Punch Consulting Engineers joins Cowi
International consulting group Cowi has acquired Punch Consulting Engineers. The move creates a combined headcount of more than 300 staff across Europe.
Founded in Limerick in 1973, Punch Consulting Engineers has since grown into one of Ireland’s leading multidisciplinary engineering consultancies. The business has offices in Dublin, Limerick, Cork and Galway, as well as Glasgow and Macclesfield.
Meanwhile, Cowi is an international consulting group, specialising in engineering, environmental science and economics, with headquarters located in Lyngby, Denmark. First launched in 1930, the firm has since been involved in more than 50,000 projects in 175 countries and has approximately 7,300 employees, including engineers, biologists, geologists, economists, surveyors, anthropologists, sociologists and architects
Cowi has recently been looking to expand its presence in Ireland – opening an office in Dublin in 2025. Following its involvement in major projects supporting Ireland’s green transition, including district heating and offshore wind, it has further expanded capacity with the move for Punch.
Cowi executive vice president UK and international Andy Sloan said, “The acquisition reinforces our strategic commitment to the country’s green future and sustainable development. We’ll also be able to position ourselves for growth to over 300 employees, empowering a stronger future-ready engineering team in Ireland.”
The move is also billed to create new opportunities for staff across the combined business, giving teams access to wider international expertise, larger and more complex projects. Following the acquisition, Punch Consulting Engineers will become part of Cowi’s UK and Ireland business and will be known as Punch Consulting Engineers, a Cowi company.
Punch managing director Tim Murnane added, “We are very excited for Punch to become part of the Cowi Group at a seminal time in the development of our country. Responding to the unprecedented level of infrastructure investment planned by our government, requires the best global expertise and the best local knowledge to ensure we deliver for our clients and country.”
