Sutcliffe bought by Venn

The Liverpool-based engineering and surveying firm has been acquired by Venn HoldCo, which is building up a roster of similar businesses.

Sutcliffe, which turned 40 last year and employs 70 staff, will continue to be run day to day by chief executive Sean Keyes, who has been with the business since 2001.

With investment from buy-and-build outfit Venn, Sutcliffe hopes to grow its turnover to £10m over the next three years. The business reported income of £6.5m during the last financial year.

“The demand on our industry isn’t going away. The country needs more homes, better schools and hospitals, and the engineers, surveyors, planners and skilled trades needed to deliver them,” Keyes said.

“Sutcliffe has always been a Liverpool business at heart, but the work our clients need from us continues to grow. This partnership [with Venn] gives us the long-term backing to build on what we have achieved over the last 40 years.”

Keyes was keen to emphasise that, for clients, it would be a case of business as usual.

“The things that matter most won’t change. We are the same firm, with the same people and the same values,” he said.

“We want to get the work done properly, train the next generation and continue contributing to the communities in which we work.”

Venn was founded by Johannes Huttunen, an former partner at HIG Capital, in 2024.

Venn’s strategy is to bring together built environment consultants and provide them with investment and support to help them grow.

“Sutcliffe is exactly the kind of business Venn was created to back,” Huttunen said.

“It has four decades of profitable trading, loyal clients across housing, healthcare and education, and a genuine commitment to training and developing its own people.”

Sutcliffe was advised on the transaction by DSG Accountants and law firm Napthens.