Australasia Outlook Issue 4

PEOPLE CULTURE TRAVEL PROPERTY BUSINESS WINE SPORT ENTERTAINMENT

Driving growth in PNG

990 LaTrobe Street

Digital Harbour raises the bar with Melbourne Water building

Thor Mining

Chairman Mick Billing talks to Australasia Business Outlook

Builtform

Senior people involved in your project, no matter how big or small

SA Water

Weathering the worst during the driest of times

Business success, 2012’s top travel destinations, and the Tablet you should buy!

Editorial

Welcome to the fourth instalment of Australasia Business Outlook, your gateway to business. We have a number of interesting features for you this month, including an insider’s look at Ela Motors, one of PNG’s most successful enterprises. As you’ll see from our cover story, Ela has a long and distinguished history in PNG, where it has grown significantly and dominates several market segments. We talk with Rob McKeon, National Sales and Marketing Manager, who tells us that the firm’s rapid growth looks set to continue as major resources projects continue to sprout up.

Staying with the growth theme, Thor Mining recently discovered that its Spring Hill gold project in Australia is much larger than originally thought. The group tells Australasia Business Outlook that economic mineralisation potentially extends up to 100 metres below historical resource drilling, with a good correlation between its drilling and historical reverse circulation gold intersections in the upper levels. You can read that on page 82.

On page 40, we visit the Melbourne Water building, which is being developed by Digital Harbour. The sixstar Green Star tower (for both the base building and fitout construction) will place Melbourne Water at the forefront of sustainable office accommodation in the Australian commercial office market.

Of course there is a lot more inside, where you can keep abreast of the news on page 6, find out which Tablet you need to buy on page 12 and discover where you should going on your holidays on page 14.

Enjoy the magazine!

Editor – Ian Armitage Sub editors – Jahn Vannisselroy Janine Kelso Tom Sturrock Writers – Colin Chinery Jane Bordenave Robert Michaels

Business

Advertising Sales Manager – Sean Brett Researchers – Nicholas Davies Sales administrators – Katherine Ellis Daniel George

Accounts

Financial controller - Suzanne Welsh

Production & Design

Design & Production Manager – Lisa Ferron Images: Getty News: NZPA, AAP, SAPA

digital & IT

Head of digital marketing & development – Syed Ahmad

TNT Publishing

CEO - Kevin Ellis Chairman - Ken Hurst Publisher - TNT Multimedia Limited TNT Multimedia Limited, 10 Greycoat Place, London, SW1P 1SB tntmagazine.com

Enquiries

Telephone: 0061 (0)2 8518 1223 Fax: Email: sean.brett@tntmagazine.com

Subscriptions

Call: 0061 (0)2 8518 1223 Email: sean.brett@tntmagazine.com

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Ian Armitage Editor

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14 18 36 44

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30 48 68

Contents

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TECH: Top 5 Tablets

FEATURES

features

06 12

NEWS

Australian’s love their gadgets and are willing to part with serious cash to get the latest and greatest

TRAVEL: 2012’s not to be missed travel destinations

A new year means new travel opportunities

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30 36

40

Ela Motors Rob McKeon, National Sales and Marketing Manager of Ela Motors, talks to Australasia Business Outlook

cover

Corplex

Corplex has a proven track record of consistent strong growth and 2011 was no exception

Builtform With Builtform you get the

senior people involved in your project, no matter how big or small it is

Green Building Council Green star rising!

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Digital Harbour

In 2010 Melbourne Water committed to locate its new 12,650m² head office facility at 990 LaTrobe Street, in the southeast corner of Digital Harbour

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SA Water

54 62 68 74

Southern Water Tas

82

SA Water has come up with innovative solutions to help it weather the worst, even during the driest of times Southern Water is the sole provider of water services to the south of the island state of Tasmania

Osmoflo

Osmoflo’s Deanne Loan tackles Australasia Business Outlook’s questions

Hach Pacific

In the world of water analytics and related instrumentation Hach is a major global brand

Broad AMP

Australasia Business Outlook looks at Broad APM’s inaugural project – Monash University’s Clayton campus

Thor Mining

Thor Mining Plc is a mining company dealing primarily with gold, molybdenum and tungsten

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World

Romney pips

US manufacturing

in Iowa vote

forecasts

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has narrowly won the first vote

by US Republican party supporters in the process to choose a presidential candidate for this year’s election.

He finished eight votes ahead of former senator Rick Santorum in the Midwest state of Iowa.

Ron Paul finished third, while Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann settled into a second tier of candidates.

US manufacturing activity hit a six-month high in December, according to a survey from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM).

The ISM’s index, which looks at orders, production and jobs, rose to a higher-thanexpected level of 53.9 in December, up from 52.7 in November.

Any value above 50 indicates expansion in sector.

It was the 29th month in a row that the sector has grown and the latest in a run of positive indicators from the US.

Santorum

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activity beats

Eurozone Sport

Euro unlikely to vanish

in 2012: IMF chief

Economy

Heinz fa c t o ry in Girgarre

closes

The euro is unlikely to “vanish” this year, IMF chief Christine Lagarde has said.

However, she warned, while on a trip in South Africa early January, that a report due to be released on January 25 will show the global economy growing slower than the 4.0 percent estimated in September.

“Will 2012 be the end of the euro? My answer is, I don’t think so,” she said. “The currency itself is not likely to vanish or disappear in 2012.”

“Will Greece quit the euro zone in 2012? The euro partners have affirmed, reaffirmed their determination. We can only support that,” she added.

Eurozone jobless stuck

at record 10.3% Eurozone unemployment remained at an all-time record high of 10.3 percent for the second month running in November, official figures from the Eurostat data agency showed.

Eurostat estimated that more than 16.3 million men and women were out of work in the 17-nation euro area in November after the ranks of the unemployed rose by 587,000 compared with November the previous year.

Nearly 150 workers have completed their final shift at a Heinz factory in Girgarre, northern Victoria.

The company is has closed the doors on the regional plant, which makes tomato sauce, and is moving production to New Zealand, leaving 146 people out of work.

AMWU delegate Ken Covington said it was the end of an era.

“There’s people here who’ve been here since day one, and they’re the ones really feeling the closure,” he said.

“We’re a three-income family from Heinz until tonight.

We’re a zero income family as from tomorrow, so our household’s feeling it too, like everyone else.

“But reality will set in Monday I suppose when we don’t have to come back to work.”

The Goulburn Valley Food Cooperative is hoping to buy the plant.

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Business

lifestyle

China’s trade 2011 weather surplus shrinks on weaker demand

from Europe, US China’s trade surplus narrowed 12.6 percent to around A$154.78 billion in 2011, according to Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming.

The drop from 2010 comes as the world’s second largest economy adjusts to weaker demand from key export markets such as Europe.

2011 was a year of economic turmoil that has seen a rebound in the United States and Europe slow down sharply.

Commerce Minister Chen Deming said total trade volume - imports and exports combined - rose more 20 percent, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Jobs

Contracts ready for new SA mine A new iron ore mine is to begin production within three months on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, creating 150 jobs.

IronClad Mining has received final approval for its Wilcherry Hill project and key infrastructure and mining contracts are set to be signed.

The company said it expected infrastructure work at the site to start later this month with the first ore production expected in the March quarter this year.

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wetter and

cooler

than normal

Australia’s weather in 2011 was wetter and cooler than normal, the Bureau of Meteorology has said.

Its annual climate statement said it was the third wettest year since records began in 1900, with a total mean rainfall of 699mm - 234mm above the long-term average of 465mm - while March was the wettest month ever recorded.

Most parts of the country had above average rain, apart from patches in southwest Western Australia, western Tasmania, and pockets of NSW and Queensland.

The mean temperature was 21.67C the first time since 2001 it’s dipped below the average.

World Sport

Single Tuna fetches

A$713,000

A deep-pocketed restaurateur has shelled out nearly threequarters of a million dollars for a single tuna fish at Japan’s Tsukiji fish market, smashing a previous world record.

The 269kg bluefin - caught off the coast of Japan’s northern Aomori prefecture - stood at an eye-popping 56.49 million yen ($A712,991) when the hammer came down in the first auction of the year.

The figure dwarfs the previous high of 32.49 million yen paid at last year’s inaugural auction.

Lifestyle

iPad outwits thief iPads have proven to be a useful crime-fighting tool, after one stolen in Melbourne helped nab its thief.

When two men discovered an iPad had been taken from their car in Brunswick they used an application to track the device to nearby Reservoir.

They confronted a 30-year-old man in a park and detained him until police arrived. The man was charged with several offences, including theft and handling stolen goods

Sport

Clarke

inspires innings v i c t o ry

Captain Michael Clarke set Australia on their way to an emphatic innings-and68-run victory over India and a 2-0 series lead.

Clarke, who scored an unbeaten 329 in the first innings, removed Sachin Tendulkar, who is still searching for his 100th century in international cricket, for 80 to spark a dramatic middle-order collapse after lunch.

Ben Hilfenhaus finished with 5-106 as India were bowled out for 400 after tea at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

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Health

Lifestyle

Govt launches NSW mosque breast implant

hotline

A hotline for Australian women worried about their breast implants rupturing has been launched following a global scandal over a now-banned French product.

Fears over the French Poly Implant Protheses (PIP) implants spread globally last month after French health authorities advised 30,000 women to have their implants removed because of an increased risk of rupture.

Although there is no evidence of increased rupture rates in Australia, Acting Minister for Health and Ageing Nicolo Roxon said the government had set up a hotline for women who want more information.

“Australian women can be reassured that our experts advise that on the basis of current data available there is no evidence of increased rupture rates for PIP implants in Australia,” Ms Roxon said.

The hotline will operate 24 hours a day and will register women’s contact details so that follow-up information can be provided if necessary.

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at ta c k

condemed

The NSW government and Jewish community have condemned an attack on a mosque in Newcastle and issued a call for “community harmony”.

NSW Citizenship and Communities Minister Victor Dominello appealed for help in bringing the offenders to justice.

“Attacks on places of worship whether those places are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu or other are unacceptable in a society that values religious freedom and social tolerance,” he said in a statement.

Two unidentified men attacked the Wallsend mosque minutes after a group of children had finished a scripture class, The Newcastle Herald reported.

Seven people were trapped inside when one man with a large tattoo of a cross on his neck attempted to gain entry.

He kicked open the fence gate, hurled an object at the mosque’s front door and then kicked the front door.

Both men tried to knock over the front fence before one of them shouted what appeared to be abuse.

Business

Moody’s reaffirms Australia’s AAA rating Australia’s top level AAA credit rating has been reaffirmed by international ratings agency Moody’s.

In its statement, Moody’s said Australia’s AAA ratings are based on the country’s very high economic resiliency, very high government financial strength and very low susceptibility to event risk.

“Economic resiliency is demonstrated by the country’s very high per capita income, large size, and economic diversity,” it said.

“As one of the world’s most advanced economies, the country has not only a significant natural resource sector - including minerals, hydrocarbons, and agriculture - but also well-developed manufacturing and service sectors. It also demonstrates strong governance indicators.”

Bionomics partners

with US firm

Adelaide-based Bionomics has signed a multi-million dollar deal with US company Ironwood Pharmaceuticals to develop a potential anti-anxiety drug.

“Data from several preclinical studies indicate that BNC210 has anti-anxiety activity without the sedative side effects that are typical of benzodiazepines, a class of drugs used to treat anxiety,” Bionomics said in a statement.

Bionomics chief executive Deborah Rathjen said Ironwood would fund the cost of further clinical trials, which was estimated to cost “several hundreds of millions of dollars”.

