Greencap acquires Validus to bolster environmental arm

Perth-based Small-Medium Enterprises investor Greencap Ltd will fully acquire Western Australian flora and fauna management company Validus Group Pty Ltd to bolster its environmental consultancy, ENV Australia Pty Ltd, the company has announced.

The full text of a Greencap announcement is pasted below

(Perth, 4 October 2007) Greencap is pleased to announce an expansion of its biological sciences capability by purchasing all the shares in Validus Group Pty Ltd ("Validus").

Mr Jeffrey Broun, Managing Director of Greencap Limited said "this move has been initiated by our group company, ENV Australia which has developed an impressive biological sciences capability in its own right over the past six years."

"To further enhance this capability, and take advantage of the significant opportunities in the resource rich regions of Australia, ENV earlier this year tasked its principal biologist, Dr Mitchell Ladyman to establish Validus and formulate its strategic objectives, processes, web site and other building blocks. Dr Mitchell Ladyman has achieved the milestones and accordingly Greencap has followed on by purchasing all the shares in Validus from Dr Ladyman for a nominal sum.

Validus will specialise in rare fauna monitoring and management, short range endemic fauna studies, subterranean fauna surveys and venomous snake awareness and relocation training for occupational health and safety (refer www.validusgroup.com.au).

Dr Ladyman has been appointed Managing Director of Validus under an Employment Agreement signed this week.

Dr Ladyman will continue to oversee key aspects of ENV's biological sciences work. Dr Ladyman predicts that "Validus is poised to become a strong performer particularly in the resource rich regions of Australia working in tandem with ENV and other Greencap group members. Much of the expansion potential for the business will be generated out of Queensland and the Northern Territory and we are already assessing staff for positions in these jurisdictions.

Dr Ladyman added that "as set out in the National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia's Biological Diversity, conservation of biological diversity is a foundation of ecologically sustainable development and is one of the three core objectives of the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development. Biological resources provide all our food and many medicines and industrial products. Biological diversity underpins human well-being through the provision of ecological services such as those that are essential for the maintenance of soil fertility and clean, fresh water and air. It also provides recreational opportunities and is a source of inspiration and cultural identity.

(refer : http:/www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/strategy/cover.html)

Furthermore, a mobile, strategic response unit ties in well with the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999; the Act that protects the environment particularly matters of National Environmental Significance (Protected Matters). The Act is designed to streamline the national environmental assessment and approvals process, protect Australian biodiversity and integrate management of important natural and cultural places. Thus the framework exists to develop Validus to achieve its goal as a key biological consulting group."

"Validus is Latin for 'strength'. By definition Validus means the quality or state of being strong; the capacity for exertion and endurance. These are the very qualities that are intrinsic in Greencap's approach to protecting people, property and environments," concluded Dr Ladyman.

Validus will have a small core technical team and leverage off the group companies for staff deployments and geographic coverage. Much of the intellectual property and strategic expansion processes have been originated by Dr Ladyman in conjunction with ENV.

Mr Broun concluded that "Validus, through the strategic objectives and linkage potential to other group companies and resource companies has real potential to add value to the group overall."