WA company wins multi-million-dollar local contract

Western Australian manufacturers have received a boost this week with a Rockingham-based company successfully securing a multi-million-dollar contract with Fremantle Ports.
 
Steelpipe Australia was awarded the $5.9 million contract to reconstruct North Quay Berth 10, which will require more than 3000 tonnes of tubular steel piling.

Steelpipe Australia teamed up with WA sub-contractors Park Engineers, Boyd Metal, Steelhaul and Waterside Welding and Fabrication to bid for the project.

Industry and Enterprise Minister Francis Logan said the contract was a big step forward in improving local content in major Western Australian projects.
 
“This contract shows how a successful partnership between local companies can prove to be a win-win situation for the whole State,” he said.
 
“Building local content opportunities for WA’s manufacturing industry is one of the State Government’s priorities. 
 
“Our local contractors face strong competition from overseas modular fabrication and load-out of pre-assembled capital works units.
 
“The team approach demonstrated on this contract is a strong example of how our local industry can join forces to provide competitive solutions that meet the client’s requirements.”

Senior Project Leader from the Department of Industry and Resources Local Content Team Sandra Daly was invited by the Fremantle Port’s Authority to be a member of the Evaluation Panel for the project.

Ms Daly said her role was to ensure the State Government’s Buy Local Policy was applied correctly during the evaluation of the bids.

“Fremantle Ports have a good appreciation of the benefits of local sourcing. These include ease of communication and ability to inspect, “she said.
 
Steelpipe Australia Sales Manager Ian Hutchens said the contract was an exciting step for the company and confirmed that its decision to move to Perth in 2006 was a good one. 
 
“The flexibility, control, local and international knowledge, ongoing support and willingness of the State’s local industry to work together, all lend themselves to assisting major infrastructure projects in WA and Australia,” Mr Hutchens said.
 
 Steelpipe Australia has already begun work on the Berth 10 project. The upgrading of this berth for container shipping is associated with the planned deepening of the Fremantle Inner Harbour and will provide increased draft capacity for bigger ships that want to dock at Fremantle.
 
Fremantle Ports Acting Chief Executive Officer Chris Leatt-Hayter said Fremantle Ports was strongly committed to maximising local content in the purchase of goods.
 
In 2006-07, Fremantle Ports achieved 88.59 per cent local content in the purchase of goods to the total value of about $22 million.