Our History
A Moment in Time
COVA Group's story began with Lincoln Scott in Hobart in 1979 - more than 45 years of growth into a multi-disciplinary engineering firm across Australia, Asia and the Pacific.
Milestones
Founded
Lincoln Scott purchased Hanson Joseph Patterson (a local Tasmanian consulting firm) and traded as Lincoln Scott.
Lincoln Scott Tasmania
Changed to local ownership as Lincoln Scott Tasmania.
Changed name to EMF Consultants
Opened Launceston office
Merged with Stephenson Maunsell & Partners
Merged with Stephenson Maunsell & Partners in Hobart and changed name to Stephenson EMF Consultants.
Changed name to SEMF
Acronym for Scientists Engineers Managers Facilitators.
Opened Sydney office
Acquired Strasta Page ECS
Acquired Strasta Page Engineering Consulting Services.
Opened Melbourne office
Acquired Austek Engineering
Acquired John Vroland & Associates
Acquired Tattersall Engineering Consultants
Acquired EAW
Acquired Earth Air Water Consulting and Monitoring Pty Ltd (EAW).
Rebrand to COVA
Acquired ACH Management; expanded across Asia
Opened offices in Singapore, Bangkok (Thailand) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia).
Established office in Auckland
Established office in Taipei City
Established offices in Tokyo and Singapore
Established office in Manila (Philippines)
Established office in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
Established office in Jakarta (Indonesia)
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
When was COVA founded?
COVA's story began in Hobart in 1979, when Lincoln Scott purchased the local Tasmanian consulting firm Hanson Joseph Patterson.
When did the company become COVA?
The firm, then known as SEMF, rebranded to COVA in 2018.
How did COVA expand across Asia?
In 2019 COVA acquired ACH Management and opened offices in Singapore, Bangkok and Phnom Penh, followed by Auckland in 2021, Taipei in 2022, Tokyo in 2023, Manila in 2024, Ho Chi Minh City in 2025 and Jakarta in 2026.