“The two companies have a shared vision for BNC210,” Ms Rathjen told reporters in Melbourne.

“Particularly in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder, for which there are no effective drugs in the market currently.”

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tablets

Australians just can’t get enough of their gadgets and are willing to part with serious cash in order to own the latest and greatest.

By Ian Armitage

W

hen the iPad 2 was released in Australia last March, the high-end tablet device had sold out in every store coast to coast within just two days.

So what is a tablet? Well, without patronising you, it is essentially a flat, lightweight, mobile computer.

It’s not a laptop.

Tablets are thin, can be carried under the arm and at first glance look like a portable, compact screen.

The most successful so far, above and beyond all competition, is the Apple iPad. However, where Apple may once have enjoyed a 90 percent share of the local

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tablet market, competitors are popping up left, right and centre.

Apple took Samsung to court again after alleging it “slavishly copied” the iPad with its Galaxy Tab 10.1v, and succeeded in getting its sale banned in Australia.

But in December that decision was overturned, and Apple was forced to swallow its pride and recognise its competitors, new and old, were here to stay.

If you want to buy a tablet but don’t know where to start, this is the article for you.

Apple iPad 2 - Sleeker, lighter, sexier and more powerful than its predecessor, the

Technology FEATURE

top 5 iPad 2 boasts endless features. New iCloud technology lets you wirelessly transfer files between your Apple products. Twin cameras allow for face-to-face video chat and the battery lasts 10 hours. Can be 3G enabled, so you can go online anywhere, anytime.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v - It’s got a bigger screen, slightly better resolution and weighs less than the iPad 2. You can drag and drop music, video and picture files without having to go through a program like iTunes. Add the Amazon Kindle app and access an enormous range of e-books. No wonder Apple was scared.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer - Another Android device, this one differs from the

rest immediately by sporting a detachable keyboard. Fast and Flash compatible, it boasts similar specs to its competitors but is slightly longer and wider than some.

Lacks a 3G-enabled model.

Motorola Xoom - One of Apple’s first tablet competitors in Australia, the Xoom uses the same lauded Android “Honeycomb” platform as the Galaxy, but is heavier than its rivals. Has drawn fire over its pricetag, which is too close to the iPad 2.

Acer Iconia A100 - Smaller than its competition with a 7-inch screen, this tablet isn’t much cheaper than its 10-inch counterpart but packs punch and many features for its size.

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not to be missed travel destinations

By Ian Armitage

G

2012

lobe-trotters everywhere, a new year means new travel opportunities. Here’s our roundup of the most exciting travel and holiday destinations for 2012.

Zimbabwe Following the dollarisation of the economy and an improving political situation, Zimbabwe is becoming more attractive to travellers.

Among Africa’s most beautiful countries, an ongoing drive to promote conservation projects and opportunities to volunteer means Zimbabwe is appealing to a growing number of

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ethical tourists.

Visit: Victoria Falls, Mana Pools, Harare, and the Eastern Highlands. www.zimbabwetourism.net England The royal wedding made it one of the world’s most buzzed about destinations in 2011, but England is about to get even hotter in 2012.

There will be so much going on that it’ll be hard to keep up.

Amongst other things, the country will celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee – 60 years on the throne – and London will host

travel FEATURE

the 2012 Olympic Games. www.enjoyengland.com panama Panama is a destination unfettered by tourist crowds. Go to Panama City for five-star service at three-star prices and a rollicking nightlife.

Then, venture further afield for spectacular Caribbean beaches, volcanic landscapes, lush rain forests, rivers and mountains, and remote archipelagos that offer unique experiences in the way of indigenous culture. Hurry, though – it won’t be a secret for long. www.visitpanama.com mexico and central america With the ‘apocalypse’ approaching, Mexico is going to be one of the hottest travel destinations in 2012.

The Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012, and interest is skyrocketing in the Maya, the ancient civilization known for the great cities it left behind in Mexico and Central America.

December 21 marks the end of a 5,126year cycle on the Long Count calendar developed by the Maya, and there will be events on the occasion in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras.

If you want to see incredible ruins, Tulum and Chichen Itza in Mexico are very popular with tourist. We’d recommend heading to Tikal in Guatemala or Chiapas, Mexico, if you want to avoid big crowds. www.visitmexico.com uruguay Uruguay is a travel destination that has stayed below the radar for many tourists. It has pristine beaches, atmospheric cities, and a happening nightlife. The main tourist destinations are places like Colonia del Sacramento, Punta del Este and Montevideo. In the non-summer months, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll be the only gringo in town. www.visit-uruguay.com www.australasiaoutlook.com 15

travel FEATURE

Myanmar (formerly Burma) Myanmar is set to become a hot new destination for travellers along the ever-popular route through Southeast Asia.

The Burmese people have always had a reputation for being some of the world’s most

welcoming, but nearly 50 years of military rule virtually closed off this treasure to the world.

Now, the leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the opposition party that has urged foreigners to stay away since 1996, have a new message: “We want people to come to Burma.”

The NLD revised its boycott to encourage independent travel late in 2010 following Suu Kyi’s release from house arrest.

Myanmar offers the chance to experience a taste of the type of adventure travel that in 2012 you normally only get to read about in books. Think rickety buses, creaking bridges, uneven potholed roads, and curious locals. Combine visits to picturesque pagodas, monasteries and hill stations with a cruise on the Irrawaddy River, made famous in Rudyard Kipling’s poem, The Road To Mandalay. www.myanmar-tourism.com 16

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travel FEATURE

Armenia It’s not the first place you’d think to go trekking, but Armenia has earned its crust as a bucket list destination. This rugged, canyon-pocked part of The Silk Road is made up of lush forests, volcanic formations, glistening lakes and the spectacular

Sulema mountain range.

Passing through villages, you’ll gorge on eastern and western culture collisions, navigate some jagged peaks and may be lucky enough to spot a wolf, lynx, bear or Caucasian leopard prowling the region. www.armeniainfo.am Japan Japan had it tough last year, with visitor numbers plunging more than 60 percent following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March.

But traveller confidence is steadily improving. The Land of the Rising Sun is now the proud owner of a new Unesco World Heritage Site, the Ogasawara Group, an archipelago of more than 30 volcanic islands home to endemic species – as sort of Galapagos of the east. www.jnto.go.jp www.australasiaoutlook.com 17

growth Driving in PNG

Rob McKeon, National Sales and Marketing Manager of Ela Motors, talks to Australasia Business Outlook and outlines why the company is bullish about its future prospects. By Ian Armitage 18

www.australasiaoutlook.com

Ela Motors FEATURE

T

oyota Tsusho subsidiary Ela Motors has a long and distinguished history in PNG, where it has grown significantly and dominates several market segments.

It has been established in PNG for almost

50 years, making it one of the longest established businesses in the region, and has been a subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho’s South Pacific operations since 2000. Prior to that the company formed part of the Burns Phillips Trading Group. It supplies Toyota,

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In PNG’s tough environment, a strong, durable and reliable vehicle is not just desirable but essential

Hino, Yamaha and Massey Ferguson, to the local market.

“Ela Motors has three main pillars - our “reason for being”,” says Rob McKeon, the company’s National Sales and Marketing Manager. “First, we are an automotive distribution and retailing company that provides transportation solutions to the people and businesses within PNG, whilst providing our shareholders and stakeholders with a return on invested resources.

“Second, we provide career and lifestyle opportunities to over 900 PNG citizens through employment opportunities and our commitment as an employer to grow our employees through learning and development.

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“Finally, our third pillar is our commitment to the PNG community through our Corporate Social Responsibility programme. This programme allocates significant resource - both financial and physical - directly to the people of PNG as well as partnering with other support organisations within PNG to assist in improving the lives of Papua New Guineans.”

In PNG’s tough environment, a strong, durable and reliable vehicle is not just desirable but essential - a major reason for the large number of 4WDs/SUVs sold there.

Ela Motor’s rapid growth looks set to continue as major resources projects continue to sprout up.

“Ela Motors has been most successful in 2011 through our rigorous review process of “the way we do things around here” and we are constantly looking to remove “roadblocks” and develop improved internal processes that will deliver improved product quality and increase the level and timeliness of customer service,” says McKeon. “With the PNG economy growing at around nine percent per annum and the significant mining projects that are underway there are lots of opportunities for Ela Motors in 2012.

“We are the market leading automotive supplier in PNG and our commitment to the training and development of our staff is second to none, with a dedicated Training and Development Centre fully resourced to provide learning and development to our entire workforce.”

2011 was not without challenges, however. The year will go down in the history books for its extreme, record-breaking and — at times — deadly weather events.

“The Tsunami in Japan in March and the floods in Thailand in November severely affected our vehicle supply chain,” McKeon says. “Our Brand partners in Japan and Thailand are very much a part of our business and these acts of nature, whilst directly affecting those in the country, also connected with us and ensured that our thoughts and actions were very much focused on supporting them.

“However, and significantly, we finished 2011 with record sales for Toyota and Yamaha and our performance in the truck market with Hino has seen some small growth. Used vehicles have seen good growth in 2011 too, with our fixed operations also experiencing an increase in business during the year.

“Another high for us has been the

Risk. Reinsurance. Human Resources.

Empower Results www.aon.com/papuanewguinea

appointment of PNG citizens to senior management roles within the company and it further demonstrates the success and commitment to the direction we are travelling. In relation to our markets, retaining the No.1 Market leadership position across the Vehicle, Marine & Used Vehicle segments was certainly a high,” McKeon says.

Under its “Vision 2015” strategic plan Ela Motors is looking to continue to grow its Toyota sales by two-thirds by 2015 and similar levels of growth for Hino and Yamaha product lines are proposed, he adds.

“Our products are suited to such a wide audience that we reach everyone from 18 to 80 and every business that requires a transportation

BISMARK MARITIME A wholly PNG owned shipping company, Bismark Maritime Limited has been operating first class coastal shipping services since its establishment in 1990.

Bismark Maritime’s comprehensive shipping and logistic service is backed by our unrivalled knowledge of the local shipping industry, our close partnership with our clients and a real understanding of their needs.

Bismark Maritime’s unique team is made up of professionals with years of extensive experience and knowledge of the shipping and transport industry in Papua New Guinea. Together the Bismark Maritime team offers expertise in all aspects of shipping, chartering, logistics and related services.

With a fleet of 12 vessels in operation, Bismark Maritime provides a wide range of shipping services including: • Fixed weekly container and break-bulk service between Lae, Port Moresby and other Ports • Regular freight service to Lihir Island • Specialised charter and logistics service tailored for mining, construction, exploration and aide projects.

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CONSORT EXPRESS LINES

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PNG’s No1

Daily Port Moresby I Papua New Guinea

www.postcourier.com.pg

Ela Motors FEATURE

solution. It is imperative that we continue to look at our products and services and continue to ensure that they remain market related and the prime solution to PNG’s transportation problems.

“What’s more, in our quest to deliver our products and services with improved quality of delivery and in a more efficient manner we are looking to construct a Pre Delivery Centre in Lae that will efficiently process approximately 8,300 units per annum. This will be a significant investment for us and

the largest of its type in PNG.” Ela Motors is currently constructing a Pre Delivery Centre in Port Moresby that will process approximately 5,000 units per annum and is about to commence work on a purpose built Hino Truck facility with a workshop capable of fitting some of the largest truck bodies.

McKeon says the key to Ela Motors’ success is its people, its vision, its commitment and its passion.

