Pasadena and Casablanca-Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Pasadena, Calif., and Morocco’s phosphate giant Office Cherifien Des Phosphates (OCP), Casablanca, announced on Oct. 13 their intent to enter into an engineering joint venture agreement. While terms were not disclosed, the jv will provide program, project management, and engineering services for projects based on the US$5 billion investment program of OCP in Morocco. Jacobs said the agreement, when completed, will represent a powerful combination of engineering and program management resources aligned to support OCP in implementing its strategic expansion plans, in particular infrastructure elements of the Jorf Lasfar phosphate hub development. It will also advance Jacobs’ growth plans in the fertilizer industry and in the region. It is anticipated that the jv will provide services to OCP and third parties in their phosphate engineering business activities worldwide. In addition, the parties intend to expand the capabilities of the jv to include infrastructure engineering services to serve the growing West African infrastructure market. The new company, which is expected to be in operation before the end of 2009 and employ over 200 people within a 12-month period, will utilize Jacobs engineering systems and tools and will be staffed by OCP and Jacobs, as well as local hires.
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