Queensland Company Focussing on Exports.
11 June, 2005
Reproduced from SDI Magazine / Words by Nathalie Sengers
Australian Services Exporter of the Year, Ausenco, has secured an impressive reputation for its ability to carry our projects in difficult locations in remote parts of the world.
Ausenco, founded in Queensland in 1991, specialises in engineering design and construction services to mining and mineral processing industries.
Today Ausenco is sought out by international companies looking to replicate its success in South East Asia and Africa.
Ausenco's business development manager Wayne Anderson said the company had developed an international reputation for carrying our projects in developing countries that were typified by their remote locations and usually faced infrastructure and logistics difficulties.
He said the company had learned some important lessons about working in exotic locations.
"We learned very quickly to use basic logic and ensure a detailed approach is used when we were assessing how to execute in a remote site," Mr Anderson said.
"Certainly good communication and being open and honest with the client and with your people on the ground is important.
"And out Australian way of life helps us to adapt to varying conditions experienced when executing projects. We're used to working with people coming from a lot of different culture, and we have a deep-rooted respect for other cultures.
"One of the construction issues is that when you have workers on site from a lot of different cultures thee requires special needs for each culture. On a recent site we had a mixture of Buddhists, Christians and Muslims and had to cater for a variety of culinary diets.
"We also have in place a very strict code of conduct and respect the local culture, including assisting in education the local community an adding to their sustainability for the future." Mr Anderson said.
Almost three years ago Ausenco underwent a restructure that saw RMB Resources Limited, part of South Africa's famous First Rand Limited Group, and Resources Capital Fund, a private equity fund, buy into the company.
It also made changes to its Board of Directors to help it focus on continued export growth and invited former Queensland Premier Wayne Goss to take up the role of chairman of the board.
Today the company employs over 300 staff, manages a further 3,500 construction project personnel, and turns over more than $100M in revenue every year.
It has also constructed a purpose built facility at Eight Mile Plains, south of the Brisbane CBD, from which it coordinates its global activities and opened offices in Asia and the Americas. Its office in Italy, too, has grown to employ over 60 staff.
"Our location at Eight Mile Plains was built specifically to our requirements," Mr Anderson said.
"It is an open office that lets in a lot of natural light and our clients often tell us how good it feels."
Also key has been the company's constant focus on innovation.
"Innovation is key to our success, "Mr Anderson said.
He said the company's focus on innovation derived from necessity.
"Australia's construction and engineering industry is extremely competitive.
"Historically companies have worked on lump sum contracts with fixed prices which means that is you make a mistake then your profit is on the line.
"Focussing on innovation has driven us to be smarter that our competition and we are still one of a few firms that offer true lump sum contracts.
"We have been told that what differentiates us is that we endeavour to understand how best to complete a project from ground up. Part of this exercise is that we engage specialists in certain fields such as logistics and we interact with the governments and entities to uncover major issues.
"We also send our construction people to the country well before the project starts so that we get a good understanding of how to execute in the area."
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Ausenco Limited, provides multi-disciplined engineering, procurement, project and construction management services to the mining, minerals and metal processing industry. The company participates in all phases of a project’s progression, from project scoping studies, process option/technical review assessments, feasibility studies utilised for project financing, through to project design, construction and commissioning. Ausenco’s group of companies also services companies through their operation and maintenance division, supplying key asset management and operational support. These services are applied to projects in a broad range of processing areas, both nationally and internationally.