END

To learn more visit www.elamotors.com.pg

Communications

Telephones

VSAT

Internet Serve Servers

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I

Compu

Ela Motors FEATURE

ICT

Office Systems Copiers

uters Facsimile

Printers Laptops Banking Systems

Ph: 312 3400 Fax: 323 3334

email: sales@remington.com.pg

Serving PNG since 1948

Port Moresby, Goroka, Kokopo, Lae, Madang, Mt Hagen, Wewak and Kimbe.

Visit www.remington.com.pg for more information.

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constructive Corplex has a proven track record of consistent strong growth and 2011 was no exception, with revenue doubling on the previous year.

By Ian Armitage

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C

orplex Pty Ltd is a commercial, industrial and residential construction company that can also provide fit out and property management services.

Founded by two engineers in 1990, in the last decade it has expanded significantly.

“Corplex is a growing and dynamic privately owned construction company that has a broad foundation of experience in all types of building construction involving a wide and varied client base in government, commercial, industrial and residential markets,” says Operations Manager Darren Paziotis. “Our aim is to be a premium

Corplex FEATURE

solutions supplier of cost effective and timely construction solutions for our clients based on industry best practice.”

There are three main arms to the Corplex Group: Corplex Construction Management (CCM), which handles all the design and construction activities; Corplex Fitout Solutions (CFS), which specialises in industrial fit outs and finishes; and Corplex Property Management (CPM), which manages leased commercial properties.

“From concept to completion, we offer a strategically formulated and disciplined construction programme, achieving sustained management control to ensure

the highest quality outcome for our clients,” Paziotis says. “These disciplines include feasibility analysis, development packaging, design, construction, pre-leasing, fit-out solutions, and property management.”

Paziotis went onto explain that Corplex is dedicated to providing the highest level of service to its customers and has a number of successful developments under its belt – He referenced the McCubbin Gardens (Watergardens) shopping complex, which boasts eight quality showrooms housing tenants such as Officeworks, Sortino Furniture, Repco, Drummond Golf and Ultra Tune. “We’ve also worked with Goodman www.australasiaoutlook.com 31

Corplex FEATURE

Fielder Ltd, ISS and Carrier.” Recently, Corplex was selected as preferred tender for a number of Government funded school projects within rural Victoria. “From the initial concept to the completion of construction and the management of the building, Corplex will be with you every step of the way,” says Paziotis. “Our service and final products speak for themselves and our level of commitment is second to none. We pride ourselves in delivering high quality buildings on time and on budget, every time.

“As part of our commitment to ensuring we are a company of preferred choice, we place importance on our corporate culture as it defines the values and principles that shape the decisions we make. Our philosophy is one of business integrity and the fostering of solutions to enable our clients to receive the best value for service in the market,” he adds Corplex operates in accordance with

Our philosophy is one of business integrity and the fostering of solutions to enable our clients to receive the best value for service in the market

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P&G GENIS Genis Steel is a family owned & operated company, founded in 1975, specialising in steel fabrication. Genis prides itself on being customer focused & recognises that our residential & commercial / Industrial customers have different requirements.

Genis operates two branches giving customised solutions for both, each branch offering a broad range of services including drafting, fabrication, delivery & erection. Genis strives to excel in both quality of product & service degree, which has ensured our customers return business as well as nurturing our strong partnerships.

Genis is proud to be in partnership with Corplex. the highest standards in all relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, the environment and the community.

These relationships are the foundation of the company’s longevity and success.

“We are committed to the continual development of distinctive capabilities and professional competence to service the building industry,” Paziotis explains.

He says that Corplex “leads by example” and is willing to do what is required to “get the job done”.

Significantly it is focused on the end result rather than the task at hand.

“Those are some of our core principles.

We also believe in mutual respect and always assist and support our colleagues.

On top of that we have a flat structure, which allows us to be unconstrained by conventional business practices, and we are client-centric and always professional, in everything we do. We continually strive for excellence and deliver with pride.”

And don’t just take his word for it.

“One of their real advantages was that as the job progressed we were able to

When you’ve been doing it for as long as We have… it’s hard to get it Wrong.

• Industrial, commercial and residential steelwork • Panel and steel drafting • Fabrication, delivery & installation • Crane and access equipment steelwork • Industrial, commercial and residential • Panel and steel drafting • Fabrication, delivery & installation • Crane and access equipment

CommerCial/industrial 56-58 Northgate Dr, Thomastown, VIC, 3074 T: 03 9465 1287 F:03 9464 4292 w: genissteel.com.au

residential 76 Northgate Dr, Thomastown, VIC, 3074 T: 03 9465 1287 F:03 9465 8654 w: genissteel.com.au

Corplex’s

culture

• ‘Get the job done’ attitude. Corplex leads by example and is willing to do what is required to get the job done.

• End point driven. Corplex is focused on the end result rather than the task at hand.

• Mutual respect. It assists and supports its colleagues.

• Unrestrained by business convention.

Corplex’s flat structure allows it to be unconstrained by conventional business practices.

• Client-centric. Its background is steeped in sales and customer service, as Corplex is always customer focused.

• Professional. Corplex is professional in ALL its business dealings and acts with honesty, integrity and fairness.

• Reward loyalty. Corplex foster a climate, which encourages innovation and diligence to reward loyalty and outstanding behaviour.

• Encourage self-development. It encourages self-development and support education and training that will benefit the business and its employees.

• Accomplishment. Corplex continually strives for excellence and deliver with pride.

34

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speak directly with the company Directors such has Dominic Cullia who was not only a pleasure to deal with but always quick to make a decision and address any of our concerns,” Damien Poole, Project Manager at Stocklands, says.

“Corplex were always professional and approachable at all levels and delivered on time as promised. I would undoubtedly recommend them,” David MacDonald, General Manager, Mesh & Bar, adds.

“Corplex’s best advertisement is the way they conduct their business,” says Mario Nastri, Director, Class Plastics Pty Ltd. “I think the testimonials tell you more than I could,” admits Paziotis.

Corplex has a proven track record of consistent strong growth and 2011 was no exception, with revenue doubling on the prior year.

Paziotis, who attributed it to a team approach and “strong unity of purpose”, described the revenue growth result in 2011 as “a fantastic achievement”.

“Given our growth in terms of the number and size of projects awarded, resource management was the biggest challenge faced to meet capacity needed for project timelines and budgets,” he says.

“Our financial performance and growth is

Doing the grounDwork

Corplex FEATURE

a direct reflection of our organisational strength, construction capacity and our total commitment to client satisfaction.”

Corplex is optimistic about the future too and Paziotis sees “many opportunities” for the company to grow in size in terms of revenue and people.

“We are projecting strong growth in the value of total non-residential building activity over the course 2012,” he says. “We are currently looking at relocating our business to larger premises as part of our expansion plans.

“We will continue with the same drive and enthusiasm to be the best that we can be as a company, exceeding customer expectations and embracing change as an opportunity to grow the business and achieve strategic advantage.”

Since 1999, Mesh & Bar Pty Ltd has supplied the Australian construction industry with a wide range of concrete reinforcing products. The company is committed to a sustainable environment by only using recycled steel in its reinforcing mesh and reinforcing bar products.

Whilst Mesh & Bar supply reinforcement to most segments of the construction industry, more recently Mesh & Bar has developed an excellent working partnership with Corplex Pty Ltd “Mesh & Bar have worked closely with Corplex over the last two years and have established a very good relationship based on our ability to provide excellent service and communication at a competitive price” says Mesh & Bar’s David McDonald “We understand the pressures on builders and concreters and are aware of the dynamic manner in which construction programs can change and we have built a customer service department ready to cater to those needs in the market.” David goes on to say.

More recently Mesh & Bar in Victoria has moved into new larger premises in Derrimut in Melbourne’s west reflecting its growth in the Victorian market, but Mesh & Bar also has major and regional offices throughout the eastern states of Australia With a wealth of management experience in its business and coupled with investment in the latest plant and equipment by the shareholders Mesh & Bar has been able to successfully grow to its present strength in a relatively short span of time.

Victorian office: 396 Mt Derrimut Road Derrimut Victoria 3030 p. (03) 8353 6500 f. (03) 8353 6599 e. salesvic@meshbar.com..au

To learn more visit www.corplex.com.au

www.australasiaoutlook.com 35

innovative an

approach

With Builtform you get the senior people involved in your project, no matter how big or small it is. By Jane McCallion

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Builtform FEATURE

E

stablished in 2008, Builtform Constructions Pty Ltd is a general construction contracting company located in Sydney, the heart of the Australian construction market. While the organisation has worked across all areas of construction, it specialises in Design and Construct contracts.

Like most major cities, there is no shortage of construction companies competing in the Sydney market. What differentiates Builtform is the attention to detail shown at all levels with senior personnel directly involved at all stages of project development.

As Managing Director David Upton explains: “Our management team has accumulated many years of experience working for big construction companies, on large projects with prominent clients, so we understand their approach to projects.

At Builtform we strive to give our clients a hands-on experience and develop shared goals. For instance, we have just finished

a project for Hurstville Council worth A$6 million, in relative terms a smaller contract but complex nonetheless and requiring specialist skills. It was important for Hurstville Council to have access to key personnel at Builtform, therefore to ensure our client’s expectations were being met I would personally meet with them a number of times a week. This is no different for any other client. At Builtform, we add genuine value to your project, the senior people get involved, no matter how big or small it is.”

Presently the main challenge facing Builtform is the same as it is for all companies in the sector: Securing sufficient work in the wake of the global financial crisis. The construction market in Sydney is the largest in Australia, and when the crisis hit, it saw the biggest contraction in business and it has also been the slowest to recover.

“We have generally confined ourselves to the greater Sydney metropolitan area and since 2009 there has been a steady decline in work in New South Wales and in Sydney in particular,” says Upton. “Current conditions have seen a change in the competitive nature of the market, some might say it is over competitive – we are seeing some companies are even bidding on projects at a loss, merely to meet turnover targets.”

Nevertheless, Builtform has succeeded in steadily increasing its turnover year on year, up to A$40 million in 2011. This revenue stream is generated from a large anchor project each year, supplement with a number of smaller projects. “Of course, we would like to do more, but given the current climate, we think we have taken the right course of action and have done well.”

“We have taken a longer term, pragmatic approach to the current climate,” explains Upton. “We have invested in our business, held onto our good people and we haven’t gone chasing work just for the sake of chasing work”. The company has invested heavily in training and development, www.australasiaoutlook.com 37

Builtform FEATURE

particularly in the areas of Health, Safety, Environment and Quality control. Builtform hold ISO accreditation in all three areas and have a dedicated Safety and Systems Manager to implement a fully integrated HSEQ Management System. “We feel is another area that helps to differentiate us from other similar size construction companies working in Sydney,” says Upton.

“We also have a business development team constantly looking for new opportunities. In short, rather than taking a reactive stance in a constrained market, we’re actively investing to grow our business”.

Builtform’s current ‘anchor’ project is the West Ryde Precinct Development for Coles Group Property Developments. It is a two-stage project valued at a little over A$30 million, with an option on a third stage.

The first stage carried out under a Design 38

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and Construct contract was completed in August 2011. This building comprised four levels, housing community service facilities provided by Ryde Council with a further two levels of basement parking. Stage two consists of a full size supermarket with two basement car parking levels and a number of retail tenancies and is currently under construction.

As well as the building works, Builtform are also upgrading infrastructure and roads around the busy retail precinct. Along with the upgrading of services including the relocation of Sydney Water infrastructure and relocating of electrical services underground. Builtform has also constructed temporary parking facilities in order to minimise disruptions to the neighbouring businesses during construction.

