AMEC forms joint venture with Chinese chemical engineering firm

AMEC plc (London, U.K.) has formed a joint venture with Shanghai Zone Petrochemical Engineering Co. Ltd (SZPE), a Shanghai-based chemical engineering company, to pursue the engineering market in China. The joint venture, which is called SZPE AMEC, was created through AMEC’s purchase of 35% of SZPE, with an option to purchase a further 15% on January 1, 2012. SZPE AMEC employs about 120 people. “The deal provides us with the necessary licenses to undertake detailed engineering in China, which in turn supports our strategy to build a more consistent flow of engineering work in the region and achieve our plans for growth,” commented Ross Gibson, AMEC’s regional director for China.