Browne Jacobson advises Phenna Group as it expands its presence in Ireland

UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson has advised Phenna Group on its acquisition of Testall Construction Testing Services Limited, a leading provider of materials testing and geotechnical services in Ireland. 

The transaction is Phenna Group’s 21st M&A deal this year and the sixth deal Browne Jacobson has supported on this year across the UK and Ireland. It brings the number of companies within Phenna Group’s Infrastructure division to 23 as it continues to expand its capabilities and geographical reach and further strengthen its position as a market leader across the UK and Ireland. 

Phenna Group, headquartered in Nottingham, is a leading global provider of testing, inspection, certification and compliance (TICC) services. It invests in and partners with selected niche, independent TICC companies across a variety of sectors, delivering first-class testing and assurance services to ensure customers’ peace of mind.  

Testall has built a strong reputation for its expertise in materials testing, site investigation and geotechnical analysis, serving clients across both the public and private sectors, supporting major infrastructure, construction and civil engineering projects. As a trusted partner to contractors and consultants throughout Ireland, it is known for its technical competence, responsive service and focus on quality. Testall will become part of Simtec, a specialist materials testing business within Phenna Group which also recently acquired CTS in Northern Ireland.

The Browne Jacobson team was led by Gavin Bluett, Partner in the firm’s Irish corporate team. He was supported by an Ireland and UK-based team, including Partners William Darmody and Matt Bolton and Nadine Cannon, Associate in the Irish corporate team.  

Gavin Bluett, Corporate Partner at Browne Jacobson, commented: "Expanding its presence in the Irish market represents another significant milestone for Phenna Group, and we're proud to continue supporting the Group in its international expansion strategy, strengthening its position across both the UK and Ireland." 

Matt Bolton, Client Relationship Partner at Browne Jacobson, added: “We’re delighted to close our first Irish M&A deal for Phenna Group, which is a fantastic example of our UK and Ireland team demonstrating its reach and joined up approach to deliver for a key client.” 

Recent deals the firm has supported Phenna Group with include the acquisition of Northern Ireland company Construction Testing Services (which was another acquisition for Simtec) and the acquisition of forklift inspections and compliance specialist Statutory Inspections Limited.