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Our story

From our local beginnings over 130 years ago to our vast international presence today, WSP has enjoyed continuous growth and enrichment of its service offering. Every milestone reached has enabled us to better fulfill our purpose of preparing our communities and environment for the future.

AT A GLANCE

Discover the purpose that drives us in our corporate brochure

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WSP Today

WSP is a globally recognised professional services consulting firm employing 67,000 people, 6,000 of which are in Australia.

On 6 June 2023, we finalised the acquisition of Calibre Professional Services One Pty Limited and its subsidiary Xstract Mining Consultants Pty Ltd (collectively, ‘Calibre’). Calibre provides leading consulting and engineering services to the mining sector and has a long track record of delivering successful projects and outcomes with blue-chip, resources sector clients. This acquisition significantly expands our footprint in the Mining & Energy sector, adding 800 people to our Australian operations, enhancing our capabilities and adding important experience to WSP’s business. 

Also in 2023, we completed the acquisition of enstruct, a 75-person structural engineering firm with presence in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, noted for designing and delivering quality building projects throughout Australia.

Globally in 2023, we completed the acquisition of swiss-based BG Consulting Engineers, Climate Finance Advisors (US), and BOD in Spain.

In 2022, we acquired Greencap Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Westfarmers Industrial and Safety, and a leader in the delivery of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), contaminated land and remediation services. This added 250 people to our Australian operations. Globally, we completed the acquisition of the Environment & Infrastructure business of John Wood Group plc, further expanding our environmental leadership, particularly in the US, Canada and the UK as well as Latin America and Europe. In the UK, Capita Real Estate and Infrastructure Ltd. And GL Hearn Ltd. joined us, further expanding our strategic advisory offering.

Throughout 2019-2021, we welcomed experts from 14 different acquisitions – including the transformational acquisition of Golder, a global consulting firm with over 60 years of experience in providing earth sciences and environmental consulting services. These acquisitions allowed us to add expertise in all our operating regions and to enter new markets, while the addition of Golder significantly increased our workforce. Together we represent the leading global environmental consulting firm dedicated to accelerating the world's green transition.

Fast forward to today and our 67,000 passionate people are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion. 

 
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Our long-term vision sets an ambitious destination for WSP to become the undisputed leader in our industry.
WSP 2022-2024 Global Strategic Plan vision
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History in Australia

In 1965, PG Pak Poy and Associates was formed in Adelaide, and quickly grew to have established offices in Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. The firm expanded into Asia and in 1992 became part of the global firm Rust Engineering. The Australian operations were purchased in 2000 by Parsons Brinckerhoff which had begun operations in New York in 1885. The first Asia office of Parsons Brinckerhoff was established in Hong Kong in 1995.

 

Also in 1995, overseas expansion of WSP began with the formation of WSP Asia and in 2000, WSP increased its presence in Asia. In 2007, WSP completed a further acquisition in Australia.

 

In 2014, the acquisition of WINWARD Group, a specialist structural engineering consultancy, strengthened WSP's presence in Australia prior to WSP's acquisition of the global business of Parsons Brinckerhoff, also in 2014. The acquisition of New Zealand's Opus in 2017 enabled WSP to enhance its activities in the region and gain expertise in the water-related infrastructure sector and asset management. In 2018, WSP acquired Irwinconsult, once again strengthening its presence in Australia, particularly in the Property & Buildings sector. In 2019, Elton Consulting was acquired boosting our strategic advisory services experience, also in the Australian market. In 2021, the Golder acquisition was completed, making WSP the leading global environmental consulting firm.

 

2022 saw us acquire Greencap Holdings Limited, supporting our ambition to grow our Earth & Environment business and increase our advisory services.

 

In 2023, we finalised the acquisition of Calibre Professional Services One Pty Limited and its subsidiary Xstract Mining Consultants Pty Ltd (collectively, ‘Calibre’), significantly expanding our footprint in the Australian mining sector with the addition of 800 professionals. We also acquired enstruct, a 75-person structural engineering firm with presence in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, noted for designing and delivering quality building projects throughout the country.

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2023

WSP ACQUIRES CALIBRE, A LEADING CONSULTING AND ENGINEERING SERVICES FIRM, SERVICING THE MINING SECTOR.

2023

ENSTRUCT JOINS WSP, ADDING STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DESIGN CAPABILITIES.

2023

GLOBALLY, WSP ACQUIRES BG CONSULTING ENGINEERS (EUROPE), CLIMATE FINANCE ADVISORS (US), AND BOD (SPAIN).

2022

WSP acquires Capita REI and GL Hearn, adding 1,000 UK-Based employees and expanding its strategic advisory offering.

2022

WSP aquires WOOD’S E&I BUSINESS, ADDING 6,000 PROFESSIONALS WITH STRONG EXPERTISE ACROSS THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPECTRUM, INCLUDING WATER.

2022

WSP RANKED #1 IN ENGINEERING NEWS-RECORD (ENR) MAGAZINE’S 2022 LIST OF TOP 225 INTERNATIONAL DESIGN FIRMS FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR.

2022

WSP UNVEILS ITS 2022-2024 GLOBAL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN, WHICH WILL GUIDE THE NEXT PHASE OF ITS EVOLUTION.

2022

In Australia, WSP acquires Greencap Holdings Limited - a wholly owned subsidiary of Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety. Our Earth & Environment team grows to over 1,200 professionals with this acquisition which enhances our expertise in the delivery of Environmental, Health and Safety (‘EHS‘) services, allowing us to draw upon a combined 450 dedicated specialists in hazardous materials, EHS, contaminated land and remediation.

2022

WSP completes the acquisition of twoCapita REI and GL Hearn.

2022

WSP completes the Environment & Infrastructure business of John Wood Group plc.

