Expertly navigating the highs and lows of the manufacturing, construction, maintenance, and naval shipbuilding landscape across Australia, Civmec is building an impressive legacy. We hear more about the company’s story from CEO, Pat Tallon.
MASTERING A MULTIDISCIPLINED APPROACH
As a prominent player in the Australian construction, heavy engineering, and defence shipbuilding landscape, Civmec has contributed to a plethora of key projects across the country.
Today, the company exists as a multidisciplinary construction, heavy engineering, naval shipbuilding, and maintenance services provider to the energy, resources, infrastructure, marine, and defence sectors.
Its variety of signature achievements include its work on some of Perth’s most iconic structures, including Boorloo and Matagarup Bridge, Optus Stadium, multiple resource process plants, Sydney Gateway, and offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Royal Australian Navy.
“The company now boasts impressive manufacturing and maintenance facilities in Western Australia (WA), plus facilities in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (QLD). Our vision is to grow sustainably, delivering mutually beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders,” introduces CEO,
Pat Tallon.
“Our vertically integrated operating model enables us to provide our clients with a spectrum of cohesive, self-performed core competencies and services.”
Fundamental to Civmec’s overarching strategy is its diverse range of capabilities that enables it to provide complementary in-house core competencies and services to an impeccable level of quality.
As the company has grown, it has expertly harnessed the ability to manage the various cycles and fluctuations of the vast construction and engineering industries.
Dynamic and ever-evolving economic conditions represent just part of the challenge for Civmec, as its breadth of diverse operational segments means its presence within each must be managed intricately to enable a degree of stability throughout the various financial cycles.
“The broader industry trends dictate that often when the private sector is spending plenty of money, the public sector is generally not, and vice versa. Therefore, we as a business have been focused on ensuring we leverage all portions of the market so we can navigate fluctuations and changes in commodity pricing.”
“This way, we protect ourselves as much as possible from the various ups and downs in the economy and avoid the associated ramifications,” Tallon sets out.
A VAST AND VARIED CAREER
Tallon has worked in construction his entire life, beginning with an apprenticeship when he was 17. Just four years later, he opened his own business focused on renovations and cabinetmaking.
In 1999, Tallon left his home in Ireland and moved to the other side of the world with his sights set firmly on opening a new engineering and construction company in Australia, this time with the aim of specialising in delivering site civil, concrete, and manufacturing projects for the burgeoning public infrastructure, commercial, and resources sectors.
A founding member of the business, Tallon has been with Civmec since its inception. In July 2009, he partnered with James Fitzgerald, who is now the company’s Executive Chairman and, together, they started to develop the business into the formidable operation that it is today.
“At this time, James had extensive experience in all aspects of construction, particularly heavy engineering, meaning that with our key strengths combined, we possessed a bank of knowledge across most aspects of the construction journey,” Tallon shares.
“Our founding vision from the start was to be able to offer clients a full, turnkey solution for their projects, regardless of the size.”
Throughout a prolific and varied career, Tallon has accumulated a wealth of knowledge through his ever-expanding experience across numerous aspects of the construction industry, whilst simultaneously developing and polishing his leadership skills.
Today, having honed his knowledge in the resources, energy, infrastructure, marine, and defence sectors, he has the executive responsibility for the strategic decisions and policies of the company, including safety, developing a positive culture of openness, team cohesion, and overseeing financial performance.
He is also responsible for the implementation of the company’s long and short-term plans whilst building an understanding of key internal and external stakeholder requirements at all levels.
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
Tallon is keen to convey the immense enthusiasm he has for the manufacturing and construction and shipbuilding industries.
“There’s never a dull day in our line of work. Some moments are easier and others harder, but there’s always plenty of excitement and enthusiasm involved as well as a huge appetite for creating a solid business,” he says.
This is evidenced in the completion of an exciting portfolio of projects throughout the last decade, from vast stadiums to bridges and process plants.
“There’s always a lot happening – we’re constantly on the move, seeking new opportunities, and never afraid to take calculated risks when needed.”
This willingness to take a chance on new technologies or other innovations is proceeded by a thorough understanding of the risks and rewards before being integrated into the company’s operations.