“Managing risk on a project like this is

Builtform FEATURE

our number one priority. There are many challenges not the least of which is a broad group of stakeholders with differing expectations and objectives,” says Upton.

“We are not just constructing the building, we are working within an active community precinct”. Builtform’s dedicated Community Liaison Officer manages communication for the project, providing the various groups with an understanding of the programme and up to date progress reports. “This point of contact is invaluable for informing the community, as our construction activities do impact these groups, I believe that having her on board has further added to our level of service and importantly reduces the anxiety felt by them.” says Upton.

Over the next three years, Builtform is planning to grow business by 75 percent, from A$40 million annual turnover to A$70 million. “Financially, it makes sense to increase our size to between A$50 million and A$70 million as at that point our overheads become more sustainable, though thing that makes us who we are, i.e. giving our clients direct, hands-on access to the experience and expertise of our management team,” explains Upton.

“Our growth plan is realistic and achievable, and will develop over the course of our next three year business cycle. By then, we hope that the market will have recovered and we will be able to take advantage of any upturn.” END To learn more visit www.broadapm.com.au

www.australasiaoutlook.com 39

By Romilly Madew, CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia

green star rising

Property feature

I

n Australia, the green building movement only gained momentum after the Sydney Olympics in 2000 received worldwide recognition as the ‘Green Games’. With venues and facilities that established new benchmarks in design excellence and best practice sustainability, Australia’s property and construction industry demonstrated that green buildings were indeed achievable.

But at the time, the industry had few metrics or agreed methodologies to measure green building, few assessment tools or benchmarks of best practice. There was no organised approach to knowledgesharing or collaboration. Nor was there any way for the industry to promote or profit from green building leadership.

In 2002, a group of green building pioneers recognised the need for an independent organisation to develop a sustainable property industry in Australia and drive the adoption of green building practices. The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) had arrived.

The following year, in 2003, the GBCA launched Australia’s first holistic environmental rating system for buildings, Green Star.

That same year, Lend Lease announced

that it intended to construct Australia’s first 5 Star Green Star – As Built project, demonstrating ‘Australian Excellence’. The general outcry was “it can’t be done”. At the time, the benchmarks for a 5 Star Green Star rating seemed exceedingly high.

Nevertheless, Lend Lease designed 30 The Bond to excellent environmental standards, with Australia’s first widespread application of passive chilled beam technology to assist in energy reduction. The result was a building that produces around 30 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than traditional buildings of similar dimensions at that time.

Lend Lease led the way, demonstrating that a green building could be good for both the environment and the bottom line. The race was on.

In 2005, another green icon emerged: Council House 2. CH2 achieved Australia’s first 6 Star Green Star – Office Design v1 rating and was not just a demonstration of environmental efficiency, but also showed that green building design can deliver impressive productivity benefits. A post-occupancy survey of CH2 recorded a 10.9 percent boost to productivity, with estimated annual cost savings of A$2 million.

Another ‘first’ came in 2008, when the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre www.australasiaoutlook.com 41

3D The Bond

became the world’s greenest convention centre with a 6 Star Green Star rating for sustainability initiatives which still remain one-of-a-kind today. These include the eye-catching façade, which towers 18 metres high and is constructed of spectrally-selective glass which reduces heat gain. The extensive solar hot water system generates around 35 percent of the facility’s general hot water requirements, while the innovative displacement ventilation system provides excellent air quality to conference delegates.

Another influential green project was also certified in 2008: the Bond University Mirvac School of Sustainable Development, in Queensland. The first Green Star education facility in Australia achieved a 6 Star Green Star – Education PILOT rating and acts as a ‘living laboratory’ for the advancement of teaching sustainability principles and practices. Bond University set the bar for sustainable schools; today we have more than 100 green education projects either certified or registered to achieve Green Star ratings.

Also setting new benchmarks was Housing NSW’s Lilyfield redevelopment, which achieved a 5 Star Green Star – Multi Unit Residential PILOT rating in 2009. Housing NSW invested in environmentally-sustainable initiatives such as gas-boosted solar hot water systems, 267 square metres of solar panels and a four kilowatt photovoltaic system to power common area lighting. The gas-boosted hot water system caters for 60 percent of hot water consumption and delivers annual savings of A$19,000 - or A$213 per unit - meaning the annual electricity bill for households will 42

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MCC

decrease by 25 percent. As affordable social housing units, a saving of A$213 per unit per year represents a major benefit for residents.

In 2010, Lot 12 TradeCoast Central was not only the first industrial project to gain a Green Star rating, but did so with a range of innovations never seen before. The project achieved a number of Green Star innovation points, for features such as the precinct non-potable water storage and distribution system which reduces potable water consumption by 80 percent – the equivalent of more than 10,000 litres a day.

And earlier this year, Flinders Medical Centre – New South Wing became Australia’s first Green Star healthcare facility, providing positive proof that green healthcare facilities are affordable and achievable. Among the impressive green features, a 286 panel solar hot water system, the largest in South Australia, provides hot water across the entire campus and is expected to reduce energy costs by A$400,000 per year.

Today, Green Star is certainly ascendant.

While a 5 Star Green Star rating seemed unachievable in 2003, today we have more than 380 Green Star certified projects around Australia, and a further 540 registered to achieve Green Star certification.

A range of international reports have confirmed that green buildings positively impact everything from operational costs to return on investment, and from reputational equity to productivity. The Building Better Returns report, published in September 2011 by the Australian Property Institute and Property Funds Association in association with the University of Western Sydney, has found that Green Star-rated buildings are delivering a 12 percent ‘green premium’ in

Inside CH2

value and a five percent premium in rent.

Similarly, the most recent IPD Property Index has found that 4 Star Green Star-rated buildings deliver a 10.8 percent higher return on investment than non-Green Star buildings.

Since 2002, Green Star has penetrated the commercial office market to the extent that 18 percent of CBD office space is now Green Star certified.

Recently, the Chief Executive of Australia’s largest privately-owned development, funds management and construction company, Grocon, said it was a “liability to have too few Green Stars.”

So, what does the future hold? Certainly, the number of Green Star-rated buildings will continue to escalate, as developers, investors and tenants all recognise that green makes good business sense.

More and more projects will be aiming for ‘World Leadership’ ratings, as building owners, designers and construction teams learn how to design for higher levels of Green Star achievement on conventional budgets.

Even projects that don’t attempt to achieve a Green Star rating will be designed by the same architects and designers working on Green Star projects, so we can expect current Green Star benchmarks to become integrated into general practice.

While we can be proud of our achievements in new green building, the conversation has once again shifted – and we are looking at how we green our existing buildings, as well as how we embed sustainability into our neighbourhoods, communities and cities.

In the future we will no longer view our

Lilyfield

buildings in isolation, but as interconnected pieces of a larger community. The GBCA’s Green Star – Communities project is driving this shift.

The Green Star – Communities tool is set to become a national voluntary standard for the planning, design and delivery of best practice sustainable community development projects across Australia.

We have just finished testing the rating tool credits on 28 projects from around Australia, and are confident that the Green Star Communities rating tool will usher in a new era of sustainable development, one which looks beyond environmental efficiencies in the built environment and looks at how we build entire communities that are liveable and sustainable.

At the same time, our Green Star – Performance tool, once complete, will be able to rate the ongoing operational performance of the 98 percent of Australia’s building stock that is not brand new. Building owners and managers will be able to compare their building’s performance with other buildings of similar size, and set targets to increase energy and water efficiency, reduce waste and improve factors that influence productivity, health and learning, such as indoor environment quality. Tenants will gain a reliable, comprehensive rating when they shop around for new office, retail or residential space.

Australia’s construction industry is now on the path of an important evolution. The Green Star environmental rating tools can support this evolution – helping the industry to reduce the environmental impact of buildings while improving their return on investment, boosting occupant health and productivity, and supporting a greener, cleaner future. END www.australasiaoutlook.com 43

Digital Harbour

raises the bar with the

Melbourne Water building In 2010 Melbourne Water committed to locate its new 12,650 m² head office facility at 990 LaTrobe Street, in the southeast corner of Digital Harbour. The project is now very close to completion as Australasia Business Outlook discovers.

By Ian Armitage

44

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Digital Harbour FEATURE

I

t is an A$76.5 million single tenant, purpose built building.

It is a landmark project for Digital Harbour Holdings.

And it will be the new home of Melbourne Water Corporation.

“The Melbourne Water building is being developed by Digital Harbour, which is co-owned by a group of Melbourne private investors,” says Digital Harbour Director Russell Nisbet.

The six-star Green Star tower (for both the base building and fitout construction) will place Melbourne Water at the forefront of sustainable office accommodation in the Australian commercial office market.

“The tower is being built by Equiset Constructions, one of Australia’s most recognised builders, and we expect it to be completed by May, possibly sooner,” Nisbet says. “It features 12,650 square metres of office space and has a total of eight floors.

It will be one of the most sustainable and efficient buildings of its kind in Australia and it incorporates leading edge sustainable design principles.”

Large 2,000m² floor plates, with a series of open, interconnecting, atrium spaces linking the seven upper levels of the building, will provide the opportunity for enhanced collaboration between the various departments of the Melbourne Water organisation, he says.

“The configuration of the atrium spaces will also provide magnificent uninterrupted views of the Melbourne city skyline.”

It will be the fourth building to be constructed at Digital Harbour alongside the Innovation Building, 1010 LaTrobe Street (Customs House) and the Life.lab strata office/home office building at 198 Harbour Esplanade.

Nisbet adds: “What attracted Melbourne Water? Well, several things really. Amongst them, it has to be the convenient location

www.australasiaoutlook.com 45

Digital Harbour FEATURE

of the building, which will provide quick and convenient access for Melbourne Water engineers to all of their suburban treatment plant facilities via the nearby extensive Melbourne freeway network.

“Obviously, this is a brand new building that has been designed to a six-star green building standard, which few office buildings in Australia currently reach – and that was extremely important to Melbourne Water who wanted to move to a space that is one of the most sustainable and efficient buildings of its kind in Australia, if not the world.

“Features such as vacuum toilets and significant on-site water storage enabled us to achieve maximum points for the Water category in the Green Star assessment by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA),” he continues. “An under floor air distribution system for the delivery of higher than traditional volumes of fresh air and the incorporation of a gas-fired Tri-generation plant for on-site electricity production and waste heat recovery for heating and cooling also contributed significantly to the Green Star Indoor Environment Quality and Energy categories.

“Also, as well as being more energy and water efficient, this new building offers Melbourne Water a chance to consolidate several smaller offices currently spread around the CBD fringe into a single location.

“And another thing that distinguishes 46

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this is the construction time. Construction only commenced in late 2010 and here we are in 2012 and it is nearly completed.

That is remarkable, it’s attractive to the tenant, and a credit to the construction planning and management provided by the Equiset team,” Nisbet says.

Melbourne Water Corporation aims to move in during June and will lease the building that will be a market leader in sustainable office buildings with a 5-star NABERS energy rating targeted for the project as a whole. The initial lease term is 15 years.

Nisbet believes that green buildings like this will soon be the norm, standard practice. “Most tenants now will not commit to a building that’s less than five-star Green Star,” he says. “As an organisation, we’re targeting five-star Green Star in everything we do and have proven credentials that we can deliver six-star Green Star (world’s best practice) in a commercially competitive manner.” Digital Harbour is also at the forefront of ecologically sustainable initiatives throughout the shared areas that link each building’s footprint. It implements practices such as shared water storage (for both building and landscape use), shared internal services infrastructure plus onsite water treatment and re-use and also employs consolidated waste management practices – all via direct, on-site “hands-on” management.

