Tamworth's Brown and Krippner merges with Mitch Hanlon Consulting

Engineering, surveying and town planning company Brown and Krippner was founded in 1923 and recently finalised a merger with the 2003-established Mitch Hanlon Consulting, on March 28.

The deal had been about 18 months in the making, after Brown and Krippner executives first approached Hanlon Consulting's founder Mitch Hanlon about the unification.

"We're quite enthused by the whole thing," Mr Hanlon said.

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It comes as Brown and Krippner's co-owner Andrew Swane decided to fold up his tripod, pack away his GPS devices and head for his Gunnedah hobby farm.

"I'm at retirement age so I just let the younger partners go with different things," Mr Swane said.

"And there's commercial advantages in the merged entity that we couldn't take advantage of as a smaller company."

All nine remaining Brown and Krippner employees, including co-owners Tim Youman and Steve Griffiths, will be heading over to join the 20 staffers at the rebranded Hanlons Consulting.

Mr Youman said the decision was made to continue trading under the Hanlons Consulting name due to the high recognition the company already has within the state's railway industry.

"It is going to be sad that the name is going to cease trading," Mr Youman said.

"The company has built up an amazing reputation over the number of years it has been based in both Tamworth and Armidale."

Three offices in Tamworth, Armidale and Orange will remain, with the Brown and Krippner premises at 84 Brisbane Street closing down.

Mr Griffiths said the merger has been a relatively seamless transition with just a few minor hiccups that the IT techies have since sorted.

"I'm really excited, the company has a very similar ethos to Brown and Krippner," Mr Griffith said.

"I'm looking forward to a bright future as part of Hanlons."

It leaves Tamworth with just three surveying companies: Baxter Geo Consulting, Bath Stewart Associates, and Hanlons Consulting.

Mr Youman and Mr Griffiths have taken up director roles within the company, whereas Mr Hanlon will continue on as managing director.

Mr Hanlon worked at Brown and Krippner about 30 years ago, and said there has since been a marked drop in the number of surveyors in the workforce and those applying for jobs.

He is also the Tamworth University Reference Group chair, and has recently called on the University of New England to introduce courses for town planners when the new campus opens at the old velodrome site on Peel Street, by early 2026.

Mr Hanlon said the company would then be able to hire more HSC graduates as they complete their education closer to home.

He said the firm places an emphasis on multiskilling, with their surveyors often being contracted by local councils to fill the town planner shortage.

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