CAG Group joins forces with SOCOTEC Group

Wed 05/07/2023 - 10:36

CAG Group is joining forces with the SOCOTEC Group, a leading international player in Testing, Inspection and Certification (“TIC”) services in the construction and infrastructure sectors in 25 countries.

This gives CAG one financially strong partner with extensive experience in the TIC market, with which to continue its growth in the future. SOCOTEC is acquiring the entire majority share of Gate Invest, the investment fund of the Vermaat family, thus finalising its investment in CAG Group.

CAG Group joins forces with SOCOTEC

Reeuwijk, 5 September 2022 – CAG Group is joining forces with the SOCOTEC Group, a leading international player in Testing, Inspection and Certification (“TIC”) services in the construction and infrastructure sectors in 25 countries. This gives CAG one financially strong partner with extensive experience in the TIC market, with which to continue its growth in the future. SOCOTEC is acquiring the entire majority share of Gate Invest, the investment fund of the Vermaat family, thus finalising its investment in CAG Group.

Talk to our experts

Coen Piccardt Brouwer

CEO Building Performance

c.piccardtbrouwer@cag.nl +31 6 29525785

During the collaboration with Gate Invest, CAG developed into a market leader in Legionella prevention. The Group has also expanded its expertise in energy optimisation and building safety, and enlarged its client portfolio of property owners and managers. CAG has undergone consistent organic growth; it gained 110 employees and now has employs 170 people. CAG has also added four valuable companies to the group. The acquisition of iQ-Laboratory (now CAG Lab) increased knowledge and capacity in the area of Legionella testing and research, enabling CAG to offer all of its services in-house. Furthermore, the addition of Het Inspectiehuis, Invent and Woning Advies Nederland resulted in an expansion of services in the field of energy optimisation and building safety for homes, offices and other real estate.

Speeches by representatives

Hervé Montjotin, CEO of the SOCOTEC Group

“CAG Group is a great company with good experts and a lot of growth potential. The economies of scale that SOCOTEC brings to the Netherlands, in combination with the quality and entrepreneurial culture of the management team, supports our ambitions. It is our third strategic pillar in the Netherlands alongside Hanselman and Inpijn, companies in construction risk prevention and technical claims management for insurers, and in geotechnical services for major infrastructure projects. With a total consolidated turnover of 45 million euros and 400 employees, SOCOTEC Netherlands, consisting of 3 companies, has an important market position and a real competitive advantage in the construction, real estate and infrastructure sectors, particularly in the areas of the environment and energy. We look forward to entering the next phase with CAG.”

“Legislation regarding the health of buildings, including energy performance, is increasingly being regulated in the Netherlands. Our country aims to be carbon neutral by 2050 and to be among the European leaders of the circular economy. This offers many challenges and opportunities for CAG. To continue to make a difference, we must move forward. Together with Gate, we looked for a buyer who could support us in this, and eventually found it in SOCOTEC,” says Coen Piccardt Brouwer, CEO of the CAG Group. “A logical choice. The services we offer already exist within SOCOTEC in other regions. We will therefore be able to benefit from a broader network and greater knowledge, enabling us to handle our clients’ needs even more completely. In addition, the positioning of the group’s subsidiaries in the Netherlands (Inpijn, Blokpoel and Hanselman Group) is complementary to ours. The new partnerships that can arise from this offer many opportunities for our clients and our people.”

Strengthening technical know-how and offering great career prospects is a top priority for both CAG Group and SOCOTEC. With its own Academy, CAG offers in-house education and training to its employees, who are known in the market for their professionalism and expertise. Coen Piccardt Brouwer: “Our people make our company. Over the past few years, CAG has placed a great deal of focus on strengthening our culture and being a good employer. The collaboration with SOCOTEC means that we can retain our own culture, and approach the expansion of our Academy, for example, even more professionally by learning from others. Together with SOCOTEC, we will continue to fulfil our mission: a safe, healthy and sustainable working and living environment for everyone.”

“We’re proud to have found a strategic, international partner for CAG that not only enables CAG to continue its growth, but also provides a safe home for the organisation and its people. Together with management, we’ve grown the company significantly over five years, organically as well as through four add-on acquisitions. This exit is the first for Gate and shows why we got started in the first place: to support entrepreneurs, management teams and organisations in their next growth phase.”

About CAG Group

Making and keeping buildings healthy. A nice place for people to live and work. That’s what we work for, every day. For 25 years, with the most beautiful clients throughout the country. We’re the market leader in Legionella prevention and are experts in the areas of energy optimisation, sustainability and safety. Our 170 professionals are the best in their field and every day enjoy working on a variety of jobs for our clients in government, healthcare, industry, housing corporations and commercial real estate. We’re always up to date with the latest developments and trends, and we set the tone when it comes to innovation. We continue to develop together with our partners and with each other as a team.

About SOCOTEC Group

With a turnover of EUR 1 billion, the SOCOTEC Group is one of the leaders in risk management, compliance, safety, health and environment in the construction, real estate, infrastructure and industrial sectors. Thanks to its expertise, SOCOTEC can assist its private and public sector customers to strengthen their sustainability throughout the entire life cycle of their buildings and equipment. With more than 10,000 employees, the group is active in 25 countries, including France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

Our CEO representatives

CAG Governance
SOCOTEC Governance

Hervé Montjotin

CEO van de SOCOTEC Groep
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Coen Piccardt Brouwer

CEO Building Performance
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Would you like more information about our activities? Contact us

c.piccardtbrouwer@cag.nl