Digital Harbour FEATURE

It is just another way the Digital Harbour team puts into practice its care for the present and the future, Nisbet says.

“We are proud of what we’ve done, but always looking to innovate,” he explains.

Most of Melbourne Water’s office-based activities have been headquartered at 100 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, since 2002. Growth in the corporation’s capital projects and expansion of its areas of responsibility for managing waterways, led to leases of additional office space in East Melbourne and Collingwood. These will all be consolidated at Digital Harbour.

“What about the future for Digital Harbour? The precinct master plan is for the development of up to 200,000 m² of commercial, residential and retail space,”

Nisbet says. “The vision for Digital Harbour is a fully integrated digital community, as part of the CBD of Melbourne, which will serve as an international showcase for leading-edge technologies.

“We want to be a community of embryonic and established technology-based enterprises, of research-based and educational institutions, of small and large organisations, all collaborating together. It is very exciting.”

Development in Docklands has never been better with more than A$2 billion worth of commercial and residential construction currently underway.

And there are many other projects that will be coming out of the ground in coming months on all sides of Docklands.

The future of Digital Harbour is bright. END

To learn more visit www.digitalharbour.com.au

www.australasiaoutlook.com 47

come

rain or shine

Having suffered from a drought that saw water levels drop to dangerously low levels, the water authority in South Australia, SA Water, has come up with innovative solutions to help it weather the worst, even during the driest of times. By Jane McCallion

48

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SA Water FEATURE

SA

Water is a government owned corporation that provides water and wastewater services to the population of the state of South Australia.

The business’ annual revenue is a little over A$1 billion and it makes a return to its owner, the South Australian Government, of a gross dividend of approximately A$200 million – A$240 million.

South Australia is known as the driest state on the driest inhabited continent on the planet, which is the largest challenge for the company and has required on-going innovative solutions and long-term business plans. The region is currently coming out of a drought that saw an average rainfall of less than 500mm between 2000 and 2009, with under 300mm falling in 2006 and 2008. “This drought saw the main source of water to South Australia, the River Murray, reduce in flow by 60 percent,” says CE John Ringham. “While that may not sound very much, when you rely on if for your water supply it is a significant amount and dealing with that has been our major challenge of the past few years.”

The company had to put in place a number of restrictions over a period of three years, which limited people’s use of water outside the house during the worst of the drought.

“We also ran quite a big campaign for people to become more efficient in their water usage, down to giving away or subsidising low-flow shower heads, rainwater tanks, and materials to reduce water usage in the garden,” says

Ringham. “In total, we spent something in the region of A$40 million on these initiatives, which also included a rebate for people who bought things like water efficient washing machines, for example.”

As a result SA Water has reduced statewide demand for water by 25 percent. “We are a unique business really, where we encourage customers to be water wise while buying our product at the same time!” says Ringham.

As well as encouraging consumers to reduce their water consumption, the organisation has also made significant investment in infrastructure to combat the effects of drought. The largest of these projects is a desalination plant in the south of Adelaide, which allows seawater to be added to the water supply by removing the salt. The total project value for the plant and the pipeline that connects it to the rest of the system is A$1.83 billion. “The decision to build the plant was taken in 2008, whilst we were staring down the barrel of the drought,” explains Ringham. “At that time, the flow of the river which, under legislation, was supposed to be a minimum of 1,800 gigalitres flowing through South Australia annually was

We are a unique business really, where we encourage customers to be water wise while buying our product at the same time!

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SA Water FEATURE

predicted to be going down to 740 gigalitres.

So the government took the decision that we would have a desalination plant as a climate independent resource to provide security to the city of Adelaide.”

Construction on the project began in early 2009 and SA Water began producing water in July 2011. It will be fully operational by the end of 2012 and has the capacity to produce 100 gigalitres per year, or roughly 300m litres per day. It will be able to meet up to 50 percent of Adelaide’s current water demand. “We will be using it conjunctively with ourother sources, but it provides us with that actively climate independent security. The plant was built by a consortium called Adelaide Aqua, which consisted of McConnell Dowell and Abbigroup as constructors and Spanish firm Acciona as the process providers.” The plant will be operated under a 20-year agreement by a consortium of Acciona and Trility.

Another project that is smaller but still significant is the construction of the ‘North South Interconnection System Project’, which will unify and strengthen the water supply infrastructure in Adelaide. “The cost of the project is approximately A$400 million and is focused on strengthening the security of the system by interconnecting various water mains in the city,” explains Ringham. “The challenge we face is that Adelaide is split in two by the River Torrens and, as Adelaide developed, the water supplies were also split – very few of the pipes actually cross the river. So as part of bringing on the desalinisation plant and part of the risk analysis around what would happen if one of out major pipelines had a problem, we will be strengthening the connections between the north and the south of the city and installing new pumping stations.”

Modern water supply services are necessarily a green focused industry and SA Water takes its environmental obligations very seriously at all levels. Wastewater recycling is one of the primary ways in which it aims to conserve water and provide something 50

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Guidera O’COnnOr is proud to be associated with SA Water in the provision of reliable drinking water supplies for the city of Adelaide.

Through the construction of the Clapham and Wattle Park Pumping Stations Guidera O’Connor is providing two key components in the North South Interconnector System that will transfer water from the new seawater desalination plant to the northern suburbs of Adelaide.

Guidera O’COnnOr has been delivering water and wastewater infrastructure for SA Water for over 10 years and enjoys great working relationships with the professional and committed staff in SA Water’s project delivery teams.

We congratulate SA Water for the manner in which they have provided reliable drinking water supplies for the future of Adelaide.

Guidera O’COnnOr is a privately owned South Australian company specialising in the design and construction of water infrastructure including water and wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, chemical dosing plants, wastewater reuse plants and aquifer storage and recharge schemes.

31 Holland Street, THEBARTON SA 5031 T: 08 8238 9999 F: 08 8234 0955

Company SA Watername FEATURE FEATURE

AdelaideDesalProject.

of a closed-loop system.

“About 30 percent of our wastewater effluent, i.e. the treated wastewater, we recycle for other uses.

We recently completed a project that took recycled wastewater from one of our treatment plants into a newly constructed ring main around Adelaide,” says Ringham.

“The city centre of Adelaide is surrounded by parklands and most of these are now irrigated with recycled water from that system. We also supply recycled water for the irrigation of two agricultural areas just outside Adelaide: In the north, there is farmland that produces large quantities of vegetables and almonds; In the south, there is one of the major wine growing areas of the state, McLaren Vale. If you pick up a bottle of wine from there it’s likely that the grapes will have been watered with recycled water.”

Additionally, aside from the business of water provision, SA Water has also taken environmental responsibility to the heart of its corporate business too. “The company is run out of a six Green Star rated office building,” says 52

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Ringham. “Despite the fact that we are leaseholders, rather than owners, the building was built to our requirements and we were involved in the specifications, the design, both internal and external and the materials it was made from.” Additionally,

the company has entered into a 20-year renewable energy agreement for the supply of electricity to the desalination plant, meaning the power it uses will be matched with accredited renewable green energy sources within South Australia through the

Company SA Water name FEATURE

form of renewable energy infrastructure and purchased renewable energy certificates.

The biggest change for SA Water will be the introduction of a new Water Bill, which is currently before Parliament and will establish an independent regulatory authority for the South Australian water industry. “The biggest challenge for us over the next three to five

Helping to improve the lives of Australians for more than 10 years Leed Engineering and Construction Pty Ltd Head Office: Adelaide, South Australia +61 8 8132 1044 info@leed.net.au www.leed.net.au

years will be adjusting to this and adjusting our processes accordingly,” says Ringham.

“But I think that by the end of this process, we will be leaner and providing a first-class level of service to our customers in a more accountable way than ever before in our 150 year history”.

END

The Leed story began just over 10 years ago with our first project for SA Water. Since then, this innovative, privately-owned construction company has grown rapidly and now delivers major civil infrastructure projects of all kinds throughout suburban and rural Australia.

We specialise in water and mining infrastructure, roadworks, bulk earthworks and structural concrete. We remain passionate about our work and our people, and proud of our long and successful association with SA Water.

To learn more visit www.sawater.com.au

www.australasiaoutlook.com 53

southern water Big plans &

major challenges

Southern Water is the sole provider of water services to the south of the island state of Tasmania. However, since it began working in 2009, it has had to rapidly modernise what had been a fragmented system. CEO Mike Paine tells Australasia Business Outlook about the challenges it has faced and how a new focus on the needs of the customer will be the key to its future success. By Jane McCallion 54

www.australasiaoutlook.com

Southern Water Tasmania FEATURE

S

outhern Water was founded through state government reforms of Tasmania’s water and sewerage industry in 2008 and commenced operations on 1 July, 2009. The company provides water and sewerage services to approximately 100,000 customers across 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state of Tasmania and is also wholly owned by the 12 local government authorities. It employs approximately 380 full time members of staff and its annual revenue is A$125 million.

The business came into being after the state government undertook a review of the water and sewerage industry in Tasmania and decided a restructure was required to standardise water and sewerage services for customers . Previously, there had been approximately one service provider in each of the 29 LGAs, however after rationalisation there are now three water corporations each serving a wider area. A fourth subsidiary, Onstream, provides shared services to all three regional water corporations.

Southern Water is currently undertaking a number of major upgrade projects to improve the efficiency and reliability of water and sewerage services, as CEO Mike Paine explains. “The state government review found that the service levels provided by our existing infrastructure did not meet the statutory requirements that were laid out in the new legislation. Consequently, we have about half a billion dollars of capital works to implement in order to improve service standards.”

A major focus of the upgrade plan is the sewerage treatment and distribution systems.

When Southern Water took over as the water services provider for the 12 southern Tasmanian councils, it was immediately faced with a huge compliance challenge. “Not one of the sewage treatment plants that we inherited complied with the license requirements,” says Paine. “So, we have undertaken a substantial systems review, which is still partially ongoing, to see if we can rationalise or reduce

the number of plants. At the same time, we will be seeking to update the treatment plants that we do keep so that they are compliant with the legislation.”

The project is a large undertaking in terms of both capital expenditure and timescale – the projected budget is A$400 million and is expected to be carried out over the next 10 years.

At the other end of the company’s services is its water distribution system.

“We are lucky in Tasmania in that we rarely have any real problem with drought here. However, we do have an ageing and very leaky distribution system at the moment, which causes a lot of unnecessary wastage,” explains Paine. In fact, the problems with the historical systems are bad enough that the majority of its business case savings will come from fixing those issues.

“Obviously it is not very good for the environment or for our business if we are expending energy treating the water to a high level and pumping it around if it is leaking out of the system. So fixing the leaks is a priority for us and will benefit both us as an organisation and our customers.”

Another major project is underway to transform the way billing is carried out, by rolling out water metering to all customers.

In order to move to two-part pricing for water, which was a key requirement of the state government’s reforms, Southern Water is installing water meters for every property to which it provides water services.

While there are the obvious logistical challenges in installing the meters, one of the main issues that the company has had to address is communicating the purpose and importance of the meters to its customers.

“There are various areas of customer relations that we have had to focus on with this project and communication has been key.

The people of Southern Tasmania have never had meters before, and people like to stick with what they are used to. So we have had to www.australasiaoutlook.com 55

Our PurPOse To build excepTional projecTs ThaT make a posiTive difference To our clienTs, our employees and The communiTy. Our Products Our team thrives on the challenges that complex projects present as with the amazing transformation of the derelict Henry Jones Jam Factory on Hobart’s waterfront and the manufacture & installation of the unique acoustic wall & ceiling panels in the Melbourne Recital Centre.

