Colliers has strengthened its engineering and design offering with the acquisition of engineering, design, and survey firm Craig & Rhodes.

Craig & Rhodes was founded in 1923 and has 120 professionals based in NSW.

The move grows Colliers’ engineering and design (CED) business to more than 250 experts and bolsters its resources targeting development of some of the fastest growing regions in the country.

It will enhance CED’s ability to meet burgeoning development demand in Western Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, which has been highlighted by the Greater Cities Commission as essential for addressing acute housing shortage and projected population growth.

Craig & Rhodes has already assisted the development of 20,000 residential lots in Sydney’s growth areas, with an associated construction value of around $2 billion.

CED’s Managing Director Brent Thomas said the expansion will also enhance the firm’s planning, urban design and engineering solutions.

“More of our clients are looking to integrate traditional agency and adjacent services, wanting a single partner who can value or transact a site and then de-risk through supporting infrastructure planning, engineering, and approvals,” Thomas said.

“As the engineering, planning and urban design professions become increasingly collaborative with other areas of expertise throughout the project lifecycle, we know integrated insights can provide much better project outcomes for our clients.”

Vertical integration also empowers Craig & Rhodes with additional resources and capabilities, while providing greater career opportunities for employees, according to Craig & Rhodes CEO Andrew Halmarick, who will lead CED’s NSW operations.

“We are extremely excited to be partnering with a globally respected firm and international platform that will accelerate our growth allow us to successfully deliver some the the largest and most complex projects,” Halmarick said.