AMEC, an international provider of engineering and project management services to the energy, power and process industries, has acquired US-based Geomatrix Consultants, a technical consulting and engineering firm, for £43 million.

The deal sees the owner-manager exit with a £32.3 million cash payment, leaving the outstanding balance to be paid over the next two years.

Geomatrix Consultants is the latest in a string of acquisitions of small environmental consultancy businesses that will enable AMEC to expand its Earth and Environment Division. The Californian company offers environmental, geotechnical and water resources services and will broaden AMEC’s reach geographically and across the oil and gas, industrial, mining and municipal sectors.

Sanir Brikho, AMEC chief executive, said: “With services from environmental impact assessment to remediation, Earth and Environment is an important differentiator in AMEC’s portfolio of services. Geomatrix will significantly enhance our geographic coverage and our ability to provide customers with high value consultancy services.”