Past projects include: Burnie waste water treatment plant Selfs Point WWTP Rosny Point WWTP Devonport Pardo Treatment Plant Latrobe waste water Treatment plant Kingborough Council sewerage pump stations Bryn Estyn water treatment plant

VOS Construction and Joinery are proud to be a part of Southern Waters supply chain for delivery of their $500M investment into Tasmania’s infrastructure. VOS management systems, including externally certified QA, Safety and Environmental systems along with an extremely experienced team of commercial and industrial project and site managers have allowed us to successfully tender, build and develop many projects for southern water and the previous water authorities throughout the state of Tasmania over many years.

Current Projects Include: Glen Huon Pump Station Upgrade Franklin Pump station Development

vosconstruction.com.au

VOS look forward to continuing our association with Southern Water and to making a positive difference in Tasmania’s capability to grow and expand into the future years.v

multi award winning Henry Jones Art Hotel

Southern Water Tasmania FEATURE

explain to them why we are installing meters and how it can benefit them in terms of things such as reducing bills. We will also be introducing a new volumetric pricing system, so we will undertake a major campaign to familiarise everybody with how that will work before we roll it out,” explains Paine.

The company is required to have all the meters fitted and the new pricing regime in place by 1 July 2012.

“There are more than 50 thousand water meters to be fitted in total and so far we have installed 30 thousand, so we are over half way to our target,” says Paine. The project is worth A$30 millon, of which AU$10 million has been provided as a grant from the federal government as part of its National Water Security Plan for cities and towns.

FRONTLINE ELECTRICAL Frontline Electrical is proud to be the primary supplier of industrial Electrical services to Southern Water. Having completed major projects throughout the Huon, city and midlands areas.

Frontline Electrical provides specialised industrial maintenance and project electrical services to many major industries in Tasmania . Specialising in the food and services industries with key clients in Water, Chocolate and Beer/ Cordial processing.

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Southern Water Tasmania FEATURE

when yOu need ...

the beSt

FE Frontline Electrical Pty Ltd

Industrial Installation I Project Management Instrumentation I Automation

Frontline Electrical has been established to offer a complete electrical service for all Industrial customers in Tasmania.

Our aim is to provide specialised and highly skilled services for Industrial Customers.

Since its origin in May 2008, Frontline has steadily grown and built on its clientele to become a major supplier of industrial services to Southern Tasmania.

Frontline Electrical have specialist skills in the food, beverage, timber, brewing, water reticulation & filtering and high speed manufacturing, and presently provide maintenance and project services within Hobart to several major customers.

Our ServiceS • General Industrial Electrical installation and maintenance.

• Management of Industrial projects.

• Instrumentation specification and Installation.

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Frontline prides itself on going above and beyond to ensure our customers receive the best service from design stage to commissioning.

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p: 03 6228 1022 e: office@frontlineelectrical.com.au Pty Ltd

Industrial Installation I Project Management Instrumentation I Automation

www.australasiaoutlook.com 59

Southern Water Tasmania FEATURE

“We took our time to find the right suppliers for the project as we wanted to ensure that we got the best, most cost effective meters that would match our needs,” Paine says. “We went through an extensive consultation period and tender process with contractors and suppliers. In the end we chose Elster to provide the meters and Skilltech to install them.”

One of the reasons Elster was chosen to supply the water meters is that its equipment include wireless meter reading technology.

This aspect alone is expected to deliver A$10 million in savings to Southern Water.

As well as physical improvements of its infrastructure, the organisation also has a strong focus on continuous improvement in terms of business practice, explains Paine.

“We are moving our strategy towards more effective customer service and all of the things that brings with it. Therefore, we are ensuring that everybody in the company understands that we are all responsible for customer service. So fundamentally, we are asking ourselves for three things: We must all understand what is it we aim to do for customers. Each of us needs to understand our role in doing it. And finally, we need to all make sure that we come to work with our heads switched on and thinking about what we can do to improve the things we are already doing. That is the theme we are moving towards now.”

This theme is also what governs Paine’s vision of the future for Southern Water. “There is some uncertainty as to what the water industry in Tasmania will look like in the future, in that there may be further unification.

However, at Southern Water, we are focused on efficiencies and customer service so that we become a business that is well respected by our customers and our peers.” END

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Southern Water Tasmania FEATURE

We are moving our strategy towards more effective customer service and all of the things that brings with it.

Mike Paine - Southern Water CEO

To learn more visit www.sawater.com.au

www.australasiaoutlook.com 61

QA &

Osmoflo

From its HQ north of Adelaide, Australia’s home-grown desalination specialist is thinking big. Osmoflo’s Deanne Loan tackles Australasia Business Outlook’s questions.

By Ian Armitage

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Osmoflo FEATURE

O

smoflo is Australia’s market leader in reverse osmosis desalination technology for water treatment and wastewater recycling. The company specialises in bespoke systems ranging from 50m3/d to large projects.

Deanne Loan (DL), marketing manager, reflects on what the company has achieved and, more importantly, where it is heading.

Australasia Business Outlook (ABO): Deanne, thanks for talking to us. First up something simple: who are Osmoflo and what do you do?

DL: Osmoflo is the largest desalination and water recycling cycling company with majority Australian ownership. Since our inception in 1991, we have delivered over 335 projects and we operate and maintain 128 plants.

Osmoflo works with a range of industry and municipal sectors including resources, energy, food & beverage, general industry, local councils and water authorities. We design, construct, operate and maintain water treatment projects. We also provide project flexibility through capital purchase,

‘build, own, operate’, and rental options.

ABO: What defines you as a business and how are you different?

DL: Osmoflo is a solutions provider, delivering fit for purpose water treatment projects. What makes us different? We are flexible, responsive, and able to deliver projects in short time frames. We have a unique position in the market and we specialise in reverse osmosis desalination and in remote site operations.

ABO: How is the business performing?

DL: As a private company Osmoflo does not disclose financials, but an indicator of how well we are performing is the recent minority investment by Marubeni, one of Japans largest corporations.

GE has also partnered with us for exclusive distribution in Australia of a range of their pre-engineered desalination equipment.

ABO: Was 2011 a good year?

DL: It was an exceptional year, on a www.australasiaoutlook.com 63

Osmoflo FEATURE

number of levels. As I mentioned, Marubeni became a 40 percent shareholder in Osmoflo. We also opened new a new office complex, catering for 140 staff, which is attached to our current fabrication facility (the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere), and we won a number of significant projects against strong international competition including Minera El Tesoro in Chile, a 10ML/day project for Verve Energy, 11 ML/day rental plant for ERA Ranger, and a ‘build, own, operate’ project for OneSteel Whyalla, as well as several LNG projects for Chevron.

The resources sector - mining, oil & gas, coal seam gas - has been strong for us and this is due to our experience in finding solutions for difficult to treat water and our ability to run plants remotely through our proprietary PlantConnect monitoring and control system, without the need for full-time on-site operators. But we’re also working in general industry, in food and drink and for municipal clients.

On top of all that, we opened global offices in Dubai, Chile and India.

What makes us different?

gas wells as one cycles down, while another is starting up.

The challenge now is to secure the right qualified staff.

ABO: How could you improve performance?

DL: We focus on continuous improvement, so look at all aspects of the business, including internal systems to deliver better client service and staff retention, search for technology improvements (including research) to deliver better client solutions, work with key suppliers to find the best product options.

We are flexible, responsive, and able to deliver projects in short time frames

ABO: What do you feel you can attribute that level of success to?

DL: Even though the financial climate is tight, we have developed solutions to assist clients with flexible options, such as the first fully relocatable desalination plant, designed for a Coal Seam Gas client, to move between

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ABO: As you mentioned, in September Osmoflo announced a strategic alliance with GE – what are the benefits?

DL: GE is known for its Six Sigma manufacturing capability and has invested in developing a standard range of preengineered desalination equipment.

Osmoflo’s focus is on custom designed solutions. To continue to offer our clients the best solution, Osmoflo and GE entered into an exclusive arrangement for Osmoflo to sell a range of pre-engineered desalination equipment for smaller desalination requirements. We then make any necessary modifications/additions to the plant, before delivering to the client. This provides a lower cost ‘standard’ solution for our clients, as well as access to our operations and maintenance service.

Osmoflo FEATURE

ABO: Deanne, as we all know, every year bring new uncertainties. That given, how would you sum up the current state of the industry?

DL: The desalination market changes every year and it is exciting to be growing with it. Many of the changes in the industry relate to new technologies and methods, directed at higher performance, lower costs or reduced energy requirements.

While the financial climate may cause some consolidation and project delay, the demand for clean, fit for purpose water remains strong, along with the need for innovative solutions (financial, technological, service delivery).

DOW The global leader in sustainable separation and purification technology, Dow Water & Process Solutions is the only manufacturer today offering a full portfolio of water treatment technologies covering ion exchange resins, reverse osmosis membranes, ultrafiltration membranes products. We’re helping to make water safer and more accessible, food taste better, pharmaceuticals more effective and industries more efficient and spearheading the development of sustainable technologies that integrate water and energy requirements.

A clear impact,

from hospitals to heavy industry.

Dow Water & Process Solutions is having a clear impact around the globe —helping to making water safer and more accessible and driving efficiencies in the consumption of energy. In a broad range of commercial applications like hospitals, our technology can lower the total system costs involved in purifying water. For industry, we offer high contaminant removal—helping to reduce waste and improve energy efficiency essential to manufacturing processes.

To learn about solutions and products that can make a clear impact on your industry, visit www.dowwaterandprocess.com/clearimpact.

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Osmoflo FEATURE

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Osmoflo FEATURE

ABO: Do you see plenty of opportunities for Osmoflo then?

DL: Osmoflo has a significant market share in Australia and has developed capabilities through its almost 21 years in business that it can transfer to emerging international markets, where its differentiators (flexible, responsive, innovative) are also applicable.

The Osmoflo brand is recognised for an Australian ‘can do’ attitude, service, flexibility and process design.

ABO: What do you see in Osmoflo’s future?

DL: We’ll become a global desalination company, working with our business partner Marubeni in their goal of being a top five water company. Marubeni has interests around the world and actively promotes Osmoflo’s capabilities to these operations, as well as providing balance sheet support for new projects around the globe.

Osmoflo also plans to build on its success and grow its market share in the MENA region and Chile.

Osmoflo has developed through an

entrepreneurial culture, and will continue to do so.

ABO: Deanne, if you met a genie who offered to have all of Osmoflo’s dreams come true, in order of priority, what would they be?

DL: First would be to remain a profitable, innovative, responsive, flexible organisation and to be recognised as a significant (in capabilities, solution delivery, client and staff relations) global water treatment company.

We also want to maintain our technical excellence and reputation for superior quality.

ABO: What do you think is the secret to Osmoflo’s success?

DL: Our people! We have some of the smartest ‘water’ minds in the world, and a team with a ‘can do’ attitude. Recently one of our head engineers won an Emerging Leaders Achievment Award 2011.

Deanne Loan is marketing manager of Osmoflo. END To learn more visit www.osmoflo.com

www.australasiaoutlook.com 67

BRAND LEADER

HACH PACIFIC

passes market test

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Hach Pacific FEATURE

In the world of water analytics and related instrumentation Hach is a major global brand. Last year it strengthened its position in Australia and New Zealand with the formation of Hach Pacific. And its progress has been impressive. General Manager Bret Hellier talks to Australasia Business Outlook about growth and future expansion. By Colin Chinery

F

or more than 60 years, the US worldleading Hach Company has been developing innovative solutions used to test the quality of air, water and other liquids.

