STAR acquires iks Engineering, further advancing its market position in Germany

With its 4^th acquisition in 15 months, The Specialist Group further expands its network to meet the increasing demand for technical personnel in energy transition 

MOERDIJK, Netherlands, March 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Specialist Group ("TSG"), a leading provider of technical engineering specialists for sectors such as power, chemicals, infrastructure, renewables and life sciences, today announced that it has acquired iks Engineering, an engineering resourcing provider in Germany. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The acquired entity will operate under TSG's flagship label STAR. The acquisition accelerates STAR's successful growth journey in Germany and serves as an important milestone in its ambitions to become the leading technical resourcing services provider for Europe's energy transition needs. 

iks Engineering has a 40-year track record in providing specialized engineers to its vast network of clients across Germany. The combination augments STAR's access to certain categories of the engineering talent pool and enables STAR to support its clients for the entire duration of a project. Its  current CEO, Claus Weber, will become the company's Operational Director, Enes Kisa will become  Sales Director. Both will be reporting to Lars Bakker, STAR's Group Director for Germany, Austria and Sweden. 

Sil Hoeve, CEO of The Specialist Group, said: "This acquisition marks a milestone in our successful  buy-and-build strategy so far. We are delighted to welcome iks Engineering to join our STAR label. With its differentiated technical expertise and esteemed reputation among clients, iks Engineering is a great addition for our European network."

Lars Bakker, Group Director for Germany, Austria and Sweden of STAR, explained: "In addition to our leading positions in the Netherlands and Belgium, this is a significant stride towards expanding  our presence in Germany. With iks Engineering, we can extend our services scope to offer technical  talents across the entire lifecycle of our clients' projects in the region. With this partnership we will be able to transform exciting opportunities in the German energy transition market into tangible success."

Claus Weber, Operational Director of iks Engineering, added: "We are excited to become the German  engineering partner for STAR and The Specialist Group. This is an important step for iks Engineering  as we transition out of family ownership into joining STAR, which enables us to take the next step in our growth ambitions. As our expertise is complementary to STAR, we look forward to leveraging synergies and becoming the leading player in the German engineering resourcing market."

About The Specialist Group 
The Specialist Group ("TSG") is a platform that provides engineering resourcing services and is headquartered in Moerdijk, the Netherlands. Focusing on further accelerating the energy transition,  TSG served over 600 clients in 2023 in technical end markets such as energy, chemicals, infrastructure, renewable energy and life sciences. Today, around 80% of TSG's specialists are  involved in energy transition projects and the creation of a more sustainable industry. The company operates through five labels (STAR, Sensor, LiteCad, ECC Solutions and Altio) and are present across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Sweden, targeting both experienced candidates and young professionals. TSG is backed by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., a leader  among global investment managers specializing in alternative investments, with USD 189 billion in  assets under management as per 31 December 2023. 
For more information: www.thespecialistgroup.com  

About STAR
STAR operates as one of The Specialist Group's five labels. STAR helps businesses and industries  move towards a sustainable future. By providing technical engineering specialists to our clients across  power, chemicals, infrastructure, renewables, and life sciences industries, we are proud to support Europe's energy transition agenda where most of our specialists are involved in.
For more information: https://star-specialists.com/