The merged firm has almost 1,000 employees in the UK

锘縍amboll has bought fellow engineer and public sector specialist Gifford to create one of the largest engineering consultants in the UK.

The move means Ramboll UK now rivals Buro Happold in size, with almost 1,000 employees.

Ramboll UK is part of Ramboll Group, the Danish-based engineering group that has over 9,000 staff and a 鈧�810m turnover.

Charles McBeath, Ramboll鈥檚 UK managing director, said: 鈥淥ne of the drivers is to strengthen the Ramboll position in the UK. We have always recognised that our reputation is high in the building sector. But we need to strengthen in the infrastructure and environmental sectors.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a major shakeup within the major players,鈥� he said.

Gifford is largely focused on the UK public sector, and McBeath said that this would complement Ramboll鈥檚 private sector bias. He said despite public sector cuts now was the right time to grow.

鈥淭his is a unique time to prepare ourselves for when the economy improves, which it is beginning to do.鈥� Of the public sector, he said: 鈥淭hat market will come back.鈥�

He did not say how much the deal had cost Ramboll, but did reveal that it had been negotiated from Denmark.

In 2010 Gifford had 605 staff, more than Ramboll UK鈥檚 446, with 147 chartered engineers, slightly fewer than Ramboll UK鈥檚 178. As a result of the acquisition, Ramboll UK is now the eleventh biggest engineer, by chartered staff, in the country.

Gifford is an LLP, and in 2009 had a turnover of 拢42m and a pre-tax profit of 拢3.5m. The bulk of its business is in education, health, road and rail.

McBeath said the Gifford name would remain 鈥渋n the near future鈥� but would eventually be rebranded as Ramboll.

He said that he was 鈥渘ot currently planning鈥� any major changes to Gifford as a result of the deal.

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