T&T’s takeover of Alinea has met with mixed emotions, why?

By Chloë McCulloch2023-02-16T07:00:00

There has been some sadness and disappointment at the deal, but also admiration for the flag-bearer for independent QS firms

It is one of those business deals that sets everyone chattering. When news broke last week that Turner & Townsend had swallowed up Alinea, none of the QS firms, contractors or clients we spoke to had seen it coming.

On the face of it this is a straightforward success story: a small plucky business hitting the big times. “Well done and good luck” - would be the normal reaction. And it has been, but only to a certain extent – and that is because Alinea had come to represent something a bit different to people in the market.

Yes, it only employs 110 staff – a minnow compared to T&T’s 10,000 – but its origin story is compelling, with the founders cutting their teeth at Davis Langdon and EC Harris before those proud British brands disappeared after takeovers by Aecom and Arcadis respectively.

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