McKinsey Buys Strategic Estimating Systems (SES)

Acquisition broadens McKinsey's benchmarking capabilities across multiple industries.

McKinsey & Company has announced it has acquired, Strategic Estimating Systems (SES) a global leader in delivering economic evaluation solutions and cost-estimating services. The acquisition extends McKinsey's advanced benchmarking capabilities in capital project management, including those crucial to the energy transition, with a powerful combination of cutting-edge predictive analytics, expert market analysis and best-in-class industry expertise.

McKinsey estimates that over $3.5 trillion will be invested in projects aimed at achieving the net-zero transition by 2050. These projects include green hydrogen production, renewable energy projects, sustainable battery manufacturing, low-emission semiconductor fabrication and commercial-scale carbon capture programs. The integration of SES's comprehensive industry benchmarks across the energy, industrial gas, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, renewable energy and biofuels sectors, combined with the extensive expertise of McKinsey's Capital Analytics team, enables the firm to deliver capital cost estimates with greater accuracy and over three times faster than traditional methods.