SKM wins Global Business Achievement Award
Leading engineering, sciences and project delivery firm, Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) has been recognised by the well regarded Environmental Business Journal with a Gold Medal for Business Achievement.
The Award, in the Large Firms category for organisations with revenues greater than US$100 million, will be officially presented to SKM next month at EBJ’s Environmental Industry Summit in San Diego.
It recognises SKM’s outstanding revenue growth of approximately 30% annually over the past five years.
In 2007-08, SKM’s revenues broke the A$1 billion barrier for the first time.
SKM Water & Environment General Manager, Geoff Linke said the Award from a highly respected environmental industry publication is also recognition of the firm’s growing global ability to service clients in dealing with significant environmental issues.
“Aside from our traditional markets in Australia and New Zealand, we are now bringing our skills to clients in the United States, Europe, South America and across Asia, on a range of water and environmental projects,” Mr Linke said.
“For instance, we have leveraged off our successful work in delivering major desalination projects in Australia to win a role on a proposed new desalination facility on the north eastern coast of Florida,” he said.
“We are also providing advice to clients in growing market areas such as sustainability, climate change and natural resource management.
“In terms of the sustainability of our own business, it is worth emphasising that SKM is in a strong business position.
“We have effectively no debt and, as a private, employee-owned business are not subject to the vagaries of the public markets.
“This is a clear vindication of our ownership model, balance sheet management and conservative risk taking values,” Mr Linke added.
SKM employs about 6,500 staff in almost 50 offices around the world.
In the Water and Environment market, the firm has a global alliance with leading US environmental consultancy, Malcolm Pirnie Inc.
SKM staff come from a diverse range of disciplines including engineers, planners, architects, economists, scientists, project managers, technicians and administrative staff.
They work across seven broad markets: Buildings & Property; Defence; Power & Industry; International Development Assistance; Transport Infrastructure; Mining & Metals; along with Water & Environment.
About the Awards
Published out of the United States, Environmental Business Journal (EBJ) is a leading business publication for companies operating in the environmental industry.
EBJ provides a strategic overview and an independent perspective on market trends and business strategies that affect this changing industry.
In October-December of 2008, EBJ solicited the environmental industry via email, website and word-of-mouth for nominations for the EBJ Business Achievement Awards.
Nominations were accepted in 200-word essays in either specific or unspecified categories.