Crestview-Backed Congruex Acquires CHC Consulting

BOULDER, Colo., Jan. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Congruex, an end-to-end provider of design, engineering, construction management and maintenance services to broadband service providers, today announced the acquisition of CHC Consulting, LLC ("CHC"). CHC is a full-service engineering consulting firm serving blue chip clients across the telecommunications industry, with particularly strong expertise in outside plant (OSP) engineering services. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 2003, CHC provides comprehensive, turn-key professional services in the areas of design, project management, process development, and staffing to a range of marquee telecommunications clients. CHC expertly manages projects from inception through implementation, providing frictionless solutions while maintaining deep and collaborative ties to its customers.

Congruex's acquisition of CHC follows its recent purchase of CCLD Technologies in November 2017, and positions Congruex as the fourth-largest pure telecom engineering firm in the United States with expanding scale and resources.¹ Both acquisitions followed Congruex's partnership with Crestview Partners, a New York-based private equity firm with significant experience in the cable, telecommunications and business services industries. As of May 2017, funds managed by Crestview and the Congruex leadership team have committed $200 million of equity to the new platform, as part of what is expected to be a total investment of approximately $500 million.

Bill Beans, Congruex's CEO, said, "We are pleased to announce the acquisition of CHC Consulting, an innovative engineering consulting firm with a distinct expertise in OSP. We welcome Chris Cook, CHC management and employees to the Congruex platform."

Kevin O'Hara, Congruex's Executive Chairman, added, "In less than a year, we have successfully established the Congruex platform and are actively bringing together best-in-class engineering and construction companies across the U.S. Congruex is now a national platform capable of performing turn-key design and engineering of outside plant fiber projects across the United States."

Chris Cook, CEO of CHC Consulting, said, "We are excited to begin our partnership with Congruex. We look forward to leveraging their operational expertise and capital resources, as we continue providing exceptional engineering solutions to our expanding client base. As a firm that maintains a strong client-centric culture, stressing collaboration and efficiency, we could not be more pleased to enter this next stage of growth in partnership with Congruex, its executives and highly compelling national platform."

Brian Cassidy, Partner at Crestview and head of the firm's media investment strategy, said, "CHC Consulting is an ideal cornerstone acquisition for Congruex. With industry consolidation and robust spending on communication networks and utility infrastructure on the rise, we look forward to being a transformational partner for select engineering and construction companies."

About Congruex
Congruex was formed in mid-2017 by industry executives, Bill Beans and Kevin O'Hara, in partnership with Crestview Partners.  Congruex is comprised of seasoned industry executives bringing together leading engineering and construction companies across the U.S. Congruex is building a company with unique capabilities that include network development, engineering, construction and operations. Our customers benefit from the integrated skills that the Congruex companies can offer either as a single discipline, or as a turn-key solution with self-perform capabilities. For more information: www.congruex.com

About CHC Consulting
Founded in 2003, CHC Consulting is a full-service engineering consulting firm focused on the telecommunications industry. CHC provides comprehensive, turn-key professional services in the areas of design, project management, process development, improvement and staffing to a range of blue chip clients across the United States.

About Crestview Partners
Founded in 2004, Crestview Partners is a value-oriented private equity firm focused on the middle market. The firm is based in New York and manages funds with over $7 billion of aggregate capital commitments. The firm is led by a group of partners who have complementary experience and distinguished backgrounds in private equity, finance, operations and management. Crestview has senior investment professionals focused on sourcing and managing investments in each of the specialty areas of the firm: media, industrials, energy and financial services. For more information: www.crestview.com.

Media Contact:
Daniel Yunger
Kekst
212-521-4800
daniel.yunger@kekst.com

¹ Based on 2016 design revenue from manufacturing / telecom as reported in Engineering News Record's survey of leading contractors and design firms.  See ENR.com for expanded listings.

SOURCE Congruex