Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has officially opened its new corporate office in Naval Base, a move managing director Simon High says reflects the business’s growth and confidence in the years ahead.
Mr High said the new facility would accommodate the growing numbers of staff across its operations.
SCEE has between 750 and 800 staff across its offices in Naval Base, Brisbane, Rockhampton and Peru, while Mr High said that number could grow to as much as 1,200 depending on the success of several contract bids in coming months.
“SCEE has diversified its range of specialist services to the mining and resources sectors and has the skills and teams to operate in the various challenging environments that can be encountered in remote areas,” he said.
Currently, SCEE’s operations are about 80 per cent focused on the minerals processing sector, with the remaining 20 per cent in oil and gas.
Mr High said the company planned to increase its exposure to the oil and gas sector in coming years.
“Oil and gas is absolutely core to us,” Mr High told Business News.
“We’d like to be in LNG, coal seam gas as well as iron ore.
“We still see iron ore as a very strong base over the next couple of years but we have to get into oil and gas, particularly in the maintenance of operations side.
“You look at a project like Gorgon – it’s a 65-year plan, so an Australian company, we have to be involved in oil and gas.”
Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion was on hand today to officially open the office.
The office opening comes shortly after three SCEE apprentices won prizes at the National Electrical Contracting Awards.
Mr High said the apprenticeship program had been running since the early 1980s.
“It was great news to have our people win three of the four apprenticeship categories at this year’s NECA WA Excellence Awards,” he said.
“SCEE is optimistic about the future of projects in both Australia and abroad.
“We have strong teams able to develop projects end-to-end and outstanding client relationships.”
At close of trade today, SCEE shares were down around 2 per cent, trading at $1.00.
