GHD celebrates 80 years of community contributions

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20 August 2008

International professional services company GHD is celebrating 80 years of successful partnerships, delivering lasting value to the communities in which it works.

Founded in Melbourne in 1928, GHD has grown from an engineering company to a diverse professional services provider offering services in the sectors of infrastructure, mining and industry, defence, property and buildings, and the environment.

Now ranked in the world’s top 30 engineering and architecture companies, GHD employs more than 6,000 people in a network of offices across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Europe.

Since its inception, GHD has assisted global communities to realise their potential and create lasting value by delivering innovative and sustainable solutions. The company is a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and is committed to managing the social, economic and environmental impacts of its operations and assisting its clients to manage theirs.

GHD Chairman Clive Weeks said: “GHD does not claim to have all of the answers to address the critical issues associated with a changing planet but we are determined to demonstrate leadership, harness innovation, share a common ethos and advance a sustainable economy that serves society as a whole”.

In Australia, GHD is working with the Lower Murray-Darling Catchment Management Authority to reinstate wetting and drying regimes for the Wetland Rehabilitation Project. We have assisted the approval process for the Sydney Water Desalination Plant and managed the environmental approvals, design of pipelines and pump stations and planning of the scheme for the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project in Queensland.

GHD has provided design services for the upgrade of the Amberley RAAF base in Queensland, and is delivering detailed design and documentation for the new Perth-Bunbury Highway.

In the Middle East, GHD has played a critical role in delivering the 8th Wonder of the World – a monumental development off the coast of Dubai known as The Palms. And, we have broken new ground in quality control for the world’s tallest building, the Burj Dubai Tower.

GHD is involved in a wide range of port developments and upgrade projects along the 4,000-kilometre coastline of Chile. And in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, we are working with Pacific Hydro in the development of their Environmental Impact studies for four run-of-river hydro projects in the Cachapoal River Basin.

In New Zealand, we provided a total service from planning through to design, contract administration and project management for Auckland’s three flagship roads projects and were responsible for the process design, plant layouts, services systems and project management services for the expansion of the Fonterra Eltham plant.

In the USA, we are guiding water utilities with asset management planning services.

In Malaysia, GHD has delivered the feasibility study, engineering design and project management services for Kinta Dam, the first Roller Compacted Concrete Dam in the country. We have also delivered civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering services for the newly opened state-of-the-art Islamic Civilization Park on Wan Man Island in Terengganu.

In Papua New Guinea, we are providing annual environmental performance audits of the OK Tedi Mine, and in the Philippines we are playing an important role in the ongoing compliance of a power plant with the provision of terrestrial and aquatic ecological services.

In Vietnam, we have taken an active role in water supply and sanitation projects; while in Bangladesh, GHD was instrumental in helping provide safe water by mitigating contamination and poisoning from arsenic in groundwater.

Our team in China is delivering a number of impressive projects with a particular focus on buildings, urban planning, water, management consulting, energy, transportation and the environment. We are currently managing two major China/Australia cooperation programs aimed at improving both environmental management and institutional governance. The team has also been developing nation-wide flood management strategies, undertaking water supply and hydropower feasibility studies, and designing improvements to Beijing’s traffic signalling network.

In Europe, GHD is helping the Scottish Executive, Irish Water and London Underground optimise the management of their assets using our highly regarded risk management framework.

People are the cornerstone of our success at GHD and we continue to support a culture that is driven by teamwork, respect and integrity.

Mr Weeks said: “At GHD, we are realising opportunities for our clients based on the high standard and ethics handed down by our founders. We believe that Gutteridge, Haskins and Davey would be proud to see us today”.

GHD employs 6,000 people in a network of offices throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, Americas and Europe.

For further information, contact:

Mandi Zonneveldt

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