Brennan Acquires IAI’s Dredging, Dewatering Division

Specialty marine contractor J.F. Brennan Company Inc. is growing with the recent acquisition of the dredging and dewatering division of Infrastructure Alternatives Inc. (IAI).

The purchase brings dewatering, water treatment and treatability testing services into the organization for the first time and adds an additional 30 new team members based out of Michigan.

“Not only do we gain some wonderful new colleagues—at the same time, but we bring a key element of our work closer to Brennan,” said Matt Binsfeld, Brennan president and CEO.

Binsfeld noted that the Brennan-IAI partnership began in 2004, and since that time Brennan’s relationship with the IAI dredge and dewatering division has been one of its closest and most successful.

“In many respects, Brennan and IAI grew up together over the last two decades as we tackled some of the most sophisticated work throughout this country in the environmental remediation market,” he said.

The acquisition will benefit customers, Binsfeld said.

“This will streamline scheduling, mobilizing and coordination and will yield cost savings for our clients,” he said.

Environmental services account for half of Brennan’s work. Adding the new services increases accessibility of remediation services nationwide, subsequently improving the quality of waterways and the environment, the company said.

“We are excited for IAI’s specialists to join the Brennan family,” said Greg Smith, Brennan’s vice president of environmental services. “IAI has been a strategic partner for us on sediment remediation projects for decades. There is no doubt that their expertise in water treatment and dewatering will strengthen our ability to remediate contaminated sites across the country.”

IAI President and CEO Dana Trierweiler said Brennan and IAI have complemented each other’s services on several successful projects together.

“We’re confident that IAI’s former dredging and sediment dewatering team will be well taken care of at Brennan; they are true professionals,” he said.

Due to its activity in the underwater and construction and commercial diving marketplace, Brennan now has the largest union dive team in the United States, Binsfeld said.

Its growth trajectory has included the 1992 acquisition of the hydraulic dredging assets of F.J. Robers Company in La Crosse, Wis., in 1992; acquiring Pro-Dive Inc., Ottawa, Ill., in 2013; the 2018 acquisition of Viking Marine Services out of Minnesota; the 2020 acquisition of Specialty Diving Services in Rhode Island and the 2022 acquisition of Harbor Offshore Inc., allowing expansion to the West Coast in California and Washington.

“Our growth strategy revolves 100 percent around human capital,” Binsfeld said. “With  fewer skilled professionals entering the workforce, whether through acquisition or internal growth, we are looking to continue growing our organization’s talent.”

As it continues to grow, Brennan aims to maintain its culture, Binsfeld said.

“It’s what sets us apart, so we want to continue to be a preferred company to work for, especially in our industry,” he said. “We always consider how we can positively affect the lives of our employees and clients; our goal is for our organization to stay people-focused.”

Michigan-based IAI has operated successfully since 2000. “IAI will continue uninterrupted, with a renewed sense of purpose and focus on the services that have been the bedrock of our company: contract operations, engineering, and mechanical support for water and wastewater utilities,” Trierweiler said.

Brennan’s acquisition of IAI’s dredging and dewatering division became final on February 1.