ERM acquires AI and data science solutions provider OPEX Group

ERM, the world’s largest pure play sustainability advisory firm, has acquired OPEX Group (OPEX) – a specialist software company delivering AI & data science solutions that help carbon intensive industries to reduce emissions. This acquisition will further enhance ERM’s growing digital business, and expand its data analytics and AI capabilities to support clients seeking to operationalize sustainability and lead the low carbon economy transition.

OPEX’s team of 40 employees, based in the UK, will join ERM’s digital and climate change business experts and scale their capabilities across the globe. The company brings deep expertise in applying accessible data and actionable intelligence to help companies make better-informed decisions in how they operate and maintain their facilities for lower emissions. Customers use OPEX’s AI solutions to guide daily operational discussions and decisions to optimise their plant and processes, maximise efficiency and minimise carbon impact.

OPEX’s flagship product, emissions.AI, helps companies to operate complex facilities with lower carbon emissions. For example, a global energy company with upstream assets in the North Sea wanted to consider carbon in daily operational decisions to help reduce emissions. By continuously comparing real-time emissions data from the assets with the lowest achievable emissions target, emissions.AI automatically highlights when and where there may be a more efficient plant or process configuration, so users can take action to save on fuel, power and process emissions.

The acquisition marks the continued growth of ERM’s digital business, which now includes several products and platforms aimed at achieving data-driven transformations to fulfil ESG and sustainability commitments. ERM has consistently been recognised as a market leader in the Verdantix Green Quadrant for Digital EHS Services.

David McArthur, interim ERM Group CEO, said “ERM is at the forefront of using digital technologies to help organizations reduce emissions and operationalise sustainability. As stakeholder expectations, regulation and emerging global carbon markets continue to evolve, we can expect strong competitive forces to align around them, requiring new capabilities. The addition of OPEX to the ERM Group enables us to scale AI-enabled emissions reduction solutions to our global client base, continuing to deliver our 'boots to boardroom' value proposition.”

Jamie Bennett, CEO of OPEX, said “We have a six year track record of applying AI solutions to complex assets, and becoming part of ERM will help us to further extend our reach and capabilities. We will benefit from ERM’s global scale, network and expertise in sustainability, and look forward to working together to help customers address the biggest challenges they are facing today, and in particular the challenge of decarbonising operations.” 

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