Verdantas acquires civil engineering specialist Watcon

Verdantas, a Columbus-headquartered engineering and environmental consulting firm, has acquired Watcon Consulting Engineers, a Columbus-based civil engineering firm.

Founded in 2000, Watcon focuses on water/sanitary/storm systems, street and roadway design, site evaluation, land planning, and surveying. The firm has a team of six people, according to its website.

"This acquisition is a great fit for both organizations, reaffirming Verdantas' dedication to delivering exceptional services while broadening its capabilities,” said Jesse Kropelnicki, CEO of Verdantas. “Notably, this acquisition is particularly special as it was driven organically by long-standing local relationships within the Verdantas team, reflecting the trust and synergy that underpins our leadership approach and vision for growth forward."Verdantas was launched by private equity firm RTC Partners in January 2022 via the combination of several portfolio companies – Hull & Associates, Duffield Associates, HSW Consulting, GeoInsight, and Alden Research Laboratory, Inc.

At its launch Verdantas had 450 people across 26 offices; today it has nearly 1,000 people in 45 offices nationwide. The company’s practices include environmental assessment and remediation, environmental health and safety, environmental planning, geotechnical engineering, site and roadway civil engineering, process engineering, infrastructure design, and hydrology.

"The inclusion of Watcon brings a wealth of additional experienced leadership and resources into Ohio, positioning Verdantas to continue its growth in that market," Ashley Chang, VP at RTC Partners.

RTC Partners is based in Miami and focuses on lower mid-market companies in professional, business, and healthcare services. The firm specializes in buy-and-build strategies and has completed 50+ transaction since 2017.