‘Milestone’ Reached as UGL Acquires DTZ Holdings

UGL Limited (UGL) recently announced that it has successfully completed the acquisition of all of the trading operations of global real estate services company DTZ Holdings PLC (DTZ). DTZ will be combined with UGL’s property services business, UGL Services, an AFE Global Technical Partner and education program sponsor. According to industry sources, the transaction represents a milestone for both companies, as well as for the real estate community worldwide.

United Kingdom-based DTZ is a leading real estate services company with a highly regarded brand and a focus on service excellence across a broad, established blue-chip client base. They have developed a number one market position in corporate real estate services in China and a number five position in the United Kingdom. The company also has industry leading capabilities in valuation, research and investment and asset management.

When announcing the acquisition UGL highlighted a number of reasons why the acquisition will be important to facilities professionals across the globe, including:

Transforms UGL’s property business into one of the world’s largest, integrated full-service providers of property services.

Provides corporate/occupier clients with a global, integrated end-to-end service offering operating across all key geographic regions, including the United Kingdom, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas.

Offers a platform on which to build DTZ’s best-in-class investor services capabilities in investment agency, leasing agency, property management, project and building consultancy, valuation and investment and asset management. When combined with UGL Services facilities management business, the company sees significant opportunity to develop a strong global investor services offering.

Strengthen the U.S. market and provide significant synergies with DTZ’s Canadian business.

Provides UGL with the leading market position in China and an enhanced strategic platform for further growth in Europe and the Asia Pacific regions.

UGL’s strong financial position provides DTZ with the support to continue to operate and grow across all of its markets.

The combined UGL Services and DTZ businesses will be led by Robert Shibuya, group president of UGL Services, headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

AFE Executive Director Dr. Wayne W. Carley, sees “great things ahead” for the combined companies. “The expanded capabilities and global reach of these two highly regarded building services companies,” he said, “should provide significant opportunities for individual facilities professionals across the globe, and for the profession as a whole.”