Sunderland's Identity Consult buys West Midlands firm Carl Dean Associates

Construction sector consultancy Identity Consult (IC) has acquired a Midlands firm to move into a new market.

IC - which provides project management, cost consultancy, design and digital construction services - has acquired Carl Dean Associates, a surveying and project management company based in the West Midlands. The deal allows IC, which has added offices in York, Preston and Salford to its Sunderland HQ in recent years, to establish a fifth location in Sutton Coldfield.

Carl Dean Associates was established in 1993 and provides services including quantity surveying, cost and project management in projects worth up to £20m. It has worked primarily in the primary care and mental health sectors, as well as in the automotive and car dealership industry.

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Founder Carl Dean said: “This marks an incredibly exciting chapter for our firm as we join forces with IC, expanding both our portfolio and our expertise. The exceptional quality of IC’s services greatly appealed to us, and I am eager to enhance the level of service we can provide to our clients.”

IC managing director Mark Doherty said: “Although we are proud of our North East base, we have long had a keen eye on other parts of the UK, seeking out new opportunities via which we can share expertise and support clients in the construction sector.

“CDA is part of that growth strategy – a collaboration that presents an exciting prospect for both businesses, allowing us to expand our client portfolio and extend our support in delivering new projects nationwide. We look forward to the mutual growth and success that this partnership will bring.”

IC was acquired by its current directors in a management buyout in 2018, and has since growth headcount from 32 to 72 employees. It says it achieved turnover of more than £6.5m last year and it on target to top £7m this year.

The company has now promoted Andrew Milnes to senior director, taking charge of the company’s North East operations. He has worked for the firm for more than 10 years and was part of the management buyout.

He said: “I have been part of the North East Construction industry since I graduated, and I’ve long been a part of the IC story, and am delighted to start this new chapter.”