BOVIS LEND LEASE WINS HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Bovis Lend Lease has won one of Australia's biggest health-care construction projects - the design and construction management of Queensland Health's $1.55 billion Goald Coast University Hospital.
 
The project is one of a wave of new "maga-hospitals" planned or under construction, around the country after years of underspending on health infrastucture.
 
Queensland in particular is spending heavily on health infrastructure with two other mega-hospital projects in the pipeline - the Queensland Childrens Hospital in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast Hospital.
 
Elsewhere, the $1.7 billion Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Hospital in Adelaide is expected to get underway in 2010 and in Perth a managing contractor is expected to be appointed next year for the $1.76 billion Fiona Stanley Hospital.
 
While two months ago, the NSW government confirmed that the Leighton Holdings subsidiary, Thiess, would build the new $721 million Royal North Shore Hospital in what is the largest public private health project yet awarded in the state.
 
The chief executive of Bovis Lend Lease Australia, Tony Costantino, said BLL had targeted the health sector several years ago when it become clear that a "cycle of major redevelopment" was underway.
 
"We felt that the traditional sectors would come off and a lot of the hospitals are going to be design and construction projects which is suited to our skills," he said.
 
BLL is now managing the design and construction of the $1 billion Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne, the redevelopment of the Liverpool Hospital in Sydney and the Gold Coast project.
 
All up that is $2.7 billion worth of major hospital projects - and over 20 per cent of BLL's forward work load in Australia.
 
Mr Costantino said hospital construction was like "commercial building on steroids".
 
Hospitals are far more complex than office towers.  The design has to be efficient with all departments interacting.  And you have all the green challenges", he said.
 
BLL has provided building consultancy services for the Gold Coast University Hospital project since 2007 and on Sunday Queensland Health Minister Stephen Robertson announced that the group would be managing contractor.
 
The nine-level, 750 bed hospital, in Southport, is due for completion in 2012.
 
The hospital will provide an expanded range and superior level of complex care, with specialist cancer and cardiac services, neuro-sciences, trauma care and neonatal intensive care.

MANUFACTURING MONTHLY ESTABLISHES 'ENDEAVOUR AWARDS'

In these uncertain economic times, it has never been more important to support manufacturing in Australia and enhance the competitiveness of local products overseas, and what better way to do this than to showcase your Endeavours.

Recognising the essential role manufacturing plays in Australia's economy, Manufacturers’ Monthly established the Endeavour Awards, Australia’s only national awards program specifically for the local manufacturing industry.

Now in its sixth year, the Endeavour Awards celebrates and rewards the achievements of industry leaders in their drive to achieve 'best practice' and excellence in manufacturing, and nominations are now open for the 2009 Awards program.

Free to enter, the Awards offer a unique occasion for manufacturers to demonstrate to customers and potential customers the success of their business and enhance the company’s reputation both locally and overseas, be it as a finalist or taking out an actual award.

Addressing a packed house at the 2008 Endeavour Awards ceremony held in Sydney last May, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr said manufacturing in Australia remains an industry with enormous potential and by promoting innovative manufacturing approaches, industry is strengthening it’s presence not only locally but globally.

“The Manufacturers’ Monthly Endeavour Awards recognises and acknowledges individuals and companies that focus on improving their skills, technology, organisation and marketing to create smart products, capture global sales, and achieve better safety and environmental outcomes.”

The easy-to-enter Awards program is open to all companies, regardless of size, who have a manufac-turing presence in Australia, including engineering and process companies.

The program includes nine categories:

• Technology Application of the Year Award - for successful applications of new technology in manu-facturing processes;
• Environmental Solution of the Year Award - for successful implementations of solutions to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing opera¬tions;
• Safety Scheme of the Year Award - for successful implementation of schemes to improve safety in manufacturing plants;
• Exporter of the Year Award - for successfully entering or developing an export market with a new or existing locally made product;
• Australian Consumer Product of the Year Award – for innovative new consumer products;
• Australian Industrial Product of the Year Award - for innovative new industrial products;
• Young Manufacturer of the Year Award - for the rising stars of Australia’s next generation of manufacturers;
• Global Integration Award - for companies who have engaged in global supply chains and;
• Australian Steel Innovation Award – for innova¬tive products or projects using Australian-made steel.

There will be winner and highly commended awards for each category, plus an overall Manufacturer of the Year award.

As an applicant, you’ll be joining a prestigious group of leading manufacturers, working to achieve best practice and excel in an increasingly competitive global market.

Be quick as entries close 30 January, 2009.

See attached flyer for more information or to download a nomination form, visit the Endeavour Awards homepage.

Contact: Katherine Crichton (02) 9422 2964 or Alan Johnson (02) 9422 2480

ENTERPRISE CONNECT

• The Enterprise Connect Manufacturing Network has centres located in Sydney (NSW), Melbourne (Vic), Mawson Lakes (SA), Perth (WA), Burnie (TAS) as well as QMI Solutions in Brisbane (QLD), with 45 Business Advisors located in metropolitan and regional Australia to ensure that services can be delivered to eligible firms nationwide. 
• There will also be a Mining Innovation Centre in Mackay, a Clean Energy Innovation Centre and a Creative Industries Innovation Centre (which hasn't been allocated to a specific location).
• A remove Enterprise Centre will be established in Alice Springs, and an Innovative Regions Centre based in Geelong, Victoria. 
• The centres are being rolled out throughout 2008, however, some base services are already available, details of which can be found on the Enterprise Connect website www.enterpriseconnect.gov.au
• Enterprise Connect has two basic services, one is callled the Business Review, which provides a free assessment of a firm's situation (which cant ake five or six days of a consultant's time), and this can lead to the Tailored Advisory Service which can allow clients to receive up to $20,000 (on a dollar for dollar basis) to obtain external expert assistance.  The external expert assistance is to help implement changes that have been identified through the Business Review
• Enterprise Connect can be contacted through email at enterpriseconnect@innovation.gov.au

• Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, said the program will aim to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the day-to-day running of commercial office buildings with dollar-for-dollar support, with grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000.
• Eligible projects may include upgrades to office lighting and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.  Improved glazing and shading, or investment in monitoring equipment and control systems to improve the building's energy efficiency may also be covered.  The Green Building Fund is especially keen to encourage projects that involve small, lower grade buildings, where there is real scope for improvement. 
• Grants of up to $200,000 will be available to relevant industry organisations, on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
• Clean Business Australia has two other elements.  Climate Ready supports the development of technologies and services that provide climate change solutions and Re-tooling for Climate Change helps small and medium-sized manufacturers improve the energy and water efficiency of their production process.
• Contact AusIndustry on 132846 or visit their website for more information on www.ausindustry.gov.au