SOUTH AUSTRALIA company Ferrocut has bought a 2.24 hectare slice of the Techport Australia Supplier Precinct, becoming the first company to sign up to Australia’s premier naval shipbuilding hub.
Making the announcement at Pacific 2008, an international maritime and naval defence exhibition in Sydney where South Australia is showcasing its world-class defence capabilities, Deputy Premier Kevin Foley said the land sale is a key milestone in Techport Australia’s development.
“Nearly $400 million has been invested in Techport Australia at Osborne, including common user shipbuilding facilities, a Maritime Skills Centre, AWD Systems Centre, dedicated Supplier Precinct and the broader development of the le Fevre Peninsula,” Foley said.
“The AWD project will transform the South Australian economy and lead to the creation of more than 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.
“The ongoing Government commitment to and investment in the State’s defence sector will ensure that South Australia can continue to attract and grow the skills and capabilities required to undertake future shipbuilding and other defence projects.
“Ferrocut is one of South Australia’s leading steel plate profile cutters, and provides services in a range of areas including mining, construction and specialist fabrication.
“The company will transform its new site by building a 10,000 square metre state-of-the-art facility adding to Ferrocut’s existing two premises and enabling it to capitalise on the expected surge of working coming out of the defence and mining sectors.
“This is a great example of just one of the many companies which are already investing in the tremendous opportunities coming on-line in South Australia.
“The development of Techport Australia is well underway with the site transforming into a hive of development activity over the next two years.
“South Australia has secured more than $12 billion worth of defence contracts in the past two and a half years alone,” he added.