Established in 1991, CR3 Group’s reputation for providing engineering excellence and sustainable solutions underpins its success. Roberto Beneventi, CEO, reflects on a year of tangible growth within the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions and the company’s continued focus on sustainability, innovation, and expansion.
WHERE PASSION MEETS INNOVATION
Driven by recent developments and evolution, the energy engineering industry in Asia Pacific (APAC) and the Middle East has gone from strength to strength.
Delivering comprehensive solutions to this sector is CR3 Group (CR3), whose new facilities in the Middle East and Vietnam, along with strategic collaborations in Japan and the Philippines, mean it is now well-established across the region.
The company’s vast suite of offerings includes shutdowns and turnarounds, revamps, engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) services, pipeline process services, plant maintenance, and specialised services such as catalyst handling and industrial cleaning.
Having been appointed as CEO of CR3 over a year ago, Roberto Beneventi reflects on the challenges and rewards he’s encountered since we last spoke with him in August 2023.
“As CEO, I have upheld the company’s legacy and expertise whilst driving continual evolution and forward-looking change,” he recounts.
With a large workforce operating across multiple territories, maintaining a strong focus on safety remains CR3’s top priority under Beneventi.
In addition, continuous improvements to quality and project delivery have become vital in demonstrating the company’s capabilities to new clients whilst retaining existing customers.
“We have also established a corporate team of professionals to drive growth in existing locations and support the company’s expansion into new markets,” he adds.
The corporate team seeks to disseminate local knowledge and expertise across all CR3 regions, ensuring consistently high health, safety, and quality standards.
As such, under Beneventi’s expert guidance, CR3 has implemented systems, processes, and procedures over the last year that have successfully transformed it from a medium-sized company into a large enterprise.
“As CEO, I have upheld the company’s legacy and expertise whilst driving continual evolution and forward-looking change”
Roberto Beneventi, CEO, CR3 Group
AN EVOLVING INDUSTRY
Since Beneventi was appointed as CEO, several impactful trends have emerged within the energy engineering sector.
A strong push towards renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind power, has seen many countries invest heavily in infrastructure to meet national sustainability targets and reduce carbon footprints.
Interest in hydrogen as a clean energy solution is growing rapidly, especially for decarbonising heavy industry and transportation. This shift has led to the rise of green hydrogen production projects, particularly in the Middle East. CR3 brings established experience and expertise to support the development of green hydrogen plants.
Although full development and industrialisation of green hydrogen may take several more years, solar, wind, and geothermal energy represent renewable resources where the company can drive meaningful impact today.
As a result, governments are implementing more stringent environmental regulations alongside incentives to encourage renewable energy adoption, which has led to increased public investment in energy efficiency and clean technologies.
At the same time, noticeable collaboration between government, the private sector, and international organisations has risen, fostering innovation and sharing of best practices.
“These trends highlight a dynamic shift towards sustainability, innovation, and collaboration across APAC and the Middle East in the energy engineering sector,” Beneventi summarises.
PROJECTS AND PROGRESSION
The past year has been one of geographic expansion for CR3, and the company has also successfully participated in countless energy engineering projects.
For example, CR3’s involvement in one of the world’s largest solar energy projects, based in the Middle East, has been strengthened by its extensive experience in solar engineering and installation.
The project combines photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies, significantly contributing to Dubai’s clean energy strategy, which aims to produce 75 percent of the city’s power from renewable sources by 2050.
Meanwhile, with the support of two technical partners, CR3’s EPICIC project has seen it upgrade critical components and replace the tip on an offshore platform flare system in the Gulf of Thailand for a leading petroleum exploration and production company.
CR3 has also recently completed a catalyst change-out project for a world-leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel, including change-outs on a three-bed hydrotreater and a two-bed isomerisation reactor in Singapore.
Elsewhere, the company’s team in India recently completed two major turnaround projects for a leading petrochemical company. The first included the maintenance and inspection of all static equipment, whilst the second involved the turnaround of a hydrocracking unit.
“The magnitude and scale of these projects were unparalleled for the client, who was impressed with our performance and has chosen us as their preferred partner for future projects,” Beneventi prides.
CR3 has also recently completed a critical welding repair project in the Middle East, earning high praise from the client.
“They were particularly impressed with our team’s innovative techniques, which optimised the weld purging stem and ensured the quality and speed of the welding,” he explains.
A SUSTAINABLE OPERATION
Since 2019, CR3 has been tracking carbon emissions to establish a baseline for its sustainability efforts.
When we last spoke, the company was making significant progress towards its sustainability policy, which aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
By 2024, it had published its first environmental, social, safety, and governance (ESSG) report, showcasing significant achievements and improvements in reducing its carbon footprint, enhancing social sustainability, and improving safety.
“This marks just the beginning,” Beneventi confidently asserts.
CR3 is already working on its 2025 plan, including ambitious new initiatives such as transitioning all facilities to solar power, reducing carbon consumption across equipment, travel, and transport, and providing specialised energy engineering solutions to the green energy industry.
“As such, we are confident that CR3 is on the right path to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” he states.
CR3 also believes good governance goes hand in hand with sustainability. It is proud to have received the Good Governance Standards Certification Award 2024 at a recent ceremony in Bangkok and multiple awards in the green energy sector across Asia, the Middle East, and India.
“We are confident that CR3 is on the right path to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050”
Roberto Beneventi, CEO, CR3 Group
CULTIVATING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
As a fast-growing organisation, talent acquisition remains an increasing challenge for CR3.
“Whilst we continue to seek new talent externally, we are equally committed to developing our existing team and empowering them to grow and reach their full potential.
“This approach demonstrates that when you join CR3, you contribute to the company’s success, have the opportunity to evolve alongside it and be part of the growth journey,” Beneventi details.
To effectively track, assess, and enhance the competencies of its teams, CR3 has invested in a new human resources management system (HRMS) that will enable it to manage skills development more efficiently and establish comprehensive career progression plans.
In addition, CR3’s new executive development programme, comprising tailored leadership training, mentorship opportunities, and cross-functional collaboration, is designed to cultivate leadership potential and foster continuous growth within the organisation.
“All of this is supported by a robust competency system and a commitment to diversity and inclusion in leadership roles,” Beneventi details.
By integrating these elements, CR3’s executive development programme enhances individual leadership capabilities and aligns with the company’s overall mission and values, ultimately driving continuous growth and success throughout the whole organisation.
A BRIGHT FUTURE
To meet and potentially exceed its target of growing the company threefold by 2028, CR3 has strengthened its relationships with existing oil and gas clients, fortifying its status as a trusted international business partner.
Additionally, the company has invested in its engineering capabilities by establishing a specialised engineering division to lead its development in the space.
“This not only supports our clients in their transition towards cleaner energy whilst attracting new customers but also offers our current team the opportunity to grow and develop within the renewables industry,” Beneventi affirms.
The company will likewise increase its focus on green business initiatives, including solar, wind, hydrogen, and geothermal solutions. Investment in automation and robotic equipment is hoped to improve safety in applications such as blasting and painting, activities carried out in confined spaces, and wind farm inspections.
“We are also further expanding our fabrication and construction output in several CR3 facilities, having recently received American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors (NBBI) certifications to fabricate pressure vessels,” Beneventi reveals.
As a continuously evolving company, Beneventi emphasises how CR3’s progress within the industry is ultimately driven by its team and the constant exchange of innovative ideas to promote business growth.
“Our teams consistently develop initiatives that propel our success. I firmly believe that every voice matters at CR3, and as CEO, my door is always open to suggestions for improving our company,” he concludes.
