Key Points
- Belfast-headquartered AM Consulting Engineers (AMCE) has acquired Brighton-based structural and civil engineering consultancy Haworth McCall, marking its second UK acquisition in less than 12 months.
- The acquisition adds eight employees to AMCE, increasing its combined workforce to approximately 50 people.
- Haworth McCall, established in Brighton in 2014 by Des McCall and Brendan Haworth, specialises in low-carbon and sustainable design, conservation engineering, and structural engineering for commercial and residential developments.
- The transaction follows AMCE’s January 2026 acquisition of Coventry-based engineering consultancy Bridges Pound, which doubled its workforce to approximately 40 employees.
- AMCE operates across Belfast, Cork, Coventry and Brighton, with plans to increase its workforce to more than 100 employees over the next three years.
- The acquisition strengthens AMCE’s capabilities in civil, structural and geotechnical engineering, particularly in building design, historic conservation and sustainable construction.
- Haworth McCall will retain its name, team and established working arrangements, continuing to serve clients from Brighton and Belfast.
- AMCE has recently expanded its Belfast headquarters at Jennymount Business Park by taking an additional floor to accommodate its growing workforce.
- The company has been involved in major infrastructure projects, including the £82 million Narrow Water Bridge and Enfield Wastewater Treatment Works.
- AMCE Managing Director Aidan McCarthy and Haworth McCall Partner and Managing Director Desmond McCall highlighted the strategic benefits of combining their engineering expertise.
- The acquisition reflects continued consolidation in the UK engineering consultancy sector, as businesses seek specialist expertise, wider geographical coverage and greater capacity to undertake complex construction and infrastructure projects.
What Does the Haworth McCall Acquisition Mean for AM Consulting Engineers?
Belfast-based AM Consulting Engineers has acquired structural and civil engineering consultancy Haworth McCall, strengthening its UK presence and expanding its technical capabilities across the construction and infrastructure sectors. The transaction represents AMCE’s second UK acquisition in less than a year, following its purchase of Coventry-based Bridges Pound in January 2026. By bringing Haworth McCall’s eight employees into the business, AMCE has increased its combined workforce to approximately 50 people and reinforced its position as a growing multidisciplinary engineering consultancy. The company has also outlined an ambition to exceed 100 employees over the next three years, reflecting its plans to expand its geographical reach, broaden its engineering services and pursue larger and more complex projects across the UK and Ireland.
The acquisition is significant because it brings together complementary engineering capabilities rather than simply increasing the acquiring company’s employee numbers. AMCE has developed expertise in civil, structural and geotechnical engineering, particularly across water, wastewater, transportation and infrastructure projects. Haworth McCall adds established capabilities in building structures, low-carbon design and the restoration of historic properties.
For the wider Construction and Civil Engineering sector, the transaction illustrates how specialist engineering businesses can expand their service portfolios and geographical coverage through acquisitions. It also highlights the importance of combining technical knowledge, established client relationships and experienced engineering teams to compete for increasingly complex projects.
Why Did AM Consulting Engineers Acquire Haworth McCall?
The acquisition forms part of AMCE’s broader growth strategy, which involves expanding its engineering capabilities through the integration of established specialist businesses. Rather than relying exclusively on organic recruitment and business development, the Belfast consultancy has pursued acquisitions to bring additional technical expertise and experienced professionals into its organisation.
According to Gary McDonald of The Irish News, the latest transaction follows AMCE’s acquisition of Bridges Pound, a Coventry-based civil and structural engineering firm, in January 2026. That transaction doubled AMCE’s workforce to approximately 40 employees, providing a stronger operational base for its expansion across the UK.
The addition of Haworth McCall takes the combined workforce to approximately 50. More importantly, the acquisition provides AMCE with specialist knowledge in areas that complement its existing engineering services.
The integration is expected to strengthen the company’s ability to undertake a wider range of building and infrastructure projects. By combining expertise in structural design, civil engineering, geotechnical services and sustainable construction, AMCE can offer clients a broader range of technical capabilities.
The transaction also supports its ambition to establish a stronger presence in important UK regional markets. Brighton provides access to clients and projects in southern England, complementing the company’s existing operations in Belfast and Coventry.
Who Is Haworth McCall and What Does the Consultancy Specialise In?
