Global firm Golder Associates is expanding to provide specialist construction services for its clients in Africa, complementing its existing strengths in ground engineering and environmental consulting.

Through its new construction services business unit, Golder can now deliver all aspects of a project from the conceptual planning and design phase to the detailed design, construction and commissioning phases. The company offers one point of client contact, ensuring that every aspect of the project, including risk analysis and permitting, is effectively managed.

“Our global group has been offering turnkey solutions to clients for many years. In Africa, we will be building on these acquired skills to offer complete design-and-construct packages. These include employment as principal contractor or specialist subcontractor, offering engineering, procurement and construction services. We will continue to build our business on quality offerings and outstanding client relations,” says Golder’s head of the newly established unit, Chris van Renssen.

This latest development is in line with the Golder Associates Global Strategic Plan, launched in 2010, which states: “Design and construction are logical extensions of our ground engineering and environmental consulting services. We will be able to offer our clients truly integrated solutions based on our expertise in our specialist areas.”

Golder has already proven its construction management competence in projects such as the Optimum Water Reclamation Project, in Mpumalanga, and the Newmont Gold Ghana, a subsidiary of US miner Newmont Mining, Amoma project, in Ahafo, Ghana, which were commended at the Consulting Engineers South Africa Engineering Excellence Awards last year.

As lead engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contractor for the Optimum colliery, a wholly owned subsidiary of Optimum Coal, Golder was responsible for the overall EPCM of key infrastructure components, including mine water collection and treatment, reclaimed water storage and distribution, sludge and brine disposal and bulk electrical power supply.

Delivering the Amoma project $9-million under budget and three months ahead of schedule epitomises Golder’s readiness to deliver value-added projects. By taking ownership of the project from the initial optimisation of design concepts, engineering and construction of all infrastructure right through to the upskilling and mentoring of local engineers, Golder’s commitment to delivering projects successfully is evident.

“Because construction is not new to Golder in other parts of the world, we are well positioned to make this succeed in Africa. We already have an acknowledged niche offering of products and services to the mining industry on which we intend to build,” says Van Renssen.

Golder has local offices in Mozambique, Ghana and Botswana, with plans to expand into Guinea and Tanzania in the near future. “This will enable us to deliver complete solutions in countries across Africa”.

The typical service offering that Golder’s construction team will focus on includes mine and dump rehabilitation, water treatment, groundwater abstraction systems, environmental monitoring systems, water supply schemes, waste to energy, carbon sequestration and waste disposal sites