DuPont Sustainable Solutions buys Toronto-based Lodestone Partners

DuPont Sustainable Solutions has acquired Lodestone Partners, a Toronto-based operations consultancy serving resource companies.

DuPont Sustainable Solutions (DSS) is a former consulting unit of the global chemical giant, focusing on operational improvement and workplace safety at industrial firms. The firm spun off from DuPont last year, with backing from private equity firm Gyrus Capital.

The independent consulting firm is based in Geneva, with regional headquarters in Singapore, Sao Paolo, and Wilmington, Delaware. DSS has over 900 professionals across 40 global offices.

The firm’s acquisition of Lodestone bolsters its capabilities in operational improvement consulting, particularly in the resource and mining industry.

“Combining Lodestone’s highly respected operational improvement expertise with DSS’ risk management capabilities will now enable us to deliver an integrated operations transformation capability that is not currently available in the marketplace,” said Davide Vassallo, CEO of DuPont Sustainable Solutions. “This acquisition significantly expands DSS’ ability to help our clients protect their people and improve operations and is a significant step forward in our strategy to accelerate growth in select geographies and industries since becoming an independent company in September.”

Lodestone was founded in 2006 and works with companies in metals, mining, and manufacturing, including aluminum smelters, diamond mines, nickel refineries, and paper mills. The operational consultancy offers services across organizational design, supply chain, alignment, and transformation, among other areas. The company has offices in Toronto; Cape Town, South Africa; and Perth, Australia.

“DSS is an acknowledged world leader in helping companies protect their people and manage risks, with incredibly strong capabilities in operations risk management, capability development, data analytics and digital technology integration. We are excited to join with DSS and contribute an enhanced operations excellence offering to the portfolio of services DSS offers to its clients,” said Robin Schleich, former director of Lodestone Partners.

Schleich joins DSS as director of the operations excellence practice.