JL Richards & Associates (JLR) says it has acquired Timmins, Ontario-based engineering firm Porcupine Engineering Services, bolstering its service offering to clients in the mining, industrial, forestry, and energy sectors in northern Ontario and beyond.

PES is a multidisciplinary engineering firm with specialised expertise in brownfield mining, according to JLR. “Founded in 2004 by partners Mario Colantonio, Frank O’Donnell, and Brian Emblin, PES has a proven reputation in northern Ontario for high quality design and project management,” the company said, adding that Colantonio, O’Donnell, Emblin and the existing PES team will be integrated into JLR’s established Industrial & Mining Group.

“With the combined capabilities of this newly expanded team, JLR will have an unprecedented capacity to provide bespoke solutions to meet the unique needs of its industrial and mining clients,” JLR said.

Guy Cormier, JLR President and CEO, said the deal represented a significant business development and technical growth opportunity for the team. “Where once stood two competitors now stands a stronger, more dynamic, and unified front. The entire JLR team is incredibly excited about the new opportunities that this partnership will bring.”

JLR has previously worked with the likes of Goldcorp (now Newmont Goldcorp) and Vale (a picture of the 2013 Overflow Engineering contract in Sudbury, pictured here) on mining projects in northern Ontario.