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Local Business Primes Itself For GrowthLatrobe City based business, Hydro Australia Pty Ltd, has recently announced plans to expand its operations from a new facility in Morwell. By news@gippsland - 19th May 2004 - Back to News The company specialises in the refurbishment, upgrading and reinstallation of centrifugal pumps which also includes removal services.
The proposed facility will allow Hydro Australia to be more cost competitive and meet increasing demands from clients across Australia and overseas.
Invest Latrobe Investment Manager, Leo Billington, said Hydro Australia has seen its client base quickly expand since first establishing operations in Yallourn in 1998 with just three employees.
"Hydro Australia’s business growth has also been matched by a growth in employment to 18 local people," Mr Billington said.
"Until recently, Hydro Australia sought its growth mainly from Australia’s east coast, with contracts being handled in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania.
"The company was meeting the stringent demands of large utilities such as power generators, oil refineries, steel and aluminium producers and water authorities.
However, contracts being won from northern Australia and overseas mean that now is the time for Hydro Australia to prepare for an expansion phase," Mr Billington said.
"Work in India with Tata Electric has involved an overhaul and reinstallation of a boiler feed-pump. As an agent for a United States company, Hydro Australia has also sold spares into Indonesia and Malaysia. In addition, through their sister company in Korea, Hydro Australia is now selling new centrifugal pumps into the Australian market.
"There is also an increasing amount of work coming from Queensland’s industry, especially in Gladstone where pumps are being overhauled and reinstalled," Mr Billington added.
According to Hydro Australia’s General Manager, Ross Bertoli, all of the company’s technical expertise was originally sourced from the USA.
"Now our technical expertise is provided in-house and on location by our own local employees," Mr Bertoli explained.
"We now work with all the Latrobe Valley based power generators as well as with Esso at Longford and Long Island Point. At Westernport, BHP is another client with whom we have established strong contacts. Other power stations include Port Augusta and Torrens Island in South Australia and Liddell, Vales Point and Eraring in New South Wales and we have an excellent relationship with Pasminco in Tasmania," Mr Bertoli said.
"From its new Australian headquarters, Hydro Australia will be better equipped to service long term clients and focus on quality service with a total commitment to its ISO 9001/2000 quality certification which was achieved in 2001.
"As part of our ISO certification, we are responsible for the safe transportation of equipment to and from its location. Recently a salt water submersible pump and a ten-stage boiler feed pump from Tasmania were successfully transported from Hobart to Melbourne via road and then ferry across Bass Strait without incident; and they will be returned just as safely for reinstallation at Pasminco’s production facility," Mr Bertoli added.
In congratulating Hydro Australia on its initiative and forward planning, Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Darrell White, said that investment decisions such as Hydro Australia’s, ensured Latrobe City’s employment opportunities remain strong.
"Here is an excellent example of a local workforce applying their skills in our municipality to complement supporting businesses such as those involved in welding, grit blasting and metallurgical services," Councillor White said.
Photo: l-r Dale Carstein and Ross Bertoli supervising maintenance repairs at their Yallourn workshop
Media Enquiries:
Cr. Darrell White, Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0417 377 645
Cr. Lisa Price, Deputy Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0428 526 919
Paul Buckley, Acting Chief Executive Officer,
tel. 5176 3413 or 0418 512 997
Jeremy Bein, Public Relations and Communications Officer,
tel. 5176 3458 or 0407 862 977
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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