Two longstanding Guernsey engineering consultancies have merged to form a new practice, which will now be known as Babbé McCathie.

The two companies, McCathie Associates Limited and The Don Babbé Practice, were both founded in 1990 and have since completed in excess of seven thousand commissions ranging from small extensions to multi-storey, complex commercial properties.

Under the Babbé McCathie banner, they will continue to trade as normal while offering clients an extended range of services, including project management, consultancy and guidance, civil and structural design and advanced engineering solutions. 

Don Babbé, the founder and principal of the Don Babbé Practice, said the merger was a natural progression for both companies, especially as they had the same outlook and approach to doing business as well as hard won reputations for attention to detail and personal service.

'The merger with McCathie Associates will give us a good platform for continued success and growth and, as well as giving us greater strength in depth, it will also add to our existing knowledge and expertise,' he said.

'Over the last 24 years, we have prided ourselves on adopting new and innovative solutions to architectural and engineering problems, and this has helped keep the practice focused and energized. Now, as part of the enhanced Babbé team, we can offer an even higher level of structural engineering expertise as well as unrivalled local knowledge, something that is especially important in light of increasing demands for trusted and proven professional advice,' added Mr Babbé .

Ian Bashforth, the managing director of McCathie Associates, stressed that it would still be 'business as usual' for both firms, but that their joint resources and capacity would allow them to take on bigger and more complex projects.

'Supported by a history of high quality service delivery, McCathie Associates is embracing the opportunity to expand existing capabilities and develop new prospects,' he said. ''We will have the skills and capacity of a larger business, but will retain the flexibility, responsiveness and imagination that have made served both companies so well in the past.' 

However, while the merger also gives Babbé  McCathie access to the additional resources of McCathie's parent company - the T & G Group - Mr Bashforth, who is also Group chairman, was keen to stress that their focus would remain the Guernsey market and that they were looking to maintain all existing relationships.

'It's important that our existing partners, contractors and suppliers recognize that both McCathie Associates and The Don Babbé Practice are committed to working with and supporting those people we regularly do business with, as they have brought us to where we are today, and we look forward to working with all of our clients, new and old, for many years to come,' said Mr Bashforth.

Pictures:
L- Ian Bashforth
R - Don Babbé