Mark Beyer

Perth-based IT services group Synergy Plus has been placed into receivership after its major funder GE Capital demanded repayment of a finance facility.

ACTIVITY levels in the Western Australian property market have slumped to 10-year lows and are projected to reach 20-year lows, new data from the state government’s land information agency Landgate show.

STAN Perron still goes to his East Perth office three days a week and supports numerous charities, while Harold Clough says he is working as hard as he has ever done, including in a mining venture in Indonesia.

Getting politicians to understand business issues is hard work; getting them to take action is even harder.

This year’s 40under40 Awards highlighted the depth in young business talent in WA.

Toll Group announced late Friday the purchase of Perth-based trucking company Mitchell Corporation for $110 million.

Western Australia has recorded a fall in its unemployment rate, putting it well ahead of all other states, but otherwise the labour force data out today signalled the national economy is losing momentum.

LOCAL fabrication workshops will get one more chance later this year to win substantial contracts on the Gorgon gas project, as the campaign to lift local content on big projects approaches a critical test.

The state government is to be commended for preparing an energy strategy but the hard work lies ahead.

SIX years ago, AMP Capital Investors started implementing an ambitious strategy to build a major national player in the industrial supplies market.

More than 40 WA businesses have partnered with private equity funds in recent years.

IF a Geraldton-based business can win the backing of James Packer’s Consolidated Press, it must be doing something right.

JAMES McClements and his colleagues at Resource Capital Funds are at the peak of their game.

Dutch multinational Fugro has acquired Perth-based oil and gas services company TSMarine Group for an undisclosed sum, 15 months after a $47 million management buy-out at the local company.

The high stakes battle over the future of Alinta Energy has become heated after the company took action against security holder Coastal Capital International, which is believed to be opposed to a planned scheme of arrangement.

The manager of the Gorgon gas project insisted today that it has delivered $10 billion of work to local industry and more is on the way, despite claims that its local content figures are misleading.

Four major projects due to be completed over the next five years will pave the way for the much heralded City Link development between the CBD and Northbridge to proceed.

Andrew Forrest’s recent conviction has triggered debate over the concept of an informed market; there are plenty of other steps that would help to meet that goal.

PEET and Cedar Woods have continued to be the pick of the bunch among Perth’s listed property developers, with both companies’ half-year results boosted by their exposure to the relatively strong Melbourne market.

THE value of Australia’s commodity exports is expected to exceed $250 billion in 2011-12, new forecasts by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences have concluded.

RESIDENTIAL and commercial construction in Karratha is set to grow rapidly after the state government short-listed three companies for what will become the largest new development in the town.

THE potential impact of a carbon price on Western Australian businesses was highlighted by the release of new data last week showing the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases.

In front of 850 guests at a black-tie dinner on the South Perth foreshore, internet entrepreneur Zhenya Tsvetnenko was last night named First Amongst Equals winner in WA Business News annual 40under40 awards.

The 40under40 Awards have stood the test of time.

The adversaries in a heated battle over regulation of the franchising industry in Western Australia have used submissions to a parliamentary inquiry to argue their cases.

DRILLING services contractor Boart Longyear has officially opened a manufacturing plant in Forrestfield, one of seven centres servicing its global operations.

WA is a world leader in mining engineering; we should aim for the same ranking in LNG engineering.

THE trend for the private sector to deliver traditional government infrastructure in Western Australia has continued, with a private consortium selected to fund, build and operate a new $300 million water treatment plant at Mundaring.

The adversaries in a heated battle over regulation of the franchising industry in Western Australia have used submissions to a parliamentary inquiry to argue their cases.

Steel fabricators, engineers and unions have started a new campaign to win more work on big resources projects, but they lost the debate six years ago this month.

As the debate over local content on big projects heats up, we need to ask where WA’s competitive edge is and what the government can contribute.

Engineering and construction contractor Marine & Civil is set to emerge from administration after striking a deal with Thiess to establish a new jointly owned company.