2021

WSP completes the acquisition of Golder, increasing our workforce by approximately 7,000 people and creating the leading global environmental consulting firm.

2021

WSP ANNOUNCES AMBITIOUS CLIMATE ACTION THROUGH A COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVE NET ZERO EMISSIONS ACROSS ITS VALUE CHAIN BY 2040, SUPPORTED BY SCIENCE-BASED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTION TARGETS.

2021

WSP ACHIEVES THE TOP SPOT IN ENGINEERING NEWS-RECORD MAGAZINE’S TOP 25 INTERNATIONAL DESIGN FIRMS WHILE KEEPING ITS #1 POSITION IN THE BUILDING AND TRANSPORTATION SECTOR RANKINGS.

2019

WSP acquires Orbicon, a Danish environmental consulting firm, enhancing our activities in the Nordics region.

2019

WSP acquires lievense, a netherlands-based multidisciplinary consulting firm, establishing a foothold in the dutch market.

2019

Wsp acquires elton consulting and strengthens its strategic advisory services expertise in Australia.

2019

WSP acquires US-based environmental consulting firm Ecology & Environment, expanding our geographic presence in the United States.

2019

FOR THE SECOND TIME, WSP IS RANKED FIRST IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR IN ENGINEERING NEWS-RECORD’S ANNUAL LIST OF THE TOP 225 INTERNATIONAL DESIGN FIRMS.

2018

WSP acquires Louis Berger, a US-headquartered international professional services firm with approximately 5,000 employees.

2018

WSP ACQUIRES AUSTRALIAN BASED IRWINCONSULT. THE ACQUISITION INCREASES OUR FOOTPRINT IN PROPERTY AND BUILDINGS.

2018

WSP is ranked first in the transportation sector in engineering news-record's top 225 International Design Firms.

2017

WSP UNITES UNDER ONE NAME, ONE BRAND AND ONE VISION ACROSS ALL GEOGRAPHIES, CULTURES, SPECIALTIES AND BACKGROUNDS; ANCHORED BY ITS GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND MANIFESTO.

2017

WSP ACQUIRES POCH, PROVIDING THE COMPANY WITH A LEADERSHIP POSITION IN THE CHILEAN MARKET, WHILE ALSO STRENGTHENING WSP’S PRESENCE IN COLOMBIA, PERU AND MEXICO.

2017

WSP ACQUIRES NEW ZEALAND BASED OPUS AND COMPLETES ITS 100TH ACQUISITION SINCE THE IPO. THE ACQUISITION ENABLES WSP TO ENHANCE ITS ACTIVITIES IN THE AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND REGION AND STRENGTHEN ITS EXPERTISE IN THE WATER-RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR AND ASSET MANAGEMENT.

2017

WSP ACQUIRES CONCOL, PROVIDING A LEADERSHIP POSITION IN THE COLOMBIAN MARKET IN A WIDE ARRAY OF SERVICES AND SECTORS, WHILE SOLIDIFYING THE COMPANY’S PRESENCE IN CHILE, PERU AND MEXICO.

2016

WSP ACQUIRES MOUCHEL CONSULTING, A LEADING UK FIRM RECOGNISED FOR ITS BROAD EXPERTISE IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECTORS.

2016

ALEXANDRE L'HEUREUX IS APPOINTED PRESIDENT AND CEO, TO LEAD WSP IN THE NEXT PHASE OF ITS EVOLUTION.

2015

WSP ACQUIRES LEADING NORDIC PROJECT MANAGEMENT FIRM FAVEO GROUP, PROVIDING A STRONG ENTRY-POINT IN THE NORWEGIAN MARKET, WHILE STRENGTHENING THE COMPANY’S POSITION IN SWEDEN.

2015

WSP ACQUIRES CANADIAN-BASED MMM GROUP RENOWNED FOR ITS EXPERTISE IN TRANSPORTATION, AND LEADERSHIP POSITION IN PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

2014

WSP ACQUIRES US-BASED PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF, A PREMIER INFRASTRUCTURE CONSULTANCY, AND BECOMES ONE OF THE LARGEST GLOBAL PURE-PLAY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRMS.

2014

WSP ACQUIRES FOCUS, A CANADIAN- BASED ENGINEERING AND GEOMATICS FIRM, EXPANDING THE COMPANY’S PLATFORM IN OIL & GAS ENGINEERING SERVICES, AND STRENGTHENING ITS PRESENCE IN WESTERN CANADA.

2014

GENIVAR AND WSP REORGANISE AS WSP GLOBAL INC., AND ADOPT WSP AS THE CORPORATE BRAND.

2012

GENIVAR ACQUIRES UK-BASED CONSULTANCY WSP, CREATING A WORLD-CLASS GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM, WITH EXPERTISE IN BUILDING, TRANSPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE AND INDUSTRIAL, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT SEGMENTS.

2006

GENIVAR IS LISTED ON THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE AS AN INCOME FUND.

1993

THREE MONTREAL FIRMS ARE ACQUIRED BY GROUPE-CONSEIL SOLIVAR INC. AND THE COMPANY’S NAME IS CHANGED TO GENIVAR.

1987

G.B.G.M. LTD AND LES CONSULTANTS DUPUIS, CÔTÉ INC. MERGE TO BECOME GROUPE-CONSEIL SOLIVAR INC., BASED IN QUEBEC.

1969

WILLIAMS SALE PARTNERSHIP LIMITED IS ESTABLISHED IN SURREY, UK.

1959

G.B.G.M. LTD AND LES CONSULTANTS DUPUIS, CÔTÉ INC., BEGIN OPERATING IN QUEBEC CITY, CANADA.

1885

PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF FOUNDED IN NEW YORK CITY, USA.