The tight real estate market and an increase in commercial rent prices are not stemming the tide of serv-ices companies setting up shop in Western Australia as the resources boom continues to attract business to the state.
The tight real estate market and an increase in commercial rent prices are not stemming the tide of serv-ices companies setting up shop in Western Australia as the resources boom continues to attract business to the state.
Figures released this year by the Property Council of WA confirm the unprecedented demand for office space, with CBD vacancy rates plunging from 9.5 per cent to 5.8 per cent in the six months to January.
Hyperion Solutions has just opened a new office in the Central Park building, in the heart of Perth’s mining and resource territory. The Nasdaq-listed software company is already a global brand, serving clients in 45 countries.
Hyperion provides business performance management software to clients who require greater visibility into how their businesses are performing and to help them plan and model to improve performance.
Through the software, clients can collect, organise and analyse data and then communicate it across an enterprise.
Hyperion’s move to Perth was signalled by WA’s booming economy and a desire to build closer partnerships with clients including Woodside, Argyle Diamonds, Alcoa and the state government.
Sharron Falconer is the newly appointed account manager for Hyperion’s WA, South Australian and Northern Territory operations and joins the company with a significant background in sales and marketing.
“Hyperion has been the world leader in business development and performance software over the last decade and with the state economy booming, we wanted to come here and grow our business in Perth by supporting our existing customer base and showing a commitment to new clients including Woodside,” she said.
Outside the CBD, the business development support industry in WA is expanding again with the new arrival of the Quantam Organisation in the tranquil surrounds of Mount Pleasant.
The international business consultancy has just opened its first regional office in WA and has a particular niche in developing the systems a business needs to franchise, float or sell.
Founder and CEO David Abingdon said the company is one of the fastest growing business development consultancies in the world, operating in the UK since late 2002 and already taking three companies from zero to multi-million dollar success stories in under 12 months.
“We develop systems that help businesses become more efficient, maximise their profits, generate customers, larger sales, repeat business and help them to operate more effectively,” Mr Abingdon said.
Quantam WA regional director Simon Ackland said the opportunity for growth in the state was huge as many companies needed help to work through problems and differentiate themselves from competitors.
“We chose this location for our new office because there is more access to parking, the environment is more attractive, the river so accessible and clients are within easy reach,” Mr Ackland said.
Burgess Rawson joint managing director Geoff Potter said many businesses are finding it hard to find quality commercial products in the city and in West Perth as premium and A-grade companies are dominating the commercial leasing market.
“The CBD market is driven by resource and resource backed industries as well as law firms and accountancy practices that are there as a result of our increased economy,” Mr Potter said.
Areas outside the CBD such as West Perth were attractive to service industries with slightly cheaper rental fees and better parking but finding the right space was still hard, he said.