Haworth McCall is a structural and civil engineering consultancy established in Brighton in 2014 by Des McCall and Brendan Haworth. The business has developed expertise in engineering design for commercial and residential developments, alongside specialist work involving historic buildings and sustainable construction.
Its capabilities include structural engineering, conservation engineering and low-carbon design. These services are particularly relevant to construction projects that require a balance between structural performance, environmental considerations and the preservation of existing buildings.
The consultancy’s experience in conservation engineering is an important addition to AMCE’s existing portfolio. Working with historic buildings often requires specialist assessments of existing structures, careful selection of construction materials and engineering solutions that preserve architectural features while meeting modern safety and performance requirements.
Its low-carbon design expertise also complements the growing importance of environmental considerations within the construction industry. Developers, property owners and infrastructure organisations increasingly need engineering solutions that address energy efficiency, material use and the environmental impact of construction.
The acquisition therefore provides AMCE with access to a specialist team that can contribute to projects requiring both conventional structural engineering and more specialised design approaches.
How Many Employees Will Join AM Consulting Engineers Following the Deal?
The acquisition brings eight Haworth McCall employees into AMCE, taking the combined workforce to approximately 50 people.
This follows the January 2026 acquisition of Bridges Pound, which increased AMCE’s employee numbers to around 40. The two transactions demonstrate how the consultancy has used acquisitions to accelerate its workforce expansion and strengthen its technical resources.
The increase in employee numbers is also relevant to the company’s longer-term growth ambitions. AMCE intends to expand its workforce to more than 100 employees over the next three years.
Achieving that target would require the company to more than double its current workforce. Its acquisition strategy provides one route towards that objective, while continued recruitment and the development of existing operations could also contribute to future expansion.
For engineering consultancies, workforce growth is closely connected to the ability to manage multiple projects, provide specialist technical services and meet client requirements across different geographical locations.
The addition of experienced professionals from Haworth McCall also gives AMCE access to established knowledge and working relationships rather than requiring it to develop all these capabilities internally.
Will Haworth McCall Continue Operating Under Its Existing Name?
Haworth McCall is expected to retain its name and existing team following the acquisition. Its established operations and working arrangements will also continue, allowing the consultancy to maintain continuity for clients and employees.
This approach provides an opportunity for AMCE to benefit from the acquisition while preserving the identity and specialist expertise that Haworth McCall has developed since its establishment in 2014.
Maintaining the existing team is particularly important for consultancy businesses, where client relationships, technical knowledge and project experience are closely connected to individual professionals.
The arrangement also allows Haworth McCall to continue serving its existing client base while benefiting from the wider resources and geographical presence of AMCE.
For clients, continuity in project teams and established professional relationships can help minimise disruption during a business acquisition. It can also provide access to a wider range of engineering capabilities when projects require expertise beyond the original consultancy’s service offering.
What Was AM Consulting Engineers’ Previous Acquisition?
Before acquiring Haworth McCall, AMCE completed the acquisition of Bridges Pound in January 2026.
Bridges Pound is a Coventry-based civil and structural engineering consultancy. Its integration into AMCE doubled the company’s workforce to approximately 40 employees and represented an important step in its UK expansion strategy.
The two acquisitions demonstrate a consistent approach to growth through established engineering businesses. Both transactions have expanded AMCE’s geographical reach and increased the range of technical expertise available within the organisation.
The acquisition of Bridges Pound strengthened its presence in the Midlands, while Haworth McCall adds an established operation in Brighton and southern England.
Together, these transactions provide AMCE with a broader operational footprint and access to engineering professionals in several important UK locations.
The strategy also reflects a wider business consideration within professional engineering services: acquiring an established consultancy can provide immediate access to experienced staff, existing clients and specialist capabilities that may take considerable time to develop through organic growth.
How Is AM Consulting Engineers Expanding Its Belfast Headquarters?
Alongside its acquisition strategy, AMCE has also invested in expanding its existing facilities in Belfast.
The company has taken an additional floor at its headquarters in Jennymount Business Park to accommodate its growing workforce and provide additional operational capacity.
The expansion reflects the company’s increasing requirements as it integrates new employees and develops its engineering operations.
