THE Australian division of engineering and construction firm, SNC-Lavalin, has appointed well-known mining industry executive and former Portman managing director, Barry Eldridge (left), as its new chairman to spear-head its continued growth path in Australia, particularly in the resource sector. The appointment is Mr Eldridge’s first since stepping down as managing director of Portman earlier this year after the successful takeover by US-based iron ore producer Cleveland-Cliffs. Since its incorporation in 1999, SNC-Lavalin Australia has grown into a fully operational division within the SNC-Lavalin group, evolving from a minor role in the Australian engine-eering and construction industry to a successful competitor for high-profile contracts, including the engineering procurement contract for Burrup Fertilisers in WA and the engineering procurement and maintenance contract for the Goro nickel project in New Caledonia, with a project cost of $US1.9 billion. Mr Eldridge was managing director and chief executive of Western Australian-based iron ore producer Portman from 2002 to 2005, over-seeing a major expansion of its Koolyanobbing operations.
