Vela VKE has increased its capacity following merger with SMEC
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PRESS RELEASE
Vela VKE has increased its capacity following merger with SMEC
20 August, 2012: Professional consulting engineering company Vela VKE, which recently became a part of the SMEC Group, is now able to provide projects in Africa with a wealth of new capabilities and expertise, following the company’s June 2012 merger with the Australian-based global engineering consultancy firm.
Vela VKE (Part of the SMEC Group) CEO Dr Thomas Marshall points out that the company’s mining consultancy and management capabilities will be substantially improved as a direct result of the SMEC Group’s December 2011 acquisition of GMC Global – an internationally-recognised leader in maintenance and asset management services to the global mining industry.
“The SMEC Group is expanding the footprint of GMC Global in Africa by co-locating and integrating the company’s offices at Vela VKE’s headquarters in Johannesburg. Combining the expertise and experience of both companies will prove to be highly-beneficial to clients in Africa, as there are very few local companies that will be able to provide similar high-level consultancy services,” he says.
Marshall notes that Vela VKE is currently involved in a number of mining initiatives throughout Africa. “Investment in the African mining sector is increasingly rapidly, resulting in considerable opportunity for growth across the continent, and I am confident that we can gain measurable market share in this sector as a result of the GMG Global integration strategy.”
The company is also planning to play a major role in the strategic implementation and management of the proposed 20-year South African infrastructure upgrade project set out by the Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordination Committee. “Vela VKE is already involved in some of the high level planning and, with the strengthened capacity from the merger, I am confident that the company can provide increased value to the project,” adds Marshall.
He does, however admit that public procurement remains the largest challenge facing the proposed project. “Public sector capacity is often limited by a shortage of expertise combined with complex and bureaucratic procurement rules and regulations. This is especially prevalent in a number of local municipalities, which are dead-locked at the moment in terms of procurement processes. I believe that this challenge needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency for the project to maintain stability and achieve success.”
Marshall notes that the merger will also ensure that African-based clients will benefit from substantial improvements in local hydro project capabilities. “SMEC has successfully completed a total of 88 large dam and hydro projects in the past 15 years, and this vast experience will prove to be highly valuable to the local market, where there are a number of large project opportunities, including; hydro electric dams and water transfer schemes, particularly in Central, Eastern and Western Africa,” he explains.
According to Marshall, the merger will strengthen environmental management capabilities too. “In the past, we did not have sufficient internal environmental capacity to address major challenges such as mine waste and pollution. The SMEC Group has far-reaching capabilities in this area of expertise, thereby providing the opportunity for the establishment of a local division.”
The strongest area of expertise for Vela VKE is transportation, adds Marshall. “Transportation has always been the mainstay of the firm and, by combining the in-depth local experience and knowledge with the specific expertise that SMEC has developed in other parts of the world, we can ensure unrivalled depth in this already specialised service offering.”
Looking to the future, Marshall explains that the main focus for Vela VKE (Part of the SMEC Group) moving forward is to obtain measurable growth in South Africa, with regards to human resources development and financial turnover. “The merger has been well-received by the local market to date and, following numerous discussions with potential and existing clients, I am confident that the company has placed itself in strong position to obtain a number of high-profile contracts. What’s more, staff members have responded positively to the merger, which has provided them with new opportunities and the chance to expand and develop their careers,” he concludes.
Ends
Notes to the Editor
There are numerous photographs specific to this press release. Please visit http://media.ngage.co.za and click the Vela VKE link.
About SMEC
Australian based SMEC has more than 4 000 employees and an established network of over 60 offices worldwide. SMEC provides consultancy services for the lifecycle of a project to a broad range of sectors, which include; hydropower, transport, water, natural resources and environment, geotechnical, mining, tunnelling,, urban development, renewable energy, power, government and advisory services and social infrastructure development. Following the Vela VKE merger, the SMEC Group now has over 5 000 employees and an established network of over 70 offices in 36 countries throughout Australia, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Pacific, North and South America.
About Vela VKE
Vela VKE has more than 1 000 employees and an established network of offices in all nine provinces within South Africa, as well as offices in Namibia and other SADC countries. With over 60 years of engineering experience, Vela VKE provides its clients with cost-effective, comprehensive and innovative solutions. Vela VKE offers a range of professional consulting engineering services including; conceptualisation, planning, design, management, construction supervision, operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of infrastructure.
Vela VKE (Part of the SMEC Group) Contact
Dr Thomas Marshall
Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (011) 369 0600
Fax: (011) 886 4589
Email: thomas [dot] marshall [at] smec [dot] com
Media Contact
Renay Tandy
NGAGE Public Relations
Phone: (011) 867-7763
Fax: 086 512 3352
Cell: 082 562 5088
Email: renay [at] ngage [dot] co [dot] za
Web: www.ngage.co.za