SKM follows client base to China with Shanghai opening
Engineering services firm Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) celebrated the opening of its Shanghai office on September 28. The office, now SKM’s primary operating centre in China, was opened as part of the company’s focus on enhancing the services offered to international clients operating in the region.
SKM managing director and chief executive, Paul Dougas (left) with Australian Consul General, Tom Connor, at the office opening event.
A launch function attended by the Australian Consul General, Tom Connor, and deputy Consul General, Christopher Wright, was held in conjunction with the opening at the Yi Feng Garden in Changning, Shanghai.
“Moving with clients into new markets and jurisdictions and expanding our global reach has been the basis of SKM’s success over the last decade,” said SKM’s managing director and chief executive, Paul Dougas.
He also said the decision to open an office in China’s largest metropolis was a response to continued growth and development into an important link in the global supply chain, particularly in the mining sector.
SKM’s China office will offer a host of engineering services including: quality control, surveillance and inspection services for offshore steelwork; monitoring supplier and fabricator performance; management of offshore steel fabrication; independent assessment of fabricators; expediting; planning; document management; technical support and engineering design consulting services and project and programme management.
That is on top of on the ground support and back up for international clients who have projects operating in China. As more projects are started in the region by clients, SKM predicted an increasing need for inspections and engineering packages to be delivered from Asia.
Sylvia Lawrance, SKM country manager for China, explained: “In China, the SKM team can help to work with local suppliers to deliver quality results in a timely fashion - results which meet clients’ standards and requirements. Our team of local engineers works closely with specialists drawn from global SKM offices to deliver high quality, innovative solutions for clients.”
SKM has had a presence in China since 2008, when it opened its first office in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province. Some of the projects the firm has resourced in China include:
• Inspection and surveillance of marine steelwork for McConnell Dowell, contractors for BHP Billiton’s Rapid Growth Project 5 (RGP5) project in Western Australia.
• Quality Assurance monitoring of steel fabrication work for the Fluor and SKM Joint Venture (FAST) , which is programme managing BHP Billiton’s expansions in Western Australia.
• Inspection and supervision of approximately 10,000t of module fabrication, pre-assembly and transportation for the Fast JV.
• Procurement for Dampier Port and Cape Lambert upgrades in Western Australia for Rio Tinto Iron Ore.
• Inspection of ash silo system fabrication for Millmerran Operating Company, Queensland, Australia
Contact: Sylvia Lawrance – email: SLawrance@skm.com.au
