AN electrician by trade, Andrew Carter took a leap with his mate, Dan Debattista, in 2018 by co-founding Parc Engineering.
Mr Carter said he had wanted to leave the safer end of the pool and leap into the big unknown.
That move has paid off, earning him acknowledgement as a finalist in the First Amongst Equals award in this year’s 40under40.
Parc started in an old aircraft hangar in Jandakot, with two co-founders, their mobile phones and laptops, and big ambitions.
The change in just five years has been substantial, with Applecross-based Parc recruiting 300 people, with three more offices and workshops in the state.
Mr Carter told Business News the company’s big break came through a labour hire contract in the Pilbara with Monadelphous.
That was an “awesome break”, he said.
But it was not easy to get that first opportunity.
He joked that in the early days, he and Mr Debattista used to send each other emails to check the server was still running.
“It’s been a crazy five years but a pretty awesome five years,” Mr Carter said.
“That first year was pretty slow to be honest.
“Our business … was playing in a pretty big end of town.
“You’re walking into your client’s office, two guys with personal ability and reputation … but your business doesn’t have runs on the board.”
The company needed to demonstrate a record of delivery and safety to start winning work.
Once that first deal was running, the floodgates opened for Parc.
"It really does take someone to understand and appreciate your vision," Mr Carter said.
The company works from design through to commissioning, and has contributed to some major Western Australian projects.
Two of the biggest are Albemarle’s Kemerton Lithium Hydroxide plant, where Parc is installing the firewater system, and Fortescue Metals Group’s Iron Bridge development, with a scope of works to build a wet process plant for magnetite.
Closer to Perth, Parc has worked on the Bayswater rail station redevelopment.
Mr Carter said he had been keen to focus on infrastructure to ensure the business was not over-exposed to iron ore markets.
“You see the success but you very quickly need to step back and make sure you’re covered for the ups and downs,” he said.
Mr Carter wants the business to grow to hire another 100 staff in the next two years.
He wants to boost trainee and apprenticeship numbers to be 15 per cent of Parc’s workforce, and expand its graduate recruitment program.
Mr Carter is a passionate supporter of the Mates in Construction program, which hopes to improve mental health.
Parc also holds a Christmas hamper food drive and backs charities like the MACA Cancer 200.
