Kelso-owned J.S. Held acquires consulting business SPECS

J.S. Held has acquired SPECS (Specialized Property Evaluation Control Services), a Langley, British Columbia-based property risk and loss quantification consulting business, for an undisclosed amount.

Established in 1995 by President David Wallace, SPECS provides property damage assessments, restoration consulting, construction project administration, risk management, facility services, and catastrophic response from 18 offices in Canada.

J.S. Held, a Jericho, New York-based specialty consulting agency, said the acquisition complements its portfolio of professional services in building consulting and strengthens its ability to support Canadian clients.

J.S. Held was acquired in July by U.S. mid-market private equity firm Kelso & Co from Lovell Minnick Partners.

PRESS RELEASE

J.S. Held LLC Expands Global Building Consulting Practice in Canada with Acquisition of SPECS (Specialized Property Evaluation Control Services)

This partnership will strengthen our firm through the addition of more than 70 world-class professionals located in 18 offices throughout Canada.

JERICHO, N.Y. – September 16, 2019 – J.S. Held, a global consulting firm, announced today that it has acquired SPECS (Specialized Property Evaluation Control Services). Headquartered in Langley, British Columbia, SPECS is the largest property risk and loss quantification consulting firm in Canada. The firm is recognized as a trusted partner in helping insurers, facility managers, property owners, and risk managers accurately identify, evaluate, and quantify risk, loss, damage, and corresponding financial costs.

Founded in 1995, SPECS’ expertise includes property damage assessments, restoration consulting, construction project administration, risk management, facility services, and catastrophic response. The SPECS team of engineers, construction specialists, estimators, and appraisers support the insurance, legal, and construction communities from 18 offices across Canada. SPECS is also the first national consulting firm in Canada to obtain a nationwide Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) from Transport Canada, enabling their qualified team of drone pilots to conduct drone inspections anywhere in the country.

“With the addition of SPECS into our global operations, J.S. Held holds the unique position as the technical services consulting leader in Canada,” said Doug DePhillips, Senior Executive Vice President – Global Services of J.S. Held. “This supports our continued focus on unparalleled service as we answer the needs of our global client base.”

The acquisition complements J.S. Held’s portfolio of professional services in building consulting and strengthens the firm’s ability to support clients throughout Canada. SPECS will join the J.S. Held team of over 750 consultants around the globe. Existing SPECS clients will now have access to J.S. Held’s suite of specialized services including surety services; project and program management; equipment consulting; forensic architecture and engineering; forensic accounting; and environmental, health, and safety services.

“Over 24 years, SPECS has grown from a small market player in Edmonton, Alberta to our current position as a trusted industry leader throughout Canada,” said David Wallace, President of SPECS. “We are thrilled to join J.S. Held and gain additional resources and expertise that will bring substantial benefit to our clients.”

J.S. Held was founded in 1974 and provides specialized consulting to better address complex construction, environmental, accounting, and economic matters globally. J.S. Held now has over 80 offices across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.

About J.S. Held LLC

J.S. Held is a global consulting firm with expertise in construction, environmental health & safety, forensic accounting, water & fire restoration, equipment, and forensic architecture & engineering matters.

J.S. Held brings together years of unrivaled technical expertise and unparalleled service to deliver reliable, comprehensive solutions to its clients. J.S. Held is renowned for recruiting and cultivating distinguished experts and being a trusted partner on the world’s most complex construction, environmental, accounting, and economic matters.