Global engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald has entered into an agreement to acquire Australian civil contractor Leed Engineering & Construction as part of plans to expand integrated infrastructure delivery capabilities across Australia’s growing water sector.
The acquisition will combine Mott MacDonald’s engineering and consultancy expertise with Leed’s construction capabilities to create a fully integrated design and construction offering focused on water and civil infrastructure projects.
Leed Engineering & Construction, founded in 2001, employs more than 350 people across offices in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The company delivers projects in metropolitan, regional and remote areas across Australia.
The business specialises in civil construction and engineering projects covering water infrastructure, dams, environmental works, roads, bridges and earthworks.
Leed currently works with organisations including SA Water, Coliban Water, Snowy Hydro Ltd and multiple state government climate, environment and water departments.
Mott MacDonald targets integrated water infrastructure delivery
The acquisition reflects growing demand for integrated infrastructure delivery models as utilities and governments accelerate investment in water resilience, climate adaptation and major civil infrastructure upgrades.
Mott MacDonald said the partnership would strengthen its ability to deliver large-scale water infrastructure projects through combined design and construction expertise.
The company already operates a major integrated delivery business in the UK through Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB), which provides engineering, design, construction and commissioning services to the UK water sector.
MMB employs nearly 3,000 people and has become a significant delivery partner for UK water utility infrastructure programmes.
Mott MacDonald said the Australian acquisition would support a similar integrated approach within the region’s expanding infrastructure market.
Australian water investment driving sector growth
Australia’s water sector is undergoing significant investment as utilities respond to climate pressures, population growth, ageing assets and increasing resilience requirements.
Water security, drought resilience and environmental management projects are continuing to drive demand for engineering and construction expertise across both urban and regional areas.
According to Mott MacDonald, the partnership with Leed Engineering & Construction will help position the combined business to support increasingly complex water infrastructure programmes.
Leed’s current management structure will remain in place following the acquisition, with managing director Craig Laslett continuing to lead the business.
Mott MacDonald said the Leed team would also benefit from the integrated design-and-build expertise developed through JN Bentley and Mott MacDonald Bentley in the UK.
Executives highlight long-term infrastructure opportunity
Adrian Jones, Mott MacDonald’s regional managing director for Asia Pacific, New Zealand and Australia, said the Australian infrastructure market continues to experience strong demand, particularly within the water sector.
He said combining the capabilities of Mott MacDonald and Leed would strengthen technical expertise and support the delivery of fully integrated design and construction services.
Paul Bentley, managing director of JN Bentley, said Leed had developed a strong reputation for delivering technically challenging infrastructure projects across Australia.
Craig Laslett, managing director of Leed Engineering & Construction, said the partnership comes during a period of significant investment in Australian water and civil infrastructure.
For more on global water infrastructure investment and engineering projects, visit our Water Management coverage.