In this way, Civmec is constantly looking to improve, whether by enhancing its operational processes, innovation, client service, or the growth and development of its people.
With no alternative other than to work hard and constantly strive to improve, the company refuses to remain stationary in an industry defined by its forward momentum.
“Our mindset is that an efficient method today is only as good as the minimum requirements of the industry tomorrow, so we must keep looking at ways to be better and stay ahead,” Tallon asserts.
“There’s always a lot happening – we’re constantly on the move, seeking new opportunities, and never afraid to take calculated risks when needed”
Pat Tallon, CEO, Civmec
CUTTING EDGE FACILITIES ACROSS THE NATION
To effectively support its diverse capabilities, Civmec has built four state-of-the-art facilities across Australia.
These include major manufacturing sites covering the West and East Coast, plus two sites located in the heartland of Australia’s remote energy and resources sector.
“Our main West Coast facility, located just 30 kilometres (km) south of Perth, is the largest heavy engineering facility of its kind in the nation. It includes the specialist capabilities our customers need, including an automated steel panel line, hull press, fabrication, blast and paint, pipe shop, and assembly facilities,” notes Tallon.
“With 53,000 square metres (sqm) of usage floor space and towering 70 metres high at its peak, the assembly hall is the largest in Australia and can be utilised for a huge variety of builds, from consolidation of naval vessels to building complex megastructures for the energy and resources sectors.”
“Meanwhile, our principal manufacturing facility in Newcastle on the East Coast is situated on 227,000 sqm of riverfront land, 14km from the Newcastle port in New South Wales.”
Civmec’s Gladstone facility, meanwhile, is well-positioned for its East Coast shutdown and maintenance teams, supporting both major and minor works across the broader QLD region.
“Additionally, our newly constructed Port Hedland facility highlights our commitment to the Pilbara region, making us more readily available to our clients and allowing us to ably service port and inland mine maintenance and capital works projects in Northwest WA,” he informs us.
Across all its facilities, Civmec focuses on having modern equipment and always analyses its methodology, ensuring it invests in productivity and quality.
“We want to make it easier for our employees who are on the ground actually doing the work, as well as the project management teams that have to track and report our progress.”
NAVAL SHIPBUILDING
Civmec has also established itself as a sovereign naval shipbuilder.
Having recently acquired the defence company Luerssen Australia, Civmec is completing the Arafura class OPVs programme, which included the completion of four vessels at its Henderson facility in Perth.
“We have invested in and are passionate about naval shipbuilding and our role supporting the men and women of the Royal Australian Navy,” prides Tallon.
The company has years of experience in implementing efficiency improvements and brings these productivity gains into the naval shipbuilding sector, combining it with the ability to do the work in a controlled, extensive undercover facility that empowers excellence.
“We continuously invest in our shipbuilding workforce to support the government’s ambitious shipbuilding agenda for WA.”
BACKBONE OF THE BUSINESS
Civmec continues to develop and establish itself as a company that people want to work for and clients want to work with.
“Moving forward, we are actively trying to encourage more female participation and general diversity within the business, which is something I see as extremely important. It’s always good to have a diverse workforce because you then gain access to different mindsets and alternative outlooks,” Tallon emphasises.
“Civmec hires based on attitude and potential. We seek our motivated individuals and then we teach them the skills they need.”
A commitment to supporting the future of the industry is reflected in the company’s engagement of apprentices and trainees across the spectrum of its operations, including boilermakers, welders, carpentry, electrical, business administration, and logistics.
For example, in FY24, Civmec created local employment for approximately 3,000 people, many of whom began apprenticeships with the company.
As such, with a talented and dedicated workforce on hand, Civmec is focused on maintaining its ongoing growth trajectory.
“The company is evolving and maturing year on year, and we have a solid pipeline of future work across our operating sectors. With an in-depth understanding of the opportunities that are available to us in the resources, energy, and infrastructures sectors, the acquisition of Luerssen Australia and consolidation of our naval shipbuilding business further strengthens our capabilities and opportunities to grow the business exponentially.”
With this in mind, Tallon is confident that Civmec’s legacy will continue to flourish.
“We are seen as a company that is innovative in our approach, and we constantly challenge the norm,” he concludes.
