Our history is really about the future. Being prepared for society´s needs and challenges has always been the foundation of our business. From the Industrial Revolution to today´s global urbanisation trend, we know that the communities and cities of tomorrow will always be different from those of yesterday – and that it will remain our job to stay one step ahead.
Sweco’s history is based on engineers and architects working across the globe.
Since our establishment in the late 19th century, these professions have evolved and are now crucial to today´s sustainable urban development. Sweco started to grow to meet customers’ needs for a wide range of specialist expertise. Since the early 2000s, Sweco has acquired nearly 100 companies.
Our capacity to grow through acquisition has propelled us to the leading position we hold today. Our philosophy when merging with other companies is that the sum is greater than its parts. This strategy has proved highly beneficial to our customers, colleagues and shareholders.
Our Belgian history
The cradle of our organisation
Under the name Belgroma, Sweco already started in Belgium in 1956. In 1992, BnS Engineering joins the group. In 2012, the various entities (Grontmij Vlaanderen, Grontmij Industry, Libost-Groep and Grontmij Wallonie) were merged into the operating company Grontmij Belgium. Since 2016, we have organised all our operational activities under the name Sweco Belgium.
Growth of the network in Belgium
Sweco’s growth takes off as the result of consecutive acquisitions of established consulting and engineering firms:
- 1998-1999: Studiebureau Verschave, Studiebureau Clerckx, Atenco, De Neuter & Associés, Styfhals Ingenieursbureau
- 2008: phased acquisition Libost-Groep
- 2009: Studiebureel Stokmans and Econnection
- 2011: Studiebureau G.V.E. and mobile mapping activities of GeoInvent
- 2017: M&R Engineering, Snoeck & Partners and HaskoningDHV Belgium (Asset Purchase Agreement)
- 2018: Nexilis and Planet Engineering
- 2019: Pythagoras
- 2020: Studiebureau Talboom, Talboom PharmaChem, Temco (handelsfonds), SGI Ingénieurs and A-RES
- 2021: BUUR, Arcade Concept Engineering and Boydens Engineering
- 2022: Vitech, AB Soil Remediation Experts, RK-TEC, Venac, V2S and Futureproofed
- 2023: VK architects+engineers, DS Engineering, FPC Risk
However, the organisation does not just grow through acquisitions. New activities are started and companies are founded. Sweco is also growing fast in project management of complex infrastructure projects.
Our history
How did we become who we are today? You will discover it in this video.