A Suffolk firm specialising in structural and civil engineering has undergone a merger with a multidisciplinary Canadian construction company which boasts strong links to the region.
Ipswich-based Superstructures is now part of the Zenon Group, as the two organisations look to boost their presence across the UK.
Superstructures’ directors, James Potter and Mark Hayward, have become shareholders in the Zenon Group, with James taking up the role of UK Managing Director and Mark becoming UK Director of Structural and Civil Engineering.
Zenon’s former Managing Director for the UK, Mark Brenton, has now been promoted to its CEO for Europe.
James said: “This is an exciting and positive move for Superstructures.
“We will continue to be headquartered in Ipswich, but with Superstructures already having a presence in Cambridge, we will be combining to work from our new office in the city on Regent Street.
“By sitting under the Zenon Group umbrella, we aren’t losing our identity; we are gaining their resources. Mark and I becoming shareholders means we are directly tied to Zenon’s success, ensuring that Superstructures has a massive stake in where this group goes next.
“The merger enables immense prospects for growth, not just around our capabilities and geographical spread, but it also offers our existing team at Superstructures the opportunity to progress their careers across our UK offices based in Ipswich, Cambridge, London and Darlington, as well as in Canada.
“It also gives them the scope to work with other parts of the group, to tackle larger, multi-disciplinary projects, both here in the UK and abroad.”
The firm has stressed existing contracts, support services and points of contact will remain unchanged throughout the integration period.
The Vancouver-based group is led by Suffolk-born CEO Conrad Schartau, who expressed his excitement to spend more time in the county.
Conrad added: “This merger marks a significant milestone for both organisations.
“The transition is rooted in our values, our collective drive for excellence, human-centred relationships, and a commitment to our core sustainability goals.
“By combining forces, the group now provides a more comprehensive suite of engineering services, creating a unique competitive edge through integrated expertise and a focus on high-quality delivery, as well as positioning us to expand our operational capability in the UK.
“I grew up in Suffolk and went to school in Stowmarket. I moved to Canada over 20 years ago. Still, I am an avid Ipswich Town Football Club fan, so I am looking forward to spending more time coming back ‘home’ and finding every opportunity I can to go along to Portman Road to watch the matches.”
