Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick & Co Ltd belongs to Architectural and engineering activities and related technical consultancy subcategory of Head Office (SIC code is 7420).
It was established as Scott & Wilson, Kirkpatrick & Partners in 1951. The two engineering firms were founded in 1945 and 1924, respectively.
Sir Cyril Kirkpatrick, Chief Engineer for the Port of London, and his partners were renowned for expertise in civil engineering projects, one being the construction of the concrete caissons, which formed the Mulberry Harbour to facilitate the D-Day landings.
The Company benefited from the expertise of two talented engineers: William Scott and Dr. Guthlac Wilson. Between them they were responsible for such notable projects as the design of the Chiswick and Twickenham bridges over the Thames and perhaps their best-known achievement is the Royal Festival Hall in London.
Scott Wilson became the corporate name in 1997. The Group has expanded organically through a series of acquisitions of former government agencies and of private companies. Of these, a significant event was in 1995 when the Group purchased two of the five former British Rail engineering design offices in Swindon and Glasgow. At the time of their acquisition, these businesses employed approximately 200 staff. Since acquisition, these businesses have been transformed to become the core of the current Company UK -Railways Division, now holding a leading UK market position and a growing force within the international rail market.
Further niche acquisitions followed with the environmental consultancy Cobham Resource Consultants in 1996, Peel & Fowler in May 2002, who provided an entry into the growing health and education property markets, and Knight Piиsold in September 2002, specialising in international power and mining which has allowed the Group to expand in the natural resources sector.
On March 15, 2006, the Company was admitted to the Official List and to trading on the London Stock Exchange.
Post flotation has been five significant acquisitions. The most recent acquisitions were Cameron Taylor and DGP in December 2006.
Ferguson McIlveen LLP was acquired in October 2006, which follows the acquisition of the minority interest in Scott Wilson Pavement Engineering Ltd. in May 2006 and the acquisition of Roscoe Postle Associates in June 2006.
