Fri, 02 May 2025 | BUSINESS SALE
Newcastle-based Black & White Engineering has bought Homan O’Brien, an independent consulting engineering firm based in Ireland.
It said this marked a critical move in its strategy to expand its global presence, particularly in the data centre and infrastructure sectors.
Established in 1990 through the merger of Robert Jacob and Partners and Seamus Homan Associates, Homan O’Brien specialises in mechanical and electrical engineering design services. Their expertise spans various sectors, including data centres, healthcare, education, laboratories, commercial, residential, and industrial facilities.
âââMick Cairns, CEO and Founder of Black & White Engineering said: “We’re incredibly proud to welcome Homan O’Brien to Black & White Engineering, a business that shares our values and drive for excellence. Dublin’s strategic role in the global data centre market makes it the ideal location for strengthening ties with our clients, and establishing a regional headquarters in Ireland is a significant step in our growth journey. Homan O’ Brien’s strong local presence and specialist expertise align perfectly with our ambitions, and I’m thrilled to bring such talented people into our global team. It’s a great fit that unlocks new momentum as we continue to expand internationally.”
Steven Horn, Managing Director at Europe, of Black & White Engineering, added: “Homan O’Brien is well-established in Ireland and its trusted team of experts will further enhance our expanding capabilities in region and support our European data centre projects, enabling us to deliver even greater value to both our existing and new clients.”
Black & White Engineering operates across 18 cities worldwide with over 700 employees. With over 15 years of innovation, Black & White has seen rapid growth, achieving a 500% increase in size since 2020, and is highly regarded across industry for its technical excellence, data centre sector expertise and sustainable delivery across complex infrastructure projects.
Simon O’Brien, Managing Director of Homan O’Brien, commented: “This is an exciting next step for our business. We remain committed to our clients and the team we have built, while gaining the scale and support of being part of Black & White to accelerate our growth and deliver more for our staff and clients.”
The acquisition is backed by Waterland, an independent investment group that partnered with Black & White Engineering in 2024 to support its rapid growth strategy.
The two businesses will begin working together immediately, with future plans to scale and expand the team in Ireland to deliver a growing pipeline of regional and international projects.
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