CRUX Group, the parent company of CRUX Engineering, BouwRisk, and CEMS, is joining XPartners. With this decision, the shareholders have chosen a partner that will provide CRUX with the foundation to accelerate its growth and further expand its position as a specialist, while retaining its own name, management, and team. With CRUX, XPartners is expanding its Dutch platform with in-depth expertise in engineering, monitoring, and software: in, on, and with the ground. Hogenhouck M&A served as advisor to the shareholders of CRUX Group.
Specialist in, on, and with the ground
CRUX Group was founded in 2016 as the parent company of three firms, each of which operates independently under its own brand. CRUX Engineering (2002) is a leading consulting firm in the fields of geotechnical engineering, geohydrology, soil science, and environmental impact. BouwRisk (2005) is a nationwide consulting firm specializing in advising on and monitoring environmental impact for construction and infrastructure projects. CEMS (2020) combines engineering and software expertise to create custom applications.
CRUX works for contractors, developers, government agencies, utility companies, insurers, and other engineering firms, from the initial feasibility assessment through design to construction or damage analysis. Our work spans infrastructure and civil engineering, residential and non-residential construction, dewatering, energy, and maintenance. Many projects take place in densely built-up urban areas, where the impact on surrounding structures determines how a project can be carried out.
The group has offices in Amsterdam, Delft, Eindhoven, and Vianen and employs approximately 90 people.
Accelerating from a position of strength
In XPartners, CRUX Group has found a partner that aligns with its entrepreneurial and specialized nature. XPartners is a European consulting and design group in the built environment, founded in 2021 in Stockholm. The group consists of more than 85 entrepreneur-driven companies with over 2,250 employees in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and Germany. Each company operates independently under its own name and management, supported by a shared platform for collaboration and growth.
CRUX Group is the third organization in the Netherlands to join XPartners, following RYSE and Flux Partners. Within the group, CRUX is joining forces with companies working on similar challenges. CRUX will continue to grow while maintaining the same specialized focus and the same team. Clients will retain their trusted point of contact and, over time, gain access to a broader range of expertise.
Almer van der Stoel, co-founder and CEO of CRUX Group: “XPartners provides us with the ideal foundation to accelerate our growth. We are joining forces with companies within the group that are working on similar challenges. CRUX will continue to develop—both in depth and breadth—with the same specialized focus and the same team.”
Driss Aarab, Managing Director of XPartners Netherlands: “We’re building our presence in the Netherlands piece by piece, like a puzzle. Our goal is to cover all disciplines and all project phases, from strategy and feasibility in the early stages to implementation and post-project support. CRUX adds exactly what we were looking for. The more complete the picture, the more our companies can do for clients together.”
Role of Hogenhouck M&A
Hogenhouck M&A advised the shareholders of CRUX Group throughout the entire M&A process. As part of this, the firm first worked with the shareholders to clearly define what they considered valuable in the next step and what needed to remain in place after the transaction. In addition, the strategic positioning of CRUX Group and its three specialized companies was further refined.
Hogenhouck then established and oversaw a process aimed at finding a partner that aligns with CRUX’s entrepreneurial culture and independent way of working, while also offering opportunities to accelerate growth. Strategic and financial parties were specifically approached and each evaluated based on the same question: Does this partner strengthen CRUX’s identity, its people, and its growth ambitions? This led the shareholders to select XPartners. Hogenhouck then guided CRUX Group through the negotiations and structuring of the transaction until its successful completion. The deal team at Hogenhouck M&A consisted of Mark van Beusekom, Daan Zonneveld, and Bart van ’t Zet.
Almer van der Stoel, Managing Partner at CRUX Group, on the collaboration with Hogenhouck M&A:“With ten partners at the table, reaching a consensus isn’t a given. As promised, Hogenhouck guided us in an organic and pleasant way toward a decision that everyone supports. That really made all the difference for us. In addition, they were knowledgeable, quick, and sharp throughout the process. They work the way we like to work ourselves.”
Mark van Beusekom, Founding Partner at Hogenhouck M&A: “With its three independent companies, CRUX has built a unique position in everything that happens in, on, and with the ground. For the shareholders, therefore, it was not just about what CRUX is worth, but also about what is valuable to them. In XPartners, they have found a partner that respects the independence of the three companies while also providing the space for further growth. We wish Almer and the entire CRUX team the best of luck with this next step.”
