Mark Beyer

Strong growth in commodity prices, combined with solid production levels, has created a new and welcome problem for an increasing number of mid-cap mining companies in Western Australia: how to spend their rapidly expanding cash reserves.

An 8 per cent fall in university applications in Western Australia for 2006 entry had an immediate impact on staff numbers at Edith Cowan University.

Manufacturing is widely perceived to be an industry in terminal decline, so it’s rather surprising that the Australian Bureau of Statistics found it to be one of Western Australia’s biggest industry sectors, supporting more than 100,000 jobs.

If there is one thing Palandri Ltd chief executive Darrel Jarvis has in abundance, it is unbounded optimism about the future of his Margaret River wine business.

Rick Stowe's Griffin Coal Mining Company is planning to borrow around $530 million through a note issue to refinance group debt and provide funding for its current expansion projects.

Margaret River wine producer Palandri Ltd has again surprised the market by reporting an unexpectedly high profit and announcing plans to delist from London's Alternative Investment Market and list on the Australian Stock Exchange.

Perth-based companies CustomVis plc and DDD Group plc, which listed on London’s Alternative Investment Market to fund development of new technology, have racked up extra losses in the past year but believe their prospects improved in recent months.

Engineering services company WorleyParsons has moved to 100 per cent ownership of its Australian power and water joint venture Burns & Roe Worley Pty Ltd

While most businesses in Western Australia would leap at the chance to get government help, most, unfortunately, end up with nothing; so how did 12 local companies qualify this year for grants worth $25 million?

Allens Arthur Robinson and Deacons have achieved the largest and most consistent growth among Perth’s major law firms over the past five years, according to the WA Business News Book of Lists.

With help from Western Australian companies such as Western Areas, Equinox Minerals and Moly Mines, the Toronto Stock Exchange accounted for just over half of global equity capital raisings for the mining industry in the first half of this year.

Engineering services company WorleyParsons has moved to 100 per cent ownership of its Australian power and water joint venture Burns & Roe Worley Pty Ltd.

Perth companies Jupiter Energy and Australian Ethanol have been forced to revise their capital raising plans after a downturn in investor support for the biofuels sector.

The founders of Osborne Park company Immersive Technologies, which is a world leader in the development of training simulators for the mining industry, has taken the unusual step of buying back full ownership of the business from a venture capital investo

As managing director of a big engineering business, you might think Peter Meurs gets his biggest buzz from winning multi-million dollar contracts.

Amidst all of the political controversy over the state government’s planned gas reservation policy, Woodside Petroleum has progressed its planning for another multi-billion dollar gas project.

Peter Meurs believes local companies seeking work on big resource and infrastructure projects need to ensure they meet the needs of project developers, rather than relying on work coming to them simply because they are Australian.

WorleyParsons has been one of the big winners from the resources boom, growing to be Australia’s largest engineering firm, and the Perth office under Peter Meurs has played a key part in that success.

Farming businesses in sectors ranging from horticulture to dairy and grains have participated in a new state government scheme designed to promote the certification of sustainable practices.

Mining software provider Gemcom Software International has decided to maintain all of its existing products following the acquisition earlier this year of Perth competitor Surpac Minex but has noted that its products will “come together” over time.

Three current but very different issues throw up some challenging questions about how much trust Western Australians place in markets.

Just a couple of years ago, the closing of a big manufacturing plant would have caused much political anguish.

The shortage of skilled labour is the biggest issue facing many Western Australian businesses. WA Business News reports on some of the innovative responses to the skills crisis.

Residential care provider Brightwater Care Group has joined a small group of businesses that have managed to overturn tax rulings by the state government’s Office of State Revenue.

Manufactured accommodation supplier Nomad Building Solutions is planning to use the proceeds from its $78 million public share offer to acquire Wangara company McGrath Homes and continue its growth in the Queensland and park homes markets.

Western Australian employers have responded to the skills shortage by making staff recruitment a continuous process.

The boom in Western Australia’s iron ore industry has flowed on to the railcar manufacturing industry, which has enjoyed rapid growth in recent years, but two developments have cast a cloud over the sector’s prospects.

Perth financial services company, Plan B, has substantially expanded its presence in New Zealand with the acquisition of a wealth management firm and a financial planning firm.

The state government’s liquor licensing reforms will include detailed regulations designed to stop restaurants trading as de facto bars.

The gloves have been taken off in the battle over Sirtex Medical, with former Perth scientist Bruce Gray fighting to regain control of the Sydney company.

South Fremantle company, Nomad Modular Building, one of Australia’s biggest manufacturers of portable accommodation for the mining sector, is planning a stockmarket float to take advantage of the current boom conditions.

The legal storm swirling around Perth scientist Dr Bruce Gray and listed company Sirtex Medical has become more intense, with law firm Freehills forced to step aside from the case and Perth accountant Grant Boyce's directorship threatened.