Engineering SADC

INDUSTRIAL • MINING • POWER • MARINE

Murray & Roberts introduced mainstream engineering contracting into its portfolio of market offerings through the Pelindaba nuclear project in the early 1960s and enhanced its capability in the specialised marine infrastructure market with the acquisition of the southern hemisphere operations of Danish contractor Christiani & Nielsen in the 1970s.

When requested by the South African Government to develop the capacity to provide engineering services for its planned nuclear research facility at Pelindaba in 1960, Murray & Roberts established Engineering Management Services (later rebranded Murray & Roberts Engineering Solutions). This company went on to play a major role in the design and construction of a number of major mining & minerals, oil & gas and general industrial projects in South Africa and the region, including the Mossgas gas to liquids plant and offshore platform, Hillside and Mozal aluminium smelters, and key projects for Sappi, Sasol, Kumba (Iscor), Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Xstrata, De Beers and many others.

A mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and piping (MEIP) contracting capability was established by the Group during the 1970s in KwaZulu Natal to serve the industrial expansion taking place in the region. Major projects for Mondi, Sappi, Tongaat Hulett and Illovo established and expanded their agri-industrial facilities over time. Subsequently, Sasol, Shell and Engen (Mobil) became major clients in the petrochemical sector and many projects have been completed for the mining and minerals sector.

Murray & Roberts Engineering Solutions and Murray & Roberts MEI were merged to create Murray & Roberts Projects, a major EPC contractor more appropriately positioned to serve the minerals beneficiation, industrial, oil & gas, water and power sectors, including nuclear, which offers significant opportunity to the Group into the future. The acquisition in 2007 of specialist electrical and instrumentation contractor, Wade Walker, has enhanced the Group’s potential offering to these sectors.

The companies in this cluster are primarily focused on the Group’s core competence in industrial engineering, which if properly applied in the early design and feasibility phases of projects, offers significant value to clients.