Global power and automation technology group ABB has secured a US$51 million contract to fit out two new copper plants in Kazakhstan. The partnership will see ABB supply the country’s largest copper producer Kazakhmys with comprehensive electrification and automation solutions for the new facilities.

Temporary power and temperature control services provider Aggreko is continuing its expansion into mainland China with a new service centre in Foshan opening. The new centre is in the southern Chinese city’s Gangbei Industrial Zone and will replace Aggreko’s existing operation in Guangzhou which was established in 2010.

Two new power plants being constructed in Bangladesh will be fitted with GE’s Frame 9F 3-series gas turbines, delivering high efficiency, reliable, low emissions power to the country for the first time.

In its second major purchase in 12 months, multi-national design and engineering firm Hyder Consulting has acquired West Australian-based BCH Engineering Consultants. BCH has expertise in the oil, gas, mining, resources, marine, civil infrastructure, land development and industrial sectors, and its purchase is a crucial step in Hyder’s growth strategy within the energy and resources sector.

ITT Corporation has completed its 206 million Euro acquisition of global pump systems provider Joh Heinr Bornemann GmbH (Bornemann Pumps). The company supplies its highly engineered products to the gas and oil industry and industrial, food and pharmaceutical sectors.

A major maintenance contract for Shell Eastern Petroleum’s Single Point Mooring (SPM) subsea pipeline near Singapore’s Bukom Island has been awarded to the Leighton-Boskalis consortium.

Mining technology developer Maptek has appointed the first suppliers of its Vulcan geological modelling and mine planning software in Mongolia and India. The company says the move into these two countries is a crucial step in delivering improved support to Vulcan users.

Advanced technologies, products and engineering supplier Tenova, has appointed a new chief executive officer to lead the company’s expansion. Alberto Iperti has been appointed in the role after leaving his position as managing director of Tenaris Canada, which is a supplier of tubes and related services for the energy industry.

Temporary power and temperature control supply provider Aggreko has appointed a new name to take charge of its Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands operations.

The first President of Mongolia has officially opened Brisbane-based mining solutions consultancy RungePincockMinarco’s (RPM) first software classroom at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology. The classroom is accessible to mining engineering students and equipped with computers from RPM in a move aimed at establishing a centre for technical excellence in mine planning.

Three new Sandvik Mining bolter-miners are being delivered to major underground coal mines in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, adding to a fleet of more than 20 other machines in the region.

Shell Australia says its 3^rd annual Mining & Transport Technology forums in Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane during 2012 gave global technical experts and engine manufacturers the opportunity to discuss the energy industry’s challenges. The company allowed its own technical experts to have an open dialogue with customers at the forums, in a strategy aimed at working together on solutions.

Shell Australia will begin selling biodiesel (B20) in a world-first release of the product in New South Wales, after launching its new biodiesel facility at Parramatta in western Sydney.

Testing to prove the control of foaming in hydraulic oil by the addition of regular ‘top up’ has been completed by Techenomics Indonesia in response to customer demand. The testing has proved regular ‘top up’ minimizes danger of damage caused by excessive foaming and ultimately reduces costs by reducing oil changes and increasing equipment availability.

Techenomics is anticipating positive results in 2013, after working to win contracts, opening new laboratories and expanding its product range during the last 12 months.

Weir Minerals Canada (WMC) has delivered three Multiflo reclaim water barges to Suncor Energy’s TRO oil sands project in Alberta, Canada. The mining equipment solutions supplier won the contract in early 2010 to design, fabricate, assemble and launch the three reclaim water barges for the project which is about 30km north of Fort McMurray.

Power and automation technology group ABB has successfully commissioned the integrated electrification and automation system installed at the first process line of Northland Resources’ Kaunisvaara iron ore concentrator plant in Sweden. The operation has now produced its first concentrate on the process line.

ESAB, a member of the Colfax group of companies, announces that Colfax Corporation has completed the acquisition of Victor Technologies Holdings. Victor is a pre-eminent global manufacturer of cutting, gas control and specialty welding solutions with many strong brands that are well-recognized around the globe.

Adani Mining will collaborate with BMT Engineering on the detailed design of an expansion at its Abbot Point coal terminal in northern Queensland. The agreement will involve BMT engineers from Australia and India working closely with Adani’s head office team in Ahmedabad, India.

In the quest for the resources and energy industry to shift focus from capital-intensive greenfield projects to maximizing output from existing operations, global engineering and project management organization Ausenco is gearing up for a surge in demand for optimization services.