the acquisitions pipeline, such that the acquisition plan can now accelerate.”

Survey Solutions intends to grow by pursuing both an organic growth and a buy-and-build strategy to establish itself as the UK’s most trusted provider of engineering surveys and monitoring solutions. The acquisition of JWG is expected to be the first of several in the coming months. The acquisition strategy is focused on surveying and monitoring businesses across transportation, utilities, government and energy infrastructure end-sectors.

The Dow Schofield Watts Corporate Finance Team that advised Survey Solutions and is acting as retained M&A adviser comprised Paul Herriott, Roger Esler, Jonathan Wilkinson, and Harry Martin. The business was also supported on this transaction by Pinsent Masons (legal adviser), Cortus (financial), Tax Advisory Partnership, PMSI (commercial) and Gallaghers (insurance).

Paul Herriott, Corporate Finance Partner at DSW, commented: “Survey Solutions is now implementing its new growth strategy with the support of Westbridge. This strategic deal is the first of many planned acquisitions in specialist areas as the expertise and capabilities of the group broaden.”