Engineering design consultancy takes turnover to £10m with latest acquisition

Bristol-based engineering design consultancy Independent Design House Group has acquired Clarkebond (UK) Ltd, taking it to a team of 140 with £10m turnover across seven sites.

Tim Burt will remain CEO of IDHG following the move, and its headquarters will be in Bristol.

Making up the senior management team are Wojciech Wisnowski (partner), Ian Fernandes-Johnson (UK managing director) and Michal Rzaski (IDHG Poland director). Neil Marks will be commercial director and Brian Davis, head of finance.

Established in engineering as a specialist in the field of temporary works design, IDHG was founded by Burt and Wisniowski, in 2011 in Rochester, Kent. Expansion into Poland and Bristol followed, along with more engineering disciplines, with managing director Fernandes-Johnson, joining in 2020.

The acquisition of Clarkebond, a multi-disciplined consultancy which operates in the UK and global markets, further cements its growth into the field of permanent works design.

Now employing over 140 people, IDHG will have offices in Bristol, London, Ireland, Maidstone, Poland, and Exeter. Positioning itself as the complete design partner for any project requirements, IDHG will consist of IDH Ltd, IDH SP Zoo and Clarkebond and will offer a full range of engineering disciplines across multiple sectors.

Burt said: “We are extremely pleased with the acquisition of Clarkebond and look forward to all parties collaborating and contributing to the way forward. This is all about the mutual development and growth of the companies involved for the benefit of all of our customers, employees and the wider IDH Group.”

Ian Fernandes-Johnson, IDHG managing director, added: “Adding the skills and strengths of Clarkebond to our existing capabilities will be a game changer. The move transitions IDHG to a multi-disciplined engineering consultancy, providing services from concept through to construction on site. In my very first meeting with the Clarkebond team, my overriding impression was how much they care about the work they deliver, which resonated with me and the IDH approach. Exciting times indeed.”

Marks added: “The opportunities that this deal provides for our staff, the additional services that both companies can now offer and the additional infrastructure that IDH brings to the Company aligns with our vision to provide outstanding engineering for communities and place. It will increase our competitiveness so that Clarkebond can continue in pursuit of that vision and grow to be a stronger and more resilient company.”