Last year it raised its global reach, acquiring Melbourne and Auckland based Accurate Detection and Accurate Measurement (Accurate), distributors of analytical and detection instrumentation including Hach water quality analytics in Australia and New Zealand.

And the move - giving Accurate’s customers direct access to Hach’s innovative water quality products and extensive service support straight from source - is having major sector impact. “A brand that was extremely well known here in Australasia needed to increase market share, taking the business direct rather than via distribution. And the market has reacted exceptionally well to our entry,” says Brett Hellier, General Manager of the newly-formed Hach Pacific. “In fact the general consensus is ‘Why weren’t you here earlier?’”

Manufactured in the US, with inputs from Germany and Switzerland and distributed

worldwide, Hach systems are designed to simplify analysis by offering sophisticated on-line instrumentation, accurate portable laboratory equipment, high-quality prepared reagents and life-time technical support.

Hach Pacific will continue to supply Accurate’s leak detection and pipe and cable location equipment to Australian and New Zealand customers, who can now easily bundle their purchases with water quality analytics.

“In the market it’s very important to have the laboratory as well as process, and with reporting online and laboratory done with the same technologies, you know the reporting is correct. This is a major strength, as is the consistent quality for which Hach is renowned.

Everything is made in house and controlled – no outsourcing.

“Another powerful Hach feature is our very large stock holdings. On-time delivery is very important, especially when dealing with a lot of lower-level consumables. Clients run out and they want it today.”

The core market is municipally-based areas such as waste water, trade waste - liquid discharges from plants for example - larger companies with a water and waste work component, and the pre- and post-water treatment common throughout the food industry.

www.australasiaoutlook.com 69

Hach Pacific FEATURE

Hach has a number of other brands related to the food and beverage industries as well as general manufacturing, including Orbisphere, Pollymetron and Met One. These broaden its base well beyond the municipal sector allowing Hach penetration into their process sectors says Hellier.

“We have most of the players here in Australia and the market is competitive at all levels. But Hach is a premium brand and has maintained its position because of the quality of manufacture, the quality of the people, and keeping ahead of the market with new product introductions. There is a myriad of new products coming to market all the time, whether upgrades or new technologies – and Hach is at the forefront. We are bringing to Australia and New Zealand more than 60 years of water analytics leadership.”

Hellier, 54, was with Accurate for 17 years before being appointed to head Hach Pacific last year. Changing the culture of the company that had been essentially a family-owned business to one with a corporate identity is a challenge. Brand identification is another.

“Hach is an extremely well-known brand.

However it is known through distribution so we are busy getting the message through to the market that we are here in our own right.”

Staffing is another issue, for Hach as well as other technical-based companies in Australia and New Zealand. “We have a really good core of people, and as we grow our staffing needs

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pacific laboratory products Pacific Laboratory Products is a wholly owned Australian Company which supplies a broad range of Instrumentation and Consumables to Laboratories throughout Australia and New Zealand. Established in April 2005. The company has grown and now supports a head office in Melbourne, with sales offices in all states throughout Australia and Auckland, New Zealand.

Our product portfolio encompasses capital equipment and an extensive range of branded and generic consumables. Our success in the marketplace has been the ability to provide customers with an in-depth supply of products across a wide range of industries.

have grown substantially. But securing the right quality of staff is a big challenge, and one everybody is facing.

“It’s very difficult to get the people we want.

In New Zealand for example, good quality people have gone offshore - more than a thousand people are leaving New Zealand every week to come to Australia. A major factor here is that you’ve got the mining industry and associated companies - big payers and a huge drain on technical people. We are a technical company and they are drawing off the same kind of people we want. It’s hurting companies like us.

“Take one example: Service quality is extremely important to our brand, and we have established an extremely good service network – four centres. But it took us six months to build the quality staff numbers to the level we wanted.

Overall the biggest concern is recruiting good quality sales people with market experience.

Pacific Laboratory Products - your leading supplier of Laboratory Instrumentation, Consumables & Accessories With a complete solution for all your laboratory needs, Pacific Laboratory Products offers a wide range of quality scientific instrumentation and consumables, combined with a total commitment to customer service and support.

Analytical Instruments, Chemicals, Reagents & Media for Water Quality Testing

Parallel Synthesis, Workup, Purification and Evaporation

Quality Research Plasticware including Pipette Tips, Tubes & Plates

UV/Visible Spectrophotometers

Instrumentation for Biological Research

Chromatography Vials, Closures & Crimpers

Single Use Injection Moulded Plastic Consumables

Analytical and Laboratory Chemicals & Solvents

For more information, call Free Call: 1800 723 405 Pacific Laboratory Products Level 1, 15-33 Alfred St, Blackburn, VIC 3130 PO Box 465, Blackburn, VIC 3130

Free Call: 1800 723 405 Fax: (03) 9845 0350 Email: sales@pacificlab.com.au

www.pacificlab.com.au

Hach Pacific FEATURE

EDS Environmental Data Services in partnership with Hach Pacific is Australia’s largest supplier and service provider for flow monitoring instrumentation in the Water and Waste Water Industry. EDS has been operating in Australia for over 25 years providing exceptional customer service, with world leading instrumentation. As many of you involved in the Waste Water industry know, there is a plethora of instrumentation available for endless applications. With EDS and Hach Pacific partnership we are able to provide over 25 years experience of specific open channel flow monitoring applications. As a result EDS is a complete onestop location for all of your flow monitoring requirements.

Office Locations: QLD(Head Office) Unit12/17IndyCourt Nerang, Gold Coast 4211 Ph:1300 721683 Fax:1300 721956 NSW Unit110/7HoyleAve Castle Hill, Sydney 2154 Ph: (02)96809337 Fax:(02)96808009

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Hach Pacific FEATURE

And then of course you must develop and retain them.”

On future growth Hellier says Hach Pacific will be strongly targeting the industrial and food and beverage markets, while continuing to retain and grow its strong positioning in the municipal sector. “We plan to be a very different company within in five years, with a centre of excellence to support Australasia and perhaps South Africa and India. ”We sell on solutions – we are not boxdroppers. We understand a client’s processes and sell fit-for-function benefits and cost return.

We are right up there at the top - and in terms of brand recognition we are Number One in our

market sectors by a very substantial amount.

“We work very closely with the US in particular, and we are supported from there by a very good team. Hach traditionally grows more than the markets, and now this philosophy has come to Australia; everyone here is a winner or wants to be a winner. It’s a fantastic company to work for and a very exhilarating time for me; to move and work from a small company to a larger corporate and I’ve really enjoyed the transition.

“There have been huge challenges, but it’s been exciting. We have a great team of people and outstanding products, technology and services. We expect 2012 to be a great year.”

END

To learn more visit www.hachpacific.com

EnvironmEntal

data sErvicEs Environmental Data Services is an Australian company providing solutions for Flow Measurement, Data Logging and an Equipment supplier in Water Supply and Management, Waste Water Management and Process Control Equipment.

Environmental Data Services is a manufacturer, and represents leading manufacturers in the markets of Water Supply and Management, Waste Water Management, Flow Monitoring Equipment and Process Control Equipment.

Environmental Data Services is the manufacturer of the popular range of EMS “D” Series Data logger, Pump Station Manager and the New G-Series Data Loggers and Revolutionary Pressure Loggers In particular, Environmental Data Services is the Australian and New Zealand distributor of the Hach Flow range of flow metering products. Particular, Environmental Data Services is the Australian and New Zealand distributor of the Hach Flow range of flow metering products.

®

1300 721 683 www.e-d-s.com.au www.southafricamag.com 73

future Accommodating

the

Australasia Business Outlook looks at Broad APM’s inaugural project – Monash University’s Clayton campus. By Jane Bordenave.

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Broad APM FEATURE

B

View up from Level 1 Terrace showing timber screens to the main stair and timber cladding to the breakout rooms.

road APM is a joint venture between West Perth based Broad Construction and Victoria based APM group. The company was founded in 2009 to handle projects valued between A$30 million and A$200 million in Victoria.

The company’s first project was to build new accommodation for 600 students at Monash University’s Clayton campus in Melbourne. It consists of two buildings holding 300 single occupancy studio flats each, with a total floor area of approximately 23,000m2. The total value of the project was A$65 million and was completed in November 2010.

What makes the Monash project special, other than being the inaugural project for Broad APM, is its technical specifications and environmental credentials: The Monash halls are the first residential project to be awarded a five Green Star rating both at the design and the ‘as built’ stages. They were also built as units, meaning each selfcontained flat was built in a warehouse then installed into a skeleton structure before a facia is finally put on.

Achieving a Green Star design rating involves presenting final drawings for independent accreditation and it is assessed according to how it is projected to perform.

This is the way that most Green Star rated buildings are certified, rather than on how they perform on completion. However, Monash insisted that this project be assessed and certified again once it was finished.

Head of Broad APM and Director of the Monash project, Marcus Worn, explains: “Monash see themselves as environmental leaders in the University space in Victoria, so it was important for them to get both the design and as built certification. Following the successful completion of our project, and the awarding of five stars at both stages, Monash are now pushing for most of their www.australasiaoutlook.com 75

Broad APM FEATURE

projects to get at least five star design and, more importantly, as built ratings.”

Green Star rating is flexible and addresses the environmental needs of the local area where the building is located.

Therefore, different localities give different weightings to different environmental concerns. In Victoria, due to the drought that lasted from the mid-90s to two years ago, water conservation has been given the greatest priority.

“When we were at the tender stage, the University issued us with a Green Star matrix, which indicated the points required on the design brief to get the five stars,” says Worn, “We did a lot of work during the tender phase and we introduced 153kw of photovoltaic panels, a greywater recycling system, smart metering and a number of other things that we added to their design to get the ‘as built’ rating.”

Nikki Paton, Design Manager on the 76

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Monash project, explains the challenges being the first project of its kind to attain a dual five green star rating: “It meant that the whole thing was untested and made our project a bit of a guinea pig, which had its advantages and disadvantages. One of the difficulties was when we were asking questions about the project at tender, Monash sometimes could only answer ‘we don’t know’, so in some ways our project has set something of a precedent.

“The other thing you have to do on a project like this is make sure that your sub-contractors are on-board and really understand what it is you are trying to achieve. You need to make sure they know what the clients’ requirements are, what their obligations are and if there are any specific materials they have to use because, on this kind of project, if you get it wrong once, it means you get it wrong 600 times and that can be quite difficult to fix!”

Larnec Doors & Systems Catalogue Manufacturers of quality timber & metal doors, pressed metal door frames for the commercial, industrial, garage, transportable & container building industries

www.larnecdoors.com

Larnec Doors anD systems Larnec Doors and systems pride itself on being able to manufacture quality doors that are made out of the best materials available. the australian company is a family owned business and its expertise in manufacturing quality specialty doors has made it one of australia’s premier company’s in the industry. It has more than 30 years experience so we know what its clients want and need. specialising in timber and metal doors means Larnec’s quality is second to none and its reputation in commercial, industrial, container, garage and transportable building sectors speaks for itself. all Larnec Doors products are backed by a 24-month factory guarantee and are manufactured to government safety and building standards in accordance with the Building code of australia and australian standards.

Using the latest construction technology, all steel products are fully welded for strength and safety, using the best australian made materials. the maintenance free doors are designed and customized to specific needs by Larnec’s research and develop team and each door is comprehensively tested and evaluated before leaving the factory premises.

