DPS Group, the Irish engineering and project management group, has acquired F4PE, a Belgian specialised engineering group which provides high quality services in the field of clean rooms and process facilities for production and laboratory facilities. The terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.

This is the first acquisition by DPS Group in Continental Europe, although the group already has existing operations in Belgium and the Netherlands. DPS has also made a series of acquisitions in the United States in the past five years.

F4PE offers services ranging from basic design, through full commissioning and qualification of complete facilities. With a group of 35 highly specialised engineers and designers, F4PE supports clients in the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology sector with their facility investments. The company has a turnover of approximately €5 million.

DPS Chief Operations Officer Brian Donohoe said that the group’s existing operations in Belgium will be integrated with those of F4PE, and the combined operations will have 70 personnel serving clients in the pharma and biotech sectors.

“The combination of F4PE’s local presence and engineering and construction management capability, combined with DPS Group’s Centre of Excellence offices in Dublin and Cork, will enable us to significantly improve the service we offer clients in Belgium. I’m particularly delighted that all of the F4PE management team and senior managers will be remaining with the expanding company under the direction of DPS-F4PE Managing Director Alain Ruys,” Mr Donohoe said.

“Expanding in Europe is a core element in our strategy and acquiring an excellent business like F4PE, with its excellent management and staff, fits in perfectly with the strategy of having strong local engineering capabilities to better serve our clients,” Mr Donohoe added.