Artelia is taking another major step forward in its development with the acquisition of FNX-INNOV, a key player in engineering in Quebec, strengthening its stance as a global leader

Artelia is set to acquire 100% of the shares in FNX-INNOV held by a Quebec investment fund.

An independent engineering group with a strong foothold in Europe and operations in many countries of the Asia Pacific region, Artelia is pursuing its dynamic growth strategy and opening up to new regions by placing FNX-INNOV at the forefront of its development in Canada. 

For FNX-INNOV, a well-established engineering company with a long track record in Quebec, joining an international group brings a unique opportunity to expand into new activities and markets, tapping into Artelia’s complementary multi-disciplinary expertise and presence in more than 40 countries.

Together, Artelia and FNX-INNOV now form a workforce of more than 8500 people worldwide, assisting clients with all their development, ecological and digital transition projects and generating turnover in excess of 930 million euros (1.3 billion Canadian dollars).

A strategic merger driven by strong synergy and common values

Headquartered in Montreal, FNX-INNOV is one of the leading engineering firms in Quebec with a solid local presence throughout the province thanks to 14 regional offices, as well as four locations in Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia, extending this dense network to other parts of Canada.

The firm has fifty years of experience and 1100 employees with cutting-edge expertise in infrastructure, energy, the environment, earth sciences, water treatment, buildings, industry and telecommunications.

FNX-INNOV has achieved sustained growth for the past four years, generating 97 million euros (139 million Canadian dollars) in 2022 combined with solid prospects for the future thanks to an order backlog of more than 24 months.

On signing the agreement, Artelia’s Chief Executive Officer Benoît Clocheret declared: “This external growth operation is fully in keeping with Artelia’s strategy of pursuing sustained but controlled growth, and its ambition to become a leading engineering firm on the international stage. In joining forces with FNX-INNOV we are building our expertise, diversifying our range of services, broadening our client base and stepping up our international expansion, while strengthening our resilience in a world facing profound changes. Driven by shared values of technical excellence, proximity to our clients, an entrepreneurial spirit and special concern for human relationships, we are starting a new chapter in our history and more determined than ever to serve the world and humanity, contributing through our activities to a positive impact on the environment and society as a whole.

Promising development prospects in Canada

With a sound, stable economy, Canada is a buoyant market offering substantial growth prospects for the engineering sector. The needs are huge in terms of transport infrastructure, low-carbon energy generation, sustainable use of resources, sustainable urban development, energy efficiency of buildings, and industrial performance. 

The teams at FNX-INNOV have built a solid local presence and have for many years assisted the Quebec Ministry of Transport, Montreal City Council and the main cities and towns of Quebec, as well as key energy players such as Hydro One in Ontario and Hydro-Québec, with all their developments in eastern Canada.

For FNX-INNOV, joining an international group is a real opportunity to gain access to larger-scale projects and expand its scope of action beyond Quebec and Canada, while tapping into Artelia’s know-how and credentials in more than 40 countries.

Richard Hélie, CEO of FNX-INNOV, comments: "We have experienced particularly dynamic growth in Quebec in recent years, which has led Artelia, one of Europe's leading engineering companies, to choose us as its development platform in North America. This is a source of great pride for us, and a reward for the excellent performance achieved by all our teams. By joining Artelia, FNX-INNOV will be able to accelerate its development and continue to think bigger, while continuing to translate our DNA of "Redefining engineering without any barriers".  For our employees, it's also an opportunity to build a motivating career path and open up new horizons. A new adventure is beginning, and we can all feel proud and confident about the future!”.

About Artelia  

Artelia is an international multidisciplinary consultancy, engineering and project management group specialising in mobility, water, energy, building and industry. With 7,300 employees and turnover of €833 million in 2022, Artelia is one of Europe’s leading engineering groups, present in over 40 countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Artelia is 100% owned by its managers and employees.

About FNX-INNOV

FNX-INNOV is a multi-disciplinary engineering company that draws on its experienced team’s strengths and its expertise in engineering, project management, environmental protection and systems integration to provide comprehensive solutions that meet its clients’ most complex requirements. Thanks to its more than 1100 professionals and experts in 18 offices across Canada, FNX-INNOV provides a full range of services in the environment, energy, infrastructure, water treatment, building, telecommunications, earth sciences and materials engineering fields.