In a bolt-on acquisition valued at some £11million, professional support services provider Mouchel Parkman has strengthened its position in the water utilities sector.The acquisition of Ewan Group plc enables Mouchel Parkman to offer a broader range of management and technical consultancy services throughout the water sector.Ewan Group is a multi-professional water and utilities consultancy which provides services ranging from asset, infrastructure and facilities management to consultancy support on the European Water Framework Directive and supply-demand management.Ewan Group’s extensive customer base in the regulated sector fits well with that of Mouchel Parkman – both companies working for the majority of UK water plcs – and the combined resources of the two companies in oil, gas and power provides the platform for a more extensive energy consultancy business. Ewan Group’s strong environmental credentials create further opportunity for water and energy efficiency projects and the application of more renewable solutions to our infrastructure needs.“The deal with Ewan Group positions Mouchel Parkman firmly as one of the UK’s top three water consultancy service providers,” says Piers Clark, managing director of Mouchel Parkman’s utilities business. “It gives us the breadth of services and the resource resilience needed to compete effectively for services in the industry’s next AMP cycle.”Vince Ewan, chairman of Ewan Group plc, added: “My management team is looking forward to becoming part of Mouchel Parkman. The combined skills of a larger group position us to play a more significant role in helping the water industry deliver its investment programme over the coming years.”The acquisition of the Ewan Group is one of three deals which Mouchel Parkman has announced today. The company has also bought management consultancy Hornagold and Hills, and Traffic Support Limited in the roads and congestion management field, taking its total spend to £50 million.