Black & White Engineering aims for growth following major investment deal

A North East consultancy is set for growth after receiving a major investment from a private equity company.

Newcastle-based Black & White Engineering Ltd, which also has offices in Edinburgh, Manchester and London, has seen huge growth since launching in 2007 and now has a presence in the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Europe, employing more than 500 professionals worldwide.

Last year, the Generator Studios-based business told how global headcount had grown by more than 50% in two months and 22% in the UK and Europe, with staff levels increasing by 23% in the North East alone. The mechanical engineering and plumbing consultancy, which works with 110 clients across 23 countries, delivers mechanical, electrical and plumbing design engineering solutions for a range of industries.

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Now the firm has secured an undisclosed investment to fuel further growth from private equity company Waterland, in a deal overseen by KBS Corporate. With Waterland as a strategic partner, Black & White aims to broaden its support for customers across new geographies, and it also plans to widening its engineering offering with new specialisms.

Mick Cairns, founder of Black & White, will continue as CEO alongside the existing leadership team. He said: “Black & White has grown hugely since the business was founded and I could not be prouder of our team, who have helped us to reach this huge milestone in our journey.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Waterland and leveraging their track record of international growth and acquisition experience. We are looking forward to supercharging the momentum we have built, with Waterland acting as a hands-on partner which supports our vision and ambitions.”

Waterland operates in 11 countries across Europe, including the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, France, Spain and Poland.

Wendy McMillan, partner at Waterland Private Equity, said: “Mick Cairns is an impressive entrepreneur who has built an outstanding business. We look forward to supporting Mick and the senior team in this next chapter and will continue to back their philosophy of investing in people and working together with the best talent to create a global leader in engineering for the data centre market.

“We will be leveraging our network and expertise in acquisitions and international expansion to help Black & White reach the next level and we are looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the business.”

Dave Gardner, KBS Corporate finance managing director, who advised on the transaction, said: “Black & White is an incredibly dynamic business that has established itself as a true market leader.

“It has been a pleasure working alongside Mick and his exceptionally talented management team, who have created a unique culture and business model that are ingrained seamlessly across the Group’s international operations.”