National construction compliance specialist acquired
Wakefield-based Assent Building Control has acquired Clarke Banks (Group) Ltd, which operates from offices in London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Weybridge.
Clarke Banks offers compliance solutions to the domestic and commercial construction markets, including building control approval and fire safety engineering, and is led by directors Adam Melrose and Sam Wright.
The acquisition was overseen by KBS Corporate.
George Barnes, KBS Corporate associate director, who oversaw the sale to Assent Building Control, said: “Clarke Banks has some of the youngest approved inspectors in the country and the business is well-established at the forefront of a growing industry.
“The Building Safety Act 2022 will change operational strategies across the market and Clarke Banks has the services, clients and scope to satisfy new requirements, particularly for large-scale commercial developments.”
Assent Building Control was itself acquired by Alpina Partners in 2017 with the assistance of KBS Corporate.
Under Munich-based Alpina Partners, Assent has grown into one of the UK’s leading building control bodies.
It has acquired Clarke Banks as part of a long-term plan to enhance its building control and fire services portfolio.
Iain Thomson, CEO of Assent, said: “We have been actively looking to expand our suite of services, so it was important to us that the business we acquired would offer benefits to both parties, not simply grow the number of surveyors we could offer.
“Sam and Adam have built an incredibly successful business that provides complementary services to those offered by our existing businesses. The enthusiasm for the work they do is second to none and we are happy to be welcoming them into the Assent group.”
Melrose said: “We had been investigating several investment partner options, but it became clear to us that Assent aligned with our own values and bought into our future vision for the business.
“In the discussions with Iain and his team, it was obvious the acquisition of Clarke Banks was a strategic choice that would benefit both parties and help to deliver a combined service offering to clients at what is a pivotal time in our industry.”
Wright added: “The introduction of the independent Building Safety Regulator is making our whole industry look very closely at what will be required to achieve the competency levels needed.
“The recent consolidation we have seen in the sector is ultimately positive for the whole industry.
“Being part of a larger group and network will provide additional strength in the future for Clarke Banks’ team and greater resilience to support the diverse and strong client base we have spent the last decade building.”
