Norda Stelo acquires CWA

Norda Stelo and CWA’s teams. Photo courtesy Norda Stelo.

Norda Stelo, an independent consulting engineering firm headquartered in Quebec City, has acquired Vancouver-based CWA Engineers to take more of a leading role in ‘site-to-port’ operations. The deal adds more than 100 engineers, technologists, designers and support staff.

The reasoning behind the strategic acquisition involves aligning Norda Stelo’s experience in automation, port and rail infrastructure design and liquid and gas material handling with CWA’s experience in bulk material handling for various terminal configurations and throughputs. Together, the firms hope to support their clients’ complete value chain, from resource extraction to national and global distribution.

“Drawing from our complementary services, we are poised to become the global leader in smart site-to-port operations, tending to the ports and terminals sector and the mining, rail, construction aggregates and wood product industries,” says Norda Stelo’s president and CEO Alex Brisson. “We have an opportunity to enhance our service offering to long-term client partnerships and expand our reach with significant projects nationally and in foreign markets.”

“We’re cementing our vision to not only expand our reach from coast-to-coast, but also enhance our offering in the mining and ports sectors globally,” adds CWA CEO Raymond Chu.

Following a six-month transition period, CWA will operate under the Norda Stelo brand. Leadership and locations will remain consistent, with Chu becoming vice-president (VP) for Western Canada and the U.S.

AEC Advisors advised Norda Stelo in the transaction. The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) provided a $12-million loan as part of its ‘Ambition ME’ strategy to help drive medium-size companies through their next stage of growth.

“CDPQ is proud to support the expansion of this Quebec company in the Western Canadian engineering market,” says Kim Thomassin, CDPQ’s executive VP (EVP) and head for Quebec. “In addition to more broadly promoting Norda Stelo’s industrial engineering expertise, this transaction will open international doors, with new contracts in various regions.”