RSK adds BTW Company to expand New Zealand footprint

RSK has added New Zealand consultancy BTW Company to its group, bringing about 100 staff into its operations in the country.

BTW is a multidisciplinary consultancy spanning surveying, engineering, planning, environmental science and geospatial services. It operates from five North Island offices in New Plymouth, Hamilton, Taupō, Taumarunui and Raglan, and delivers projects across New Zealand.

The acquisition expands RSK's presence in New Zealand and broadens its work in water, infrastructure, energy and digital services. BTW also brings experience in land development, local government and Māori land and assets.

Founded in 1973, BTW provides civil, structural and geotechnical engineering alongside surveying, planning and resource management. Its service lines also include environmental science, geographic information systems, building information modelling, unmanned aerial vehicles and light detection and ranging work.

A notable part of the consultancy's water work is Wai-eye, an integrated three-waters asset assessment programme developed with councils and water suppliers. It combines unmanned aerial vehicles, lidar, remote sensing, environmental science and monitoring to support asset assessment and decision-making under New Zealand's freshwater management framework.

BTW has worked on projects across renewable energy, community development and local authority infrastructure. These include support for the Te Rahui solar farm near Taupō, planning and environmental advice for Ngāmotu Marae, hydrogen refuelling infrastructure at Tauriko, and an infrastructure consultancy programme for Ruapehu District Council.

The deal strengthens RSK's wider position in Asia Pacific, where the group has been building its operations in Australia and New Zealand as part of a broader international expansion strategy.

Alan Ryder, Group Chief Executive Officer at RSK, outlined the rationale for the acquisition.

"BTW is a highly respected New Zealand consultancy with strong technical capability, trusted client relationships and a culture that closely aligns with RSK. Its strengths in water, infrastructure, environmental science, surveying and digital delivery make it a strong strategic fit as we build our Asia Pacific platform and support clients facing increasingly complex environmental and infrastructure challenges," said Alan Ryder, Group Chief Executive Officer at RSK.

BTW's management structure will remain in place following the transaction, with Grant Aitken continuing to lead the business as Managing Director.

"Joining RSK gives BTW the scale, technical depth and international network to support the next stage of our growth while maintaining the local relationships, regional presence and values that have shaped the business for more than 50 years. Our clients will continue to work with the same trusted team, with access to a broader range of specialist expertise and delivery capacity," said Aitken.

Regional reach

The addition of BTW gives RSK a larger footprint in the North Island and a stronger position in sectors where public and private investment has remained active, including water infrastructure, renewable energy and land development. For local authorities and utility clients, BTW's mix of engineering, planning, environmental and digital services combines field data collection with project design and advisory work.

The consultancy's work with Māori organisations is also part of its profile in New Zealand. In the Ngāmotu Marae project, BTW provided planning and environmental advice, including the restoration of a sacred waterway and the creation of ecological habitat as part of the design.

In energy, BTW supported Nova Energy and Meridian Energy on the 400 MW Te Rahui solar farm near Taupō during the planning and consenting stages. It also worked with Waitomo Group and Hiringa Energy on hydrogen refuelling infrastructure at Tauriko, reflecting demand for new transport and energy assets.

Steve Abbott, Divisional and Board Director at RSK, said the acquisition strengthens the group's local base in the market.

"BTW gives RSK a stronger local presence in New Zealand, backed by deep regional knowledge and long-standing relationships across local government, infrastructure, land development and environmental markets. We see significant opportunity to support BTW's continued growth while connecting clients to wider RSK capability where it adds value, particularly in water, digital asset insight and sustainable infrastructure delivery," said Abbott.

BTW's business model includes certified quality and health and safety systems, as well as Toitū Envirocare Gold environmental certification. Its use of digital tools in surveying, mapping and asset assessment has been a feature of its work with councils, water suppliers and infrastructure clients across the country.