Biggest event in history
The Sydney Showground hosted biggest event in the history of AIMEX, one of the world’s top mining exhibitions, attracting more than 600 exhibiting companies – 20 per cent larger than the previous AIMEX show in 2007. The four-day AIMEX 2011 was spread over 11 venues taking up more than 50,000 square metres of exhibition space, “No other venue in Australia could cater for an event like AIMEX,” said Paul Baker, exhibition director, for Reed Mining Events.
Woolies buys pub
Woolworths-backed ALH Group has bought the Blue Cattle Dog Hotel, at St Clair for $23 million from the Waugh family, which bought the property for more than $20 million in 2006.
V8 Supercars to remain
The state government said it will honour the contract to hold the V8 Supercars race at Sydney Olympic Park, until 2013, despite an attempt to move it back to its original location at Eastern Creek. Greens MP John Kaye said residents "hotly opposed" the event. Tourism and Major Events Minister George Souris said the deal between the former government and V8 Supercars Australia would be honoured.
Woollies expansion in India
Woolworths, whose corporate office is located at Bella Vista, has identified new opportunities to expand its presence in India, when rules banning foreign direct investment in multi-brand retailing are relaxed, possible as early as next year. Woolworths has a current joint venture with electronic group the Tata Group.
Possible sale of markets
Parklea Markets could be put on the market following the appointment, on August 16, of receivers and managers to Almona Pty, owned be developer Con Constantine, owing more than $31 million to secured creditors, according to The Australian Financial Review. Almona had lodged plans for a $135 million redevelopment of the 17-hectare site, at Glenwood, including a two-storey hotel, a 21,000-square-metre conference and 17,000-square-metre growers’ market.
$107 million investment
Deputy Premier, Andrew Stoner, has officially opened the new global service centre of specialist ICT services and solutions provider, Dimension Data Australia, at Macquarie Park. The global service centre currently employs 130 people but the company expects it will grow to employ over 300 people over the next five years. NSW Trade & Investment worked with Dimension Data to help secure the $107 million investment for Sydney.
Snap moves east
Grant Vernon the CEO of Snap Printing, which has outlets across the region, will not be following the franchise group when it shifts its head office, including its marketing, finance, legal and IT teams, from Perth to Sydney, over the next six months, where the sales and operations teams are located. Snap said 85 per cent of its franchises are situated on the east coast. Snap’s Sydney office is at North Ryde. Current chief operating officer Stephen Edwards will replace Mr Vernon, on November 1.
Recapitalisation plan
The drilling services and oil and gas investment company, AJ Lucas, based at Macquarie Park, has received the capital injection it needed, from the Hong Kong-based Kerogen Capital, to ensure survival and maintain its investment in a potentially lucrative shale gas play in Europe, according to The Australian Financial Review. The company’s shares were suspended in May and are expected to remain that way until shareholders approve the recapitalisation plan.
Markets to markets
Sydney Markets, at Homebush, is being reconsidered as the site of the auction room and wholesale facilities, of the Sydney Fish Markets, at Pyrmont, three months after a $40 million revamp of the site was rejected. The idea to move the wholesale operations to Homebush was raised five years ago as part of a proposal to relocate the market to Glebe Island, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Of 3.5 million people who visit the fish market each year, about 30 per cent are interstate or international visitors.
City seeks new status
Campbelltown City Council believes official recognition of Campbelltown as a "regional city" would give the area a stronger case for private development and better infrastructure. Council's director of planning and environment, Jeff Lawrence, said status as a regional city would send a strong signal to the private sector, development and finance that there's a future for Campbelltown in terms of jobs.
Medical research project
Nepean Hospital is searching for up to 5000 square metres of land on which to build a multimillion-dollar medical research institute to be on par with similar facilities at Westmead and Liverpool. The University of Sydney has vowed to help front the $3 million to $4 million it will cost for an appropriate-sized lot. Westpac is backing the project but the Penrith Business Alliance (PBA), which is leading the project, has yet to release any cost estimates for construction.
MD departs
Managing director, Tony Dragicevich, of Wattyl Paints at Norwest Business Park, has departed from the paint maker less than two years after joining the company and barely 12 months after a $142 million takeover by US paint company, Valspar.
Capital grants
The Westmead Millennium Institute and the Children’s Medical Research Institute at Westmead; have been included in more than $60 million allocated for capital grants by the NSW Government.
Gadiel moved on
Aaron Gadiel, who as CEO, of the Urban Taskforce Australia, representing property developers, was credited with helping to secure reforms such as the reduction in state government levies in Western Sydney, has resigned to become a director, in the planning environment and government team at law firm, Gadens.
First Sydney officecoke
Mining company, Abterra Australia Pty Ltd, whose parent company is based in Singapore, has opened its first Sydney office, at Norwest Business Park, where it has taken a three-year lease of 114-square metre of office space, at a rent of $368 per gross square metre.
Restaurant chain sold
The Brisbane-based Coffee Club will open 100 steakhouses throughout Australia, after buying the Ribs and Rumps chain, headquartered at Macquarie Park, for a reported $10 million plus.
Planning forums
The NSW government will hold a series of public consultation forums on its proposed changes to state planning legislation. The forums to be held in Western Sydney include: Parramatta, October 18; Campbelltown, October 19; Bankstown, October 20; Liverpool, October 21 and Penrith November 7.
Shell to be audited
Prompted by the Orica chemical leak, the government will launch the biggest environmental audit in NSW history, targeting more than 40 potentially toxic industrial sites in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Among the sites in Sydney to face immediate audits and spot checks is the Shell Refinery at Clyde.
Uni wins marketing award
Macquarie University's marketing team has been recognised with a top award at the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) 2011 NSW Awards for Marketing Excellence. Macquarie’s Future Students (Undergraduate) campaign was named the Education category winner, for its integrated approach to increasing the number of prospective students who placed the university as their first choice. The campaign connected with students across a variety of platforms, including direct mail, electronic direct mail (EDM), social media, events and more.
23 per cent rise in profits
A series of big printing contract wins has propelled TMA Group, based in Granville, to a 23 per cent rise in profits on the back of a 21 percent jump in sales. The company, which recently announced it will delist from the ASX, said its print contracts with Coles, Qantas and Perth Airport had provided the uplift. In its report to the ASX, the company said recent acquisitions, including its September 2010 buyout of Premier Business Group, were progressing in a "very satisfactory manner".
Business growth
Penrith Business Alliance chairman, Paul Brennan, said NSW Treasurer, Mike Baird, was open to discussing opportunities for business growth in the area, including possible changes to the rigid development legislation.“We had discussions around co-operating with Treasury over the revitalisation of the CBD, how we might look at some new and innovative funding models to make it more attractive to developers to come into the area,” Mr. Brennan said.