Expanding civil engineering capacity

The move brings to the group global expertise in major civil engineering projects with particular experience in dams and hydropower, civil and hydraulic infrastructures.

Roberto Carpaneto, CEO, D’Appolonia, said: “Sembenelli brings us a strong brand name and key technical skills which complement our geo-technical and earthworks expertise. They widen our ability to support major projects such as port and dam construction and development. Sembenelli also fits well with our environmental focus as they are involved in major sustainable regional developments around the world.”

He pointed out that in addition to the civil engineering capability acquired from Sembenelli, the acquisition will give D’Appolonia the opportunity to consolidate its presence in growing markets such as Africa, where it has worked on hydro-electric plants in Rwanda and major dams in Nigeria, Algeria and Egypt.

For SC Sembenelli, the acquisition with D’Appolonia will enable the company to deliver expertise to civil engineering projects on a much larger scale.

Piero Sembenelli, founder of SC Sembenelli, said: “We are a small company with a big brain. We have been sought after for major projects because of our innovative approaches, our ability to think outside traditional solutions and the quality of our approach. Together with D’Appolonia we can deliver expertise to civil engineering projects on a very large scale.”

Sembenelli has been involved in over 250 projects in 40 countries including designing the works and excavations for the Panama Canal Third Set of Locks Project. It also designed part of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China and has performed geo-technical studies for the Riyadh Metro.

By Anne-Marie Causer