Mark Beyer

A Perth company that has developed a revolutionary new method of extracting copper, nickel and other base metals from ore is pursuing a stock market listing through a reverse takeover of newly listed explorer Trajan Minerals Ltd.

Spending on minerals exploration in Western Australia has grown strongly in the past financial year.

Mid-tier accounting group Hall Chadwick has filled the Western Australian gap in its national network by enticing Subiaco's Maxim Business Consulting Group to join the association.

A group of Perth investors including former Macquarie Bank director Simon Lyons and Prime West director John Bond have taken control of listed irrigation company Australian Watwerwise Solutions Ltd.

When geologists around the world start planning new mine developments, there is a good chance the software used will have been written in Perth by a company such as Gemcom or Micromine.

One year after helping to float the family company, Swick Mining Services Ltd (SMS), on the Australian Securities Exchange, Randal Swick is planning to establish a new drilling business in Brazil.

Western Australia has become unusually dependent on three giant resource sector producers, which account for more than half of the state’s entire exports.

With a federal election likely to be called this month, possibly this weekend, its worth focusing on the key issue of industrial relations policy.

Cougar Metals NL managing director Randal Swick has announced plans to establish a drilling business in Brazil, two weeks after he resigned as a non-executive director of Swick Mining Services Ltd.

Subsea engineering services company Neptune Marine Ltd has announced its seventh acquisition in the past 18 months, agreeing to pay $17 million for Fremantle-based SEA-STRUCT.

Former Home Building Socity Ltd chief executive Craig Coleman is converting his new company Ausron Ltd into a financial services technology provider, making its first acquisition and announcing a $25 million capital raising.

The Domenic Martino-chaired ComputerCORP Ltd has announced plans to merge with Melbourne-based IT company Leading Solutions, in a deal that will double the size of the West Perth-based business.

The Auditor General has taken the extraordinary step of qualifying the annual report of the Department of Treasury & Finance, prompting the state government to introduce tighter controls at the Office of Shared Services.

Midwest Corporation Ltd is facing a crisis on two fronts, with the state government turning up the attack on its disputed state agreement and refusing to provide a long-term extension to its iron ore trucking arrangements, which could force it to halt exp

“A coordinated approach to common-user infrastructure development and stakeholder relations is vital to unlock the full potential of Australia’s fastest growing new iron ore province.”

A group of Western Australian entrepreneurs played a significant role in changing the nature of the national home loan market, which as recently as 15 years ago offered consumers little choice in lenders.

A new harbour at Cockburn Sound, a new football stadium, and a new museum head a $4 billion list of major infrastructure projects awaiting approval from the state government.

National printing company GEON Group is on the lookout for additional acquisitions in Western Australia following its purchase of Bassendean firm, Advance Press Pty Ltd, for about $11 million.

UK investment fund Carrousel Capital Ltd has turned up the heat on Perth fund manager LinQ Capital, arguing that LinQ is not dogn enough to boost price of the listed LinQ Resources Fund.

West Perth company CTI Logistics Ltd has announced the sale of its printing subsidiary Advance Press Pty Ltd, and expects to make a profit of $4.5 million on the transaction.

The Old Swan Brewery is best known for its restaurants, function centre and apartments, but its commercial office wing has attracted a new tenant in project management firm Emerso

Hats off to the Local Government Managers’ Association for pushing the debate on local government reform in a positive and constructive manner.

An online system that has slashed processing times for building approvals is spreading to new building companies and local councils following a successful four-month pilot of the scheme.

A radical shift in government planning for the Mid-West iron ore industry has been welcomed by two of the major protagonists, Murchison Metals and WestNet Rail, but been criticised by a third player, mining company Midwest Corporation.

Perth-based grain handler CBH Group has signalled it will continue pushing for more deregulation of the wheat export market after the federal government granted only a small part of its application for an export licence.

A report commissioned by the local government managers' association has recommended a radical shake-up of local councils in Western Australia, including a reduction in the number of councils from 142 to 30.

The battle for control of scaffolding supplier PCH Group Ltd has turned hostile, with UK company Cape plc announcing its intention to launch a $233 million offer despite having a standstill agreement with PCH.

One month after failing to buy Perth-based scaffolding supplier PCH Group Ltd, UK company Cape plc has made its second acquisition, agreeing to pay $101.7 million for Concept Hire Ltd, the parent company of Blackadder Scaffolding Services.

The annual survey of major resource and infrastructure projects featured in this week’s WA Business News provides plenty of support for those who have a ‘stronger for longer’ view on the state’s economic outlook.

The oil and gas sector is set to make an increased contribution to WA's strong economy with eight major expansion projects under way, including the state’s single most expensive development, Woodside Petroleum’s $12 billion Pluto gas project.

The petroleum and iron ore sectors have grown to dominate Western Australia’s resources industry but there is still plenty of growth happening in other sectors as diverse as molybdenum, vanadium, nickel, gold, copper and zircon.

The boom in resources and infrastructure projects in WA has hit a new record despite severe cost pressures and skilled labour shortages.