STRACON Group, the leading mining services group focused on North and South America, majority owned by global asset manager Ashmore Group, has announced that it has acquired OMT SpA, a Chilean engineering and technology company specialised in the implementation of communication technologies for the mining sector.
The acquisition further strengthens STRACON’s digital technology capabilities and, coupled with the recent acquisition of AMECO South America, expands the Group’s presence in Chile. The announcement marks STRACON’s second technology acquisition following its purchase in 2022 of Peru’s Deep Pit Technology. Deep Pit’s flagship software suite MineExpert uses artificial intelligence to optimise mining production. As part of STRACON Technologies digital solutions group, both OMT and Deep Pit will help support the digital transformation of mines.
STRACON says it has prioritised technology solutions as a key component of its strategy to enhance its role as a leading partner and service provider to mining companies. Through its subsidiary, STRACON Technologies, the Group offers a wide range of digital and artificial intelligence solutions, cybersecurity, hybrid infrastructure and energy technology. It says the effective implementation of digital technology can enable mines to achieve improved efficiency, safety, and sustainability during their construction phase and throughout their operational life.
“I would like to welcome OMT to the STRACON family. We recognise the power of digital technology to transform the mining sector, and the addition of OMT significantly advances our capabilities in this area,” said Steve Dixon, CEO, STRACON Group. “This acquisition is just the latest development in our ongoing drive to enhance our position as mining innovation leaders following our launch last year of STRACON Technologies and our purchase of Deep Pit.”
OMT is a Santiago-based technology firm with 80 employees and more than 15 years of experience working with mining companies in Chile. Its offering includes comprehensive communication and networking solutions, operational continuity, and professional engineering services. OMT integrates best-in-class technologies to deliver the customised solutions most appropriate for each project. As the only authorised implementation partner in Chile for leading technology vendors such as Airbus DS – Sepura, OMT has secured critical licenses and permits that are required to operate in the country.
“We are very pleased to join STRACON Group, a well-known leader with a great reputation in the mining community of Latin America,” said Patricio Veloso, General Manager of OMT. “In particular, STRACON’s vision for the use of modern technology to improve the safety and efficiency of mining operations aligns fully with our own. We look forward to collaborating on both existing and new projects in the growing Chilean mining sector.”
