German consulting and engineering company DMT has reached an agreement to acquire a majority holding in the South Africa-based Kai Batla Minerals Industry Consultants. The company said that the acquisition “supports DMT’s global growth strategy in the natural resources and infrastructure sectors.” It will be completed in early March, after which Kai Batla will become part of DMT’s International Mining Consulting (IMC) Division and will bear the name DMT Kai Batla Pty Ltd. Heinz-Gerd Koerner, Managing Director of the DMT Group, says: “I am very pleased to welcome DMT Kai Batla as a new member of DMT Group. I am sure that this will open up opportunities for business development that will be beneficial for all involved.”

DMT Kai Batla Pty Ltd will be integrated into the Group and lead the expansion of DMT’s services in Africa. Avinash Bisnath and Sodhie Naicker will continue as Managing Director and Technical Director respectively. The Board will be joined by Bernd Teigler from Germany, Chris Wells from the UK and TN Gunaseelan from India. Avinash Bisnath says “This merger is going to transform the landscape of the consulting industry in South Africa by introducing specialist skills typically not found in South Africa, especially in the oil and gas industry. DMT Kai Batla will reinforce its presence and provide new services to its existing and new clients.”

Kai Batla is known for providing a range of services to the mineral industry, particularly in the areas of geological mapping and related exploration services, mineral resource and reserve estimation, environmental services and mineral economics. It is based in Bordeaux, a suburb of Johannesburg but also has a subsidiary presence in DRC and in Madagascar.