CTS Boosts Scottish Footprint with Key Acquisition

Construction Testing Solutions (CTS), the fast-growing provider of construction consulting and testing services, has made its first acquisition of 2022 and its sixth since investment in 2018.

The latest deal brings Mason Evans, a specialist geo-environmental consultancy, based in Glasgow into the group. Mason Evans has 45 skilled staff and was founded in 1995. Working across Scotland it provides a range of technical services to clients including developers, house builders, distillers, local authorities, contractors, consulting engineers and architects.

The CTS Group portfolio has been developed and expanded over time, with a successful track record of acquisitions recently including CGL Limited in November 2020, Nicholls Colton in February 2021 and Silkstone Environmental in August 2021.

In purchasing Mason Evans, CTS is enhancing and extending its existing capabilities and further strengthening its offering with an extension to its environmental, geotechnical and land engineering consultancy capabilities in Scotland.

Mason Evans’ Managing Director Niall Lawless will remain at the helm of the company, while two of the founding directors, David Mason and Maureen Mackay are retiring.

Phil Coles, Chief Executive Officer of CTS said: “The delivery of our group strategy involves growing our existing brands, leveraging our relationship across our wide scope of capabilities to accelerate organic growth, whilst delivering a strong pipeline of new acquisitions that align with our values and further enhance and broaden the service we offer to our clients.

“This latest acquisition supports our overall strategy and ambition to become the industry leading provider for all associated services to the construction sector through a robust programme of acquisitions and organic growth.”

Tom Hustler, Investment Director at Palatine said: “This latest acquisition underlines our ambition to support the management team’s strategic growth plan of building a market-leading nationwide construction testing business.

“Mason Evans is a well-established presence in Scotland which significantly strengthens CTS north off the border. Having recently refinanced the group we look forward to continuing organic growth and further value-enhancing acquisitions.

With headquarters in Leicester and a nationwide network of laboratories and offices, offering a wide range of construction testing, inspection and compliance services. CTS supports all sectors of the construction market including commercial, rail, road, residential, airports, tunnelling, mining, and utilities as well as brownfield regeneration.