Professional Services

Driving in the Philippines can be fun and adventurous; but being chauffeured is convenient and more practical for travellers on a tight schedule.

Canadian engineering consultancy Genivar has announced it will merge with its UK-based rival WSP.

Genivar will acquire all of WSP’s shares for around £278 million.

The companies said that given their complementary geographic footprints, end-market exposures and service offerings and limited client overlap, the business fit is expected to provide revenue diversification as well as enhanced capabilities to better serve their combined client base on a global basis.

Allantone Supplies focuses on keeping the maritime traffic that bustles around the UK well supplied with fuel. Running a short-notice, niche operation, the company makes customer service its top priority.

UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp, has closed on the sale of its fire and security branch operations in the US to Comvest Investment Partners.

The company provides integrated building solutions, including heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, building controls and automation, and fire and security systems.

When it comes to issues such as safety, security and emergency/crisis management, in-house knowledge may not always be enough. Bringing in specialist expertise ensures that no stone is left unturned in the implementation of robust and comprehensive systems to cover every eventuality.

Perth, Western Australia-based Alegra Safety is a consultancy offering safety management, risk management, emergency management, security management and OHS auditing to businesses of all sizes across the world.

The northern regions of Canada are again experiencing a mining boom and behind every mining operator there has to be solid support, as Alan Swaby discovers from the Gibeault family.

For a case study on man’s ability to adapt and prosper; look no further than Ron Gibeault and his family. Early in his career, Ron decided that a new start in the northernmost reaches of Canada was what he and his new bride needed. 

Swiss onboard products and services provider gategroup has won a contract with Virgin Atlantic Airways to provide end-to-end catering services for the airline's long-haul operations from the UK.

The agreement, worth CHF40 million to CHF50 million per annum, is for services on Virgin’s flights from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow. The contract will take effect from June 1 this year for three years, with an option to extend for a further two years.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Kroff, Inc, one of the fastest-growing water treatment companies in the United States, is expanding internationally with the establishment of operations in South America.

Through the creation of a new company called Kroff Chile - Tecnologias y Procesos Limitada, based in Santiago, Kroff will provide cost-effective custom-blended chemicals and processes for water and wastewater treatment to companies in a variety of industries in that country, including energy, power and mining.

Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Money is said to be close to purchasing the nationalised UK lender Northern Rock.

According to a report in the Sunday Times, Virgin is said to be front runner ahead of banking venture NBNK, which is headed up by Lord Levene and former Northern Rock CEO Gary Hoffman.

Final bids are due this week for the Newcastle-based bank, which UK taxpayers propped up with £1.4 billion following its collapse in 2007.

Developing new IT systems is fraught with danger at the best of times; but as Alan Swaby learns, when you harness the power of 98 different customers, you become a force for change.

Not all are tainted, by any means, but in the UK a large number of IT projects for government departments or other public bodies are either long overdue, way over budget or both. As such, the sheer size of a commissioning agency is no guarantee of success—so it’s no bad thing to take a look at how it is being done successfully in a different arena.