Decision Nº M/04/040 from Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, 2004-08-09

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Parties: Babtie Group,Jacobs Engineering
• Date: 09 August 2004
• Decision Number: M/04/040
• Status: Preliminary investigation (Phase 1)
• Court: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (Ireland)
• Decision Date: 09 August 2004

1

Determination No. M/04/040 of the Competition Authority, dated

9 August 2004, under Section 21 of the Competition Act, 2002

Notification No. M/04/040 – The proposed acquisition by Jacobs

Engineering Group Inc of Babtie Group title

Introduction

1. On 12 July 2004 the Competition Authority, in accordance with

Section 18(1) of the Competition Act, 2002 (“the Act”) was notified,

on a mandatory basis, of a proposal whereby Jacobs Engineering

Group Inc (“Jacobs”) would acquire the entire share capital of

Babtie Group Limited (“Babtie”) (“the proposed acquisition”).

The Parties

2. Jacobs, headquartered in the United States, operates worldwide in

the supply of professional technical services to industrial,

commercial and government clients, across numerous industries.

Its Irish subsidiary, Jacobs Engineering Ireland Limited, supplies a

range of services including engineering, architectural, project

management, quantity surveying, procurement, and construction

management.

3. Babtie, headquartered in Scotland, operates internationally in the

supply of technical and management consultancy services across

several industries. In the State, Babtie mainly supplies civil

engineering services related to public sector infrastructure projects.

Analysis

4. The proposed acquisition is global in nature and relates to the

construction industry. Both parties are active in the construction

industry in the State, and their activities overlap in the supply of

engineering consultancy services for public sector infrastructure

projects, particularly highway and water/waste water projects. The

parties submit that the degree of overlap is minimal.

5. Jacobs’ revenue in the State in its most recent financial year, from

engineering consultancy services for public sector projects, was

approximately €[…]. Jacobs generated approximately €[…] from

engineering consultancy services for public sector highway projects,

and approximately €[…] from engineering consultancy services for

public sector water/waste water projects. Of Babtie’s total revenue

of €[…] for the year ended April 2004, it generated approximately

€[…] from engineering consultancy services for public sector