Black & Veatch Continues Strong Growth In Its Asia Pacific Water Business
Six Months After Singapore Expansion, Global Provider Ahead of Growth Plans
Singapore — Black & Veatch, a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company, has announced that the company is expanding at a faster rate in Singapore than previously planned. The expansion reflects a 15 percent growth in personnel throughout the Asia Pacific region since the beginning of the year.
Black & Veatch officially opened its Global Design Centre and Centre of Excellence for Desalination in Singapore on February 7. During that event, Dan McCarthy, President and CEO of Black & Veatch's global water business, stated that the company was planning on doubling the number of professionals employed in Singapore over a period of five years. Six months later the regional office has already increased its numbers by 50 percent, bringing the total to close to 100 professionals
"This faster-than-expected growth is a result of our continued expansion in Australia and throughout Asia-Pacific, as well as the strategic utilization of our integrated global workforce," said Ralph Eberts, Managing Director of Black & Veatch's Asia Pacific water business. "We promise new professionals that when they join Black & Veatch, they will be able to work on exciting and high-profile projects not only in Singapore, but also around the world. I'm delighted that our Singaporean engineers are getting the opportunities to further advance their skill base and make a difference to projects on a global basis."
The company's growth is providing new professionals with opportunities that usually wouldn't come immediately. "About half of our new professionals have already been overseas to work on projects that are being supported from our Global Design Centre," said Tan Seng Chai, a Black & Veatch Vice President, responsible for project management and operations in the region. "Our concept of an integrated global workforce is proving to make a huge difference in how we implement projects. By managing our workforce from a global perspective, we can ensure that the right talent is matched to specific tasks."
In Singapore, Black & Veatch is expanding its services to provide full engineering, procurement and construction delivery to the local market as it does in other parts of the region and around the world. The office also continues to serve as the Watershed Manager for the Western Catchment on the ABC Waters Programme, while also working with PUB, Singapore's national water agency, on other projects including the Marina Barrage due for completion at the end of 2007.
The Black & Veatch office in Singapore also is providing a pool of engineers to work on large water infrastructure projects in Australia and the United States. In Queensland, Black & Veatch engineers from Singapore are assisting with efforts to address the current drought that is the worst on record. The state government started the Western Corridor Water Recycled Project in mid-2006. The project, which will be the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, will include construction of three Advanced Water Treatment Plants (AWTP) that employ technology and processes similar to those used to produce NEWater in Singapore. The plants will supply purified recycled water for indirect potable reuse. In September, the Bundamba AWTP will be the first of these plants to come on-line, with the design and construction of the first stage of the plant being completed in a record time of only 10 months.
Simultaneously, a group of approximately 15 Black & Veatch engineers from Singapore has been working on the W2W Alliance in Perth, Western Australia. These engineers, who have been working both remotely and on-site, are helping with the upgrade and rehabilitation of three major wastewater treatment works in the metropolitan areas of Perth.
The works include both odour control and sludge upgrades and will employ egg-shaped digester technology at one of the plants. These digesters are similar to those designed by Black & Veatch for the Kranji Water Reclamation Plant in Singapore.
"Singapore has rapidly developed a leading reputation for implementing innovative technologies to overcome its water challenges," Eberts added. "Eight decades ago the company came to Singapore to help develop the water infrastructure. Now we are sending our Singapore-based professionals around the world to develop systems and infrastructure elsewhere. It is very exciting to be part of this global expansion"
SOURCE: Black & Veatch