Mark Beyer

Western Australia’s largest non-bank financier, Police & Nurses Credit Society, has attributed a rare drop in profit to planned investment in its expansion.

The backers of the James Point port at Kwinana have vowed to press ahead with their plans despite long running planning delays and legal disputes with the State Government.

Even though Labor has not released its industrial relations policy, rumours are rife among employers that Australian Workplace Agreements will be abolished. Mark Beyer and Julie-anne Sprague investigate.

Austin Engineering and ai Limited are the sort of small industrial companies that slip under the radar of many investors but recent news from both companies could warrant closer attention.

Heavy equipment supplier Emeco International, one of Western Australia’s largest unlisted companies, is assessing capital-raising options to support planned expansion.

Increased shipping activity associated with Rio Tinto’s HIsmelt pig iron plant and BGC’s new cement plant has brought industry concern about port infrastructure at Kwinana to a head.

Coogee Chemicals chairman Gordon Martin has the rare distinction of building a large Australian manufacturing business that is internationally competitive. Mark Beyer reports.

Iron ore producer Mount Gibson Iron has scrapped plans for a pellet plant near Geraldton after concluding it would cost more than three times as much to build the plant in Australia compared to China.

Bill Wyllie’s Wyllie Group has backed capital raisings worth $9 million for oil producer Amadeus Energy and aspiring gold miner Crescent Gold.

Private company Coogee Chemicals is close to finalising its biggest deal, the $250 million development of the Montara oil field in the Timor Sea.

The Richards family, owner of the Richgro garden products business, has expanded its operations by acquiring Amazon Soils and Landscaping Supplies.

One of Western Australia’s top public servants has raised the possibility that private funding, including direct charging of motorists, will be needed to help pay for the State’s road network.

Perth-based agribusiness cooperative CBH Group has ventured into the South Australian market through a marketing venture with agribusiness company Elders.

Industry criticism of the Australian Tax Office’s hard-nosed approach to GST audits has failed to sway the Federal Government.

A nickel processing plant built in Africa by Osborne Park company Western Minerals Technology has won the top prize at Engineers Australia’s annual engineering excellence awards.

A new report has called on the State and Federal governments to work together more effectively on infrastructure provision for major investment projects.

Western Australian companies have attracted just 5 per cent of national venture capital investments over the past six years and the trend is declining, a new report has found.

The preferred bidder for the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline is planning to spend more than $400 million over the next five years to increase the pipeline’s capacity by 35 per cent.

Home Building Society’s new managing director is confident the business has laid solid foundations for more substantial growth and success in future.

Listed engineering and contracting companies have been among the biggest winners from the boom in resource and infrastructure investment across Australia.

Engineering firm Murray & Roberts last week joined a long list of South African companies making major acquisitions in Australia. Mark Beyer reports on their patchy track record.

THE development of new and improved infrastructure will account for a big chunk of investment spending over the next few years.

INVESTORS will have a rare opportunity to invest directly in the mining services sector when Bassendean company Labtech Essa launches a $3 million share market float next month.

THE potential investment in Western Australia’s iron ore industry could top $10 billion, with at least three aspiring producers seeking to break the domination of Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton Iron Ore.

The current problems facing biotech company Chemeq add to Western Australia’s poor track record in technology commercialisation. Mark Beyer reports.

WA Business News’ inaugural survey of resource and infrastructure projects has found that China and energy are the two common themes. Mark Beyer reports.

The number of people undertaking apprenticeships in Australia has gone through a long-term decline, driven in part by the privatisation of government utilities, a national study h