Wallace victory for Matière SAS in multi-million pound HS2 contractual dispute

Wallace has secured a significant victory for its client Matière SAS, a French engineering, design and construction company, in a fiercely contested dispute that was tried in the Technology and Construction Court in November and December last year.

The case concerned Matière’s dispute with the English engineering business ABM Precast Solutions Limited, which had arisen following the breakdown of the parties’ collaborative efforts to secure a contract to supply and install pre-cast concrete tunnels as part of the HS2 construction project.

Matière originally brought a claim against ABM for unpaid invoices. ABM subsequently brought a counterclaim seeking damages of approximately £19 million alleging that Matière’s alleged breaches of the agreements between the parties had caused it to lose the opportunity to win the tender.

Judgment was handed down on 11 June 2025, Alexander Nissen KC (sitting as Deputy Judge of the High Court) awarding Matière the full amount of its claim and rejecting ABM’s counterclaim in its entirety. This is an excellent outcome for Matière who have been fully vindicated. Matière’s Legal Counsel, Gary Prigent, comments “We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Wallace team for the success achieved in this case. Their diligence, expertise, and commitment were decisive. This outcome further strengthens our confidence in their firm”.

The Wallace team was led by Partner Oli Goldman with assistance from Legal Director Elizabeth Asher and Associate Harriet Montgomery. Jonathan Lewis KC and Caroline Ziebart of 4 Pump Court were retained as Counsel.

The judgment can be found here.

Matière SAS v ABM Precast Solutions Limited [2025] EWHC 1434 (TCC)