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D E C E M B E R / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 www.resourceworld.com 49 WSP expanding its Canadian reach by Kathrine Moore WSP GLoBAL INC. [WSP-TSX] is a home- grown Canadian multinational and one of the world's leading professional ser- vices firms. At the start of the year there were approximately 15,000 employees, mainly engineers, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors, design professionals and environmental experts, based in more than 300 offices, across 30 countries, on five continents. On January 1st, 2014, the company reorganized its corporate structure to cre- ate a parent company named WSP Global Inc., thus creating a united firm with one strategy and one vision. WSP, as it is today, was born out of Canadian-based GENIVAR's acquisition of UK-based WSP. The company states that this transaction "brought two successful and ambitious companies with complementary strategies, positioning for diversified global growth and delivering to a wide range of sectors with worldwide skills but minimal geo- graphic or client overlap." On the home front, WSP's Canadian operations remain the firm's largest area of operation. This was further strengthened with another recent strategic acquisition which provided WSP with a much stron- ger presence in Western Canada. In April, 2014 WSP announced it had completed the acquisition of Focus Group Holding Inc., a well established, Western Canadian, engineering and geomatics firm serving the oil and gas industry in Western Canada since 1977. Focus provides a range of services and expertise across four divi- sions: facilities engineering, geomatics, pipeline and civil engineering. Pierre Shoiry, President and CEO of WSP, said in the April announcement, "I am delighted about this acquisition and the joining of forces of our two firms. This coming together of two remarkable, like-minded organizations will make us stronger and increase our ability to deliver superior value to our clients, shareholders and employees by expanding and diversi- fying our portfolio of expertise, and will allow us to pursue our growth strategy." Due to the significant growth opportu- nities in Western Canada, particularly in the Oil and Gas sector, it is logical that the company is expanding its reach in Canada. Focus, based in Alberta and employ- ing 1,800 individuals, broadens WSP's exposure to this booming region; the com- bined companies currently employ 6,500 Canadians. During 2014, WSP also acquired Technip TPS, a French subsidiary of Technip S.A., which specializes in build- ing and infrastructure engineering and Windward Group, a structural engineering firm based in Australia. WSP's strategy is to grow through "a combination of organic expansion and acquisitions." The company states that, in this way, WSP strengthens their competencies in each of their market segments and establishes a global presence to expand their platform. Most recently, WSP made a significant acquisition of Parsons Brinckerhoff, which now positions WSP as one of the world's leading engineering professional services consulting firms. This acquisition brings WSP to a staff base of 31,500, in more than 500 offices, across 39 countries to provide engineering and multidisciplinary services in a vast array of industry sectors, with a focus on technical excellence and client service. An exciting future lies ahead for WSP as they continue to combine their global workforce to better serve their clients, large and small. n www.precisiongeosurveys.com 604.484.9402 Magnetics - Radiometrics - Time Domain EM Specialists in high resolution airborne geophysics in mountainous terrain OIL & G A s The Focus team on site of TransCanada's Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Line Project. Photo courtesy of Focus Corp.