Engineering consultancies SMEC and OCG extend partnership
Design and engineering consultancies SMEC and Oriental Consultants Global have extended their long-standing partnership, on the back of several successful collaborations.
The pair first began collaborating following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) back in 2011, and have gone from strength to strength since. “I believe our partnership is one of our most successful collaborations, as we have successfully delivered more than 20 projects and completed two staff exchange programs under the MOU,” said OCG CEO Eiji Yonezawa, who was at the table when the partnership was renewed.
Over the years, Australia-headquartered SMEC and Japan-headquartered OCG have leveraged their geographical position and wealth of expertise to establish a firm foothold in the Asia Pacific (APAC) infrastructure and engineering markets. Projects have spanned a range of development areas.
An example is the Light Rail Transit (LRT) network in Indonesia, where the pair managed project delivery for segments in Palembang and Jabodebek successively. Appointed by the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, SMEC and OCG together delivered Indonesia’s first driverless LRT system.
Also in the joint portfolio is the Jamuna Bridge project in Bangladesh – one of SMEC’s many projects in the country – commissioned by the Ministry of Railways as a lifeline to promote inter-regional trade in South Asia. Other projects have been realised the Philippines and Sri Lanka, among other markets, with many of those backed by the Japanese government.
The scope and success of these projects has prompted SMEC and OCG to prolong their collaboration over the years, having renewed their MoUs regularly since first linking up in 2011. The last renewal came in 2017. The latest extension, however, comes amid unique circumstances, and the pair appear to be moving with the times.
“As we navigate the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, our clients are relying on us to support and guide them in delivering essential infrastructure that not only meets today’s requirements but plays a vital role in rebuilding a post-pandemic world,” said SMEC CEO Hari Poologasundaram, who was also present at the MoU’s signing.
“The establishment of our new partnership strategy builds on our joint success and puts both organisations in a strong position to pursue emerging opportunities,” he added.
Advanced infrastructure will be a core part of the restructuring process underway in many economies currently, as they look to build localised, lean, agile and risk-free supply chains. A new partnership strategy combined with years of collaborative experience will position SMEC and OCG ideally to support this change across the Asia-Pacific region.