King & Wood Mallesons have advised private equity firm Inflexion on its carve-out of the Engineering Inspection & Consultancy division of Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Plc. Going forward, the business will trade as British Engineering Services in the UK and Irish Engineering Services in the Republic of Ireland.

British Engineering Services employs over 450 highly trained Engineer Surveyors and Consultant Engineers and uses state-of-the-art technology to deliver premium quality engineering testing, inspection and consultancy services. It was the first business to receive UKAS accreditation, and is a founder member of SAFed.

Inflexion, a UK-based mid-market private equity firm, invests in high growth businesses that are headquartered in the UK and often have opportunities to expand internationally.

Simon Turner, Managing Partner at Inflexion, commented: “We are delighted to have completed this complex carve-out to see the launch of British Engineering Services today. Newly independent and led by an experienced management team, the company can now grow unfettered and capitalise on the consolidation opportunities available to create a new market leader in the UK and Ireland in the provision of testing and inspection services.”

Andrew Wingfield, Corporate partner at King & Wood Mallesons, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Inflexion on this exciting investment, further strengthening our relationship since advising on Inflexion’s majority investment in Succession last year. With an experienced management team led by CEO Stewart Kay and Chairman Richard Houghton, together with Inflexion’s support, British Engineering Services has extraordinary opportunities to grow and provide market-leading engineering testing, inspection and consultancy services.”

A large cross-practice team was led by Corporate partner Andrew Wingfield with managing associate Amy Grammer; Finance partner Jen Yee Chan with managing associate Briana Bentley; Financial Regulation partner Adrian Brown; Employment partner Carl Richards with associate Gina Unterhalter; Pensions partner Wyn Derbyshire, and Commerce & Technology associate Richard Davies also advising.