Ingerop to strengthen its international presence with the acquisition of Caribbean firm, Guez Caraïbes

Ingerop, a large consultancy specialising in engineering, sustainable mobility, energy transition and the liveable spaces, has acquired the West Indian engineering company Guez Caraïbes. Guez Caraïbes is an independent company with more than 25 years' experience in Guadeloupe, Martinique and Saint-Martin. Guez Caraïbes offers design and project management services in the buildings sector and a strong understanding of the local economic conditions.

Ingerop’s strategy is to achieve closer proximity to its international clients and this latest acquisition will ensure an established base from which to operate in this region.

Founded in 1994 to support the development of major hotel complexes, Guez Caraïbes has earned its reputation for expertise in delivering numerous projects in the private and public sectors in the West Indies including offices, hotels, shopping centres, commercial and industrial buildings, healthcare facilities, educational facilities, cultural centres, sports venues, airport facilities, etc.

With around forty employees, the company achieved a turnover of €5.5 million in 2018. The entire workforce will be joining Ingerop to strengthen the group's building activity and its network in France and overseas.

Ingerop has been active in the West Indies and French Guiana for many years, particularly on the Pointe-à-Pitre University Hospital reconstruction project in Guadeloupe. The local Guez Caraïbes teams already involved in this project will now contribute to the ongoing supervision of this exceptional construction.

Alain-Pierre Grésil, Director of the Ingerop Group's building business division, is delighted with this acquisition. He said:

"I had been hoping for many years that Ingérop would have a presence in the Caribbean. It is a socially and economically dynamic region, to which France is historically attached. Moreover, it is always more difficult to monitor complex and large operations from overseas without the local support of a qualified engineering team. This partnership will contribute to the strengthening and development of both entities while protecting their individual cultures."

Vincent Lagardère, the long-time manager of Guez Caraïbes and one of the main architects of the transaction, supports the integration as a means of ensuring the sustainability of the company in line with its values.

"Thanks to the trust and loyalty of our clients and the engagement of our employees, we have been able to acquire a wealth of experience in a wide variety of sectors over the past 25 years. How can we keep hold of that, how can we ensure the sustainability of the company, how can we not waste the knowledge, value and skills of the Guez Caraïbes team? How can we continue to meet our client expectations? I had to find an answer to all these questions. The answer is with Ingerop. With Ingerop, Guez Caraïbes will continue to develop to provide better services to its clients.”