Perth-based engineering consultancy firm HBH Consultants will merge with professional services firm Sinclair Knight Merz in a move designed to bolster the capability of the two firms in servicing the booming resources market.
HBH Consultants provides professional engineering services and innovation for clients in the resources, research and development, and specialised manufacturing sectors of industry.
Based in Perth, Western Australia, HBH specialises in multidisciplinary projects for the resources sector, and in industrial machine design.
Its clients include major international companies such as Alcoa and Rio Tinto, along with Australian companies such as Iluka, Minara Resources, Newcrest and the Tiwest Joint Venture.
HBH joins up with leading project delivery organisation, Sinclair Knight Merz, which now employs more than 5500 people in offices across Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, the Pacific Islands, Europe, the Middle East and South America.
SKM is involved in a number of significant recent resource development projects such as Rio Tinto's Dampier Port Upgrade and the Rapid Growth Projects (in a joint venture) for BHP Billiton, along with a series of major coal projects in Queensland.
Sinclair Knight Merz Chief Executive, Paul Dougas, said the merger with HBH will improve the capacity of both organisations to service the demand for services from the Resources sector.
"HBH brings to SKM a great track record of success in the single or multi-disciplinary design, procurement and construction management of capital investments in the resources industry, especially in mineral sands and alumina," he said.
"Importantly, our two firms share a "client first" philosophy, based around core values of integrity, fairness, honesty and respect for our people," he said.
HBH Director, Dr Peter Hopwood said the two firms have very compatible cultures, which will assist in the integration process.
"There are tremendous synergies between our two firms," Dr Hopwood said.
"With our key personnel remaining in place in the merged entity, we believe this merger will prove to be a significant benefit to our existing clients and those of SKM," he said.