For a consultancy managing projects across different locations, office capacity and appropriate working facilities are important considerations. Additional space can support collaboration between technical teams, project coordination and the delivery of engineering services.
The Belfast headquarters also remains an important part of AMCE’s wider operations, complementing its presence in Cork, Coventry and Brighton.
The combination of acquisitions and investment in existing facilities indicates that the company’s expansion strategy involves both geographical development and the strengthening of its operational infrastructure.
Which Major Infrastructure Projects Has AM Consulting Engineers Worked On?
AMCE has been involved in a range of infrastructure and engineering projects, including the £82 million Narrow Water Bridge and Enfield Wastewater Treatment Works.
The Narrow Water Bridge project is an important infrastructure development connecting Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Such projects require coordination across multiple engineering disciplines, including structural design, civil engineering and infrastructure planning.
Wastewater treatment projects, meanwhile, involve engineering systems designed to support water management, environmental protection and the effective treatment of wastewater.
AMCE’s involvement in these types of developments demonstrates the breadth of its engineering experience and the importance of technical expertise in delivering complex infrastructure.
The acquisition of Haworth McCall adds complementary building engineering and conservation capabilities to this existing project experience.
This combination could support the company’s ability to serve a wider range of clients across construction, infrastructure, commercial development and property-related engineering.
What Did AM Consulting Engineers’ Management Say About the Acquisition?
AMCE Managing Director Aidan McCarthy has been central to the company’s expansion strategy, with the acquisition of Haworth McCall representing another step in its plans to develop a larger engineering consultancy.
The transaction brings together businesses with complementary technical capabilities and established operations in different geographical markets.
Haworth McCall Partner and Managing Director Desmond McCall also highlighted the significance of the development for the consultancy and its future operations.
The acquisition provides Haworth McCall with the opportunity to become part of a larger engineering organisation while retaining its established identity and team.
The combination is intended to strengthen the technical resources available to both businesses and create opportunities to undertake a broader range of engineering projects.
The financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed in the available reporting. Turley Legal advised on the deal.
What Does the Acquisition Mean for the UK Construction and Engineering Sector?
The acquisition highlights the continued importance of consolidation and strategic expansion within the UK engineering consultancy sector.
Engineering businesses increasingly need access to specialist professionals, technical resources and regional markets to remain competitive. Acquisitions provide an established route to securing these capabilities while expanding the range of services available to clients.
AMCE’s purchase of Haworth McCall demonstrates how a consultancy can strengthen its position by combining infrastructure engineering experience with specialist building design and conservation capabilities.
The development is also relevant to the wider Project Management and Management disciplines, as acquisitions of professional services businesses require effective integration planning, workforce coordination, operational oversight and long-term strategic management.
In construction and civil engineering, successful project delivery depends on collaboration between different technical disciplines. A broader engineering organisation can potentially coordinate more complex assignments by drawing on a wider range of in-house expertise.
However, the long-term benefits of acquisitions depend on how effectively businesses integrate their teams, maintain service quality and preserve existing client relationships.
For AMCE, retaining Haworth McCall’s established name and team provides a basis for maintaining continuity while developing the benefits of a larger organisation.
What Are AM Consulting Engineers’ Future Expansion Plans?
AMCE has set an ambition to increase its workforce to more than 100 employees over the next three years.
With approximately 50 employees following the latest acquisition, the company has made significant progress towards that objective through its two UK transactions in 2026.
Its presence across Belfast, Cork, Coventry and Brighton provides a foundation for further geographical development, while its expanded technical capabilities create opportunities to pursue a wider range of engineering assignments.
Future growth will depend on the company’s ability to maintain its existing operations, develop new client relationships and recruit or acquire the specialist professionals required to support its expansion.
The acquisition of Haworth McCall represents another milestone in that process, adding eight employees and strengthening AMCE’s expertise in structural engineering, sustainable design and conservation.
The transaction also demonstrates the role of strategic acquisitions in the development of engineering consultancies operating across regional and national markets.
As the UK construction and infrastructure sectors continue to require specialist technical services, businesses with multidisciplinary expertise and established regional operations may be better positioned to respond to complex project requirements.
For AMCE, the latest acquisition provides an expanded platform for its next stage of growth, with its target of exceeding 100 employees over the next three years setting a clear direction for the business.