Forgacs announces major expansion at Henderson

Forgacs Marine and Defence Pty Ltd’s parent company Civmec Limited today unveiled plans for a new state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility in WA primarily targeted at Royal Australian Navy projects.

CAPTION: Artist’s impression of major expansion at Henderson, WA.

The announcement was made at an official a ground-breaking ceremony today officiated by the Premier of Western Australia Colin Barnett.

The heavy engineering specialist company said it was positioning itself for participation in Australia’s A$89 billion naval ship and submarine upgrading programs, which form part of the Australian government’s projected A$195 billion overall defence investment over the decade from now until 2025-26 – as outlined by Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne in a speech at a Western Australia Defence Conference earlier this month.

“The new facility in Henderson will rival the best shipyards in the world and is part of Forgacs’ goal to enhance Australia’s profile as a globally efficient naval ship builder,” a company statement today said.

“It will be able to house ship construction and on-going maintenance under cover in a conducive and efficient environment close to Fleet Base West – the home of Australia’s submarine force and half of its naval surface fleet.

“It will be the only facility with this capacity in Australia.

“Civmec, which has developed a suite of core competencies in heavy engineering, believes that these in-house capabilities, its dedicated shipbuilding facility and its securing of the strong Forgacs credibility will position the company as a force to be reckoned with for the Commonwealth government’s upgrade and expansion programs.

“At this point, the group anticipates an overall investment in the region of A$80 million to develop the entire facility over the coming years.

“Based on this timing of construction it is intended that the proposed new facility be funded using internal cash resources and borrowings.

“Design and planning has already commenced with a further more detailed focus on engineering and geotechnical analysis occurring immediately in the New Year.”

The new facility will be situated on approximately seven-hectare (70,000 square metres) of land adjoining the south side of the group’s existing facility at the Australian Marine Complex in Henderson and, when operating at capacity, may provide up to 1000 new jobs and 100 apprenticeships.

Civmec’s Chief Executive Officer Patrick Tallon said planning for the development of further significant facilities was all about strategically positioning the company to participate in upcoming Naval acquisition programs and would play a major role in the company’s long-term future.

“We feel a standalone facility, operated by Forgacs Marine and Defence, is required to ensure there is absolutely no adverse effect to our present valuable clients that we deliver for in our other operating sectors,” Mr Tallon said.

“This diversification is a natural extension of our core capabilities.

“The new shipbuilding and maintenance facility in Henderson will be a significant piece of industrial infrastructure, adding a new resource to the Australian maritime landscape.”

Civmec’s Executive Chairman James Fitzgerald said Henderson had already been identified by the Commonwealth as one of two suitable locations for the continuous build of Naval ships. This is cause for great optimism and reflects highly on Western Australia’s industrial capability and capacity, to which this planned facility will be a significant addition.”

Mike Deeks, a former Royal Australian Navy commodore, has been appointed managing director of Forgacs Marine and Defence Pty Ltd.

Mike has been with the company since September 2015.

Premier Colin Barnett congratulated Civmec on its investment.

“The significant capital investment by Civmec to develop these facilities is an example of the confidence local industry has in Western Australia’s future,” Mr Barnett said.

Civmec is a major construction and engineering services provider to the oil and gas, metals and minerals, infrastructure and defence sectors. Headquartered in Henderson, Western Australia, Civmec has regional offices in Broome, Darwin, Gladstone, Newcastle and Sydney. It also has a presence in Singapore where it has been listed on the stock exchange since 2012.

For more information, visit www.civmec.com.au

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