It’s not just a world class manufacturing on which Larnec Doors prides its self. the company also understands how important on-time delivery is to the building industry and has instigated an exacting delivery system which is also guaranteed.

Whether doors are needed in australia, new Zealand, asia or the United Kingdom, Larnec Doors makes sure their top-quality products get to where they need to be on time and in perfect working order. one of the company’s most recent projects was the Broad aPm’s, monash University, clayton campus 600-bed student accommodation facility; it was the first university residential project in australia to target a Green star rating. the latest

in a long line of higher education buildings on which Larnec Doors and systems has worked the new build at monash University required Larnec Doors and systems to supply hundreds of pressed metal frames and timber doors throughout the two building making up the project. the company was called to manufacture within the strict Green star rating guidelines while still manufacturing to the highest of quality.

Larnec Doors and systems are committed to operating our business in an environmentally sustainable manner by applying environmentally responsible practices to all facets of our business. our goal is to be regarded as an environmentally responsible business while continuing to supply our valued customers with quality product at a competitive price. at Larnec Doors we apply lean manufacturing and sustainable management techniques to help minimize our environmental footprint. the company manufacture a range of specialized doors including acoustic, vandalproof doors, bulletproof doors, sliding panel doors, fire doors, metal clad doors, timber doors as well as shutters and vents.

Larnec Doors & systems prides itself on being able to manufacture quality doors that are made out of the best materials available to us. We are a 100% family owned and operated australian company.

FreecaLL 1800 657 536 1-3 shepherd road swan Hill Victoria 3585 Phone +613 5033 2344 Fax +613 5033 2030 sales@larnecdoors.com www.larnecdoors.com

For all buildings in cyclone The Sentry™ 400 prone range of doorsareas has been designed to specifically

Sentry 500 Acoustic doors ™

• Standard size – 2040 x 870 mm • Special Size – 2040 x 1020 mm

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Larnec Doors Guarantee Sentry™ Doors were created to meet demand for a door that is durable, resilient and competitively priced

Australia’s leading manufacturer for all your door solutions Please call our toll-free number for more information 1800 657 536

For all buildings where security and anti-vandalism is paramount For all buildings in cyclone prone areas Larnec Doors & Systems manufacturing facility can manufacture

For more information on this style of product please contact your local representative for further information.

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mon

th

Acoustic doors are available in either timber or pressed metal. You have the choice of having them pre hung in either timber or metal frames as well as the option of having fire rated acoustic doors and frame sets.

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acoustic doors to any acoustic rating required. All of our acoustic doors are made to the client’s specification. Our range of acoustic doors can be made to any size required, be it in single or doubles.

E

Sentry™ 400 comprises of two steel skins strengthened by internal reinforcements that offer excellent stability over time. As the door hinges are often a point of attack, the Sentry™ 400 range hinges are hung on two pivots that are invisible and unreachable to users.

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mon

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Sentry™ 400 is a high security door ideal for commercial and industrial buildings of all types where a high level of security is essential.

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cater for public areas where a high level of security is required.

These doors have been engineered in a way to provide you with a high resistance to damage, thus greatly reducing your maintenance and replacement costs. All parts of the door, from the leaf to the frame and locks, have been specifically engineered to provide maximum resistance to attacks from lighters, knives and most forms of physical attack.

ANTE

Larnec Doors Guarantee Sentry™ Doors were created to meet demand for a door that is durable, resilient and competitively priced

Australia’s leading manufacturer for all your door solutions Please call our toll-free number for more information 1800 657 536

The perfect solution for all acoustic applications For all buildings where security and anti-vandelism is paramount

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Broad APM FEATURE

Another aspect of the Green Star rating system is points awarded for innovation. “We were awarded innovation points for a couple of our solutions,” says Paton. “One example is that we installed an energy display system in the entry of each building that shows how much energy is being produced by the photovoltaic system, how much energy is being used by each building and also compares the buildings. It also shows how much gas and water is being used, so that the people staying in the residences get a bit more ownership over how the buildings are performing.”

The metering isn’t just helpful for the residents, but for Monash University too, she adds. “You can get quite a large amount of detail. Each Unit has metering for power and

a conventional accommodation build, but we did a cost analysis on it and given that Monash University can get tax credits back on renewable energy and that the cost of utilities will only continue to rise, it will certainly pay for itself within 10 to 12 years.

The greywater system and low irrigation landscaping we put in would also have paid for itself in a very short space of time, but thankfully the drought broke 18 moths ago, which has relieved some of the pressure on our water resources. Nevertheless, it is a good thing to have there and for Monash it was chiefly an environmental concern, rather than a monetary one.

“Monash being a long-term owner allowed us to offset these costs and take a look at ROI over a period of years and

Images courtesy of Gollings Photographs

Looking east over the courtyard

gas consumption, so it is a pretty complex system across the buildings, which gives masses of data that they can use and analyse in whatever way they want to.”

Broad APM would be the first to admit that building a project like this, with environmental concerns at the top of the list, does add cost compared to a similar conventional build, and that it is not for everyone currently. But that is not to say that this will always be the way, or that it should be an automatic barrier, Worn says. “Yes, going green currently increases costs, for example, the photovoltaic system cost between A$800,000 and A$1 million. You probably wouldn’t do that on

decades. It meant that we could realise a lot of these more ambitious elements, including getting the ‘as built’ certification, which again increased costs by about one percent in the short-term.”

Broad APM believes that the Monash project can act as a template for future green residential builds. “I wouldn’t expect to see anyone building another project like this for the next couple of years,” says Worn, “and at the moment, developers would probably find it to be a bit of a bridge too far in terms of cost. But for Universities and other long-term owners of accommodation projects, it is definitely a model.”

END

To learn more visit www.broadapm.com.au

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Broad APM FEATURE

An internal perspective of main stair located within the residences.

The Main Common Room located in Jackomos Hall.

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strike

gold

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Thor Mining FEATURE

When the global financial crisis struck, Thor Mining Plc was one of the many businesses that felt its reverberations. However, as a potential producer of rare minerals, its original market was narrow and the company could have faltered. Chairman Mick Billing tells Australasia Business Outlook how Thor moved laterally to secure its position and what the recovery means for the organisation.

By Jane McCallion www.australasiaoutlook.com 83

Thor Mining FEATURE

T

hor Mining Plc is a mining company dealing primarily with gold, molybdenum and tungsten.

The organisation was founded in 2005 for the purpose of bringing online a tungsten and molybdenum project in the Northern Territory. The company was initially listed on the Alternative Investment Market in London, England, before floating on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2006.

Its project portfolio includes locations in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

The organisation’s flagship project is Molyhil, a tungsten and molybdenum deposit located just outside Alice Springs.

The elements are used in the manufacture of steel and the deposit at the site was originally estimated to be 1.4m tonnes of ore, which could be produced at a rate of 400,000 tonnes per year. “The project has been the subject of a lot of work by Thor and a feasibility study produced in 2007 that showed it is a viable proposition and 84

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that we should get going,” says Chairman Mick Billing. However the project had to be put on hold before Thor was even able to break ground. “Unfortunately, just a couple of months after that Australia was hit by the global financial crisis and the price of molybdenum in particular plummeted.

Consequently the project had to be put on the back burner.”

Billing joined Thor Mining in 2008, just as the decision was taken to put Molyhil on hold. Shortly after, the company began looking at acquiring gold projects that it could run in tandem with and temporarily in place of Molyhil. The primary site fulfilling this role is Spring Hill, located 150km south of Darwin. Currently, Thor holds 25 percent of the site, with rights to increase this progressively to 80 percent. “Our involvement in Spring Hill commenced in August 2011 and we began exploratory drilling in September, which continued into late November,” says Billing. “There

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Thor Mining FEATURE

is a historical resource on the site of 274,000oz at a cut-off grade of one gram per tonne. This is a pretty high cut-off grade considering the current price of gold.”

The company is now doing its own exploration of the Spring Hill deposit, as technological improvements in the field mean that the workable resource may be larger than estimated during the original studies, which took place in 2003. “Back then, the gold price was about A$400/oz. Now it is over four times that,” explains Billing. “This will of course have a significant impact on the conclusions of any feasibility study.

Consequently, we feel very positive about this project and the prospect of bringing it online.”

Thor is planning what Billing describes as a “two pronged attack” for Spring hill in the near term. Firstly, the company will continue to carry out drilling explorations, as it is expected that the estimation of the resource available will grow. “The old estimation was arbitrarily cut off at 130m below surface as back in those days, that was as deep as one would want to go with a A$400/oz gold price. It now would sustain

a deeper open-cut pit.” He goes on to explain that there are also a number of targets to the north and south of the existing resource where are historically attractive intersections.

“These have never been followed up, so we think the Spring Hill resource will grow quite quickly.”

The second ‘prong’ of attack is securing environmental and regulatory approval.

“We think that there is probably sufficient gold there that we could start mining now,” says Billing.

“Unfortunately, however, we don’t have the necessary environmental and legal reports and agreements in place yet to begin production. However, once they are completed, we should be ready to get underway shortly thereafter.”

Things are also looking up for the Molyhil project too. In the four years since the project was put on hold, the price of molybdenum and tungsten have risen once again to profitable levels. Thor had been constantly reviewing the mine and at the beginning of 2011, with tungsten becoming particularly valuable, it was decided that the time was right to begin work on bringing Molyhil online. “The first thing we needed to do was work on updating the feasibility

Molybdenum is currently valued at approximately U$15/lb, or about four times the price of copper.

Tungsten is running at about U$20/lb.

When you look at these numbers, the financial viability of the mine becomes clear

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Thor Mining FEATURE

studies and do a bit more drilling to increase the size of the resource,” explains Billing. “We have had some success with the drilling and expect a revised, definitive feasibility study to be published in a few weeks time. Hopefully, that will say that we should start mining quite soon.”

Unlike at Spring Hill, all the environmental agreements and legal agreements were put in place before the decision was taken to postpone the Molyhil already in place.

Consequently, once the feasibility study is completed, it will be able to commence mining as soon as sales and finance agreements are in place. “We did at one point think that, as the environmental report was done some time ago, we may have to carry out another report. However, the government of the Northern Territory has recently confirmed that it is still valid and our agreements with the traditional, Aboriginal owners of the land still stand as well.”

The total estimated capital cost of bringing Molyhil into production is A$66 million, although Thor is hopeful that it will come in under budget. The company is also confident that it will recoup this expenditure fairly quickly once the resource comes online. “The original estimate of the deposit was 1.4m tonnes and that ore would be produced at a rate of 400,000 tonnes per year. Out of that, we would produce a couple of thousand tonnes per annum of tungsten concentrate and 1,200 – 1,300 tonnes of molybdenum concentrate,” says Billing.

“Those numbers may not appear very high, but when they are put into perspective in terms of value: molybdenum is currently valued at approximately U$15/lb, or about four times the price of copper. Tungsten is running at about U$20/lb. When you look at these numbers, the financial viability of the

mine becomes clear.”

By the end of 2012, it hopes to be in the development stages of Molyhil and within the next three years both Molyhil and Spring Hill should be in production. “These two projects will be taking up most of our energy for the next few years, but we are always on the look out for new projects and by the middle of the decade I hope that we will have at least one additional project in production or development as well.”

After a number of years having to hold back on its projects, Thor is now in position where it can invest and grow. The company has positioned itself as an invaluable link in the steel manufacture supply chain and with the construction sector also returning to growth, for Thor Mining the only way is up.

END

To learn more visit www.thormining.com

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