CIMIC Group company Sedgman has acquired Novopro Projects Inc., an engineering and metallurgy company based in Canada that provides engineering services and process equipment to projects in North America, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Australia.

Novopro’s core business and speciality is project development and operational optimization in minerals processing for lithium projects, as well as in potash, salt, magnesium and soda ash.

With this know-how in lithium processing technology, Sedgman gains access to opportunities in this expanding sector, as demand for batteries and electric vehicles increases.

Paired with Sedgman’s minerals processing expertise, project delivery capability and experience, this acquisition expands Sedgman’s service offering to clients from sustaining capital through to major greenfield development, while enhancing Sedgman’s growing North American presence and offering to clients.

Novopro will be re-named Sedgman Novopro and will operate as part of Sedgman in North America.

CIMIC Group Executive Chairman, Juan Santamaria, said: “As a specialist in developing, engineering, and managing projects in metallurgy, mining, and mineral processing, Sedgman Novopro will further diversify the services we provide to clients in North America, a key growth market for Sedgman, and to the rest of the world. I am pleased to welcome Sedgman Novopro to the CIMIC Group.”

Sedgman Managing Director, Grant Fraser, said: “We would like to warmly welcome the Novopro people to our team. Novopro has a long-standing reputation for working with operating facilities across the world and for design and mining expertise. The addition of Novopro to Sedgman will allow us to increase our offering to clients while complementing Sedgman’s existing capabilities. We are excited to work together on opportunities.”

Novopro Managing Director, Mazi Rejaee, said: “In Sedgman, we are pleased to find a strategic partner that complements our current services, expands our capability and offers new opportunities to our personnel and our clients.”

Sedgman and Novopro will work through a transition process focused on the continuity of service to clients.