24 July 2020
Camco Business Development Manager, Greg Carson, believes their reputation for reliability has influenced their success. 'We’ve been servicing the mining sector by repairing critical path assets to keep their operations running reliably, which has reduced the need for capex,' Mr Carson said.
'Our success has been about improving the product, working very closely with the end users, and coming up with a way to make operations more predictable.
'Our clients demand high levels of reliability. One of the major assets on a liquid natural gas plant are the marine loading arms. These are the structures at the end of the jetties that physically load the ships. When you’ve got a ship ready to load $50 million of liquid natural gas, and the potential for delays costing hundreds of thousands of dollars per day in demurrage for the ship to sit in the ocean, those marine loading arms just have to load. We work very closely with original equipment manufacturers, and in partnership with the end users, to make sure things are 100% reliable,' Mr Carson said.
Camco Engineering is now planning to enter the Australian defence industry, using their extensive experience and capability.
'We have the skill sets and equipment that are directly transferrable to Defence. We’re used to working to exacting standards because of the risk to human life in the mining and oil and gas sectors. We’re very confident that we can meet the demands of Defence,' Mr Carson said.
'We’re at a pivotal stage in our development – we’re big enough that we have critical mass, but still small enough that we can respond quickly and dynamically when required. That’s been seen as a very positive aspect by our customers. It doesn’t matter if the phone rings at 5pm on Friday, we can always respond.
'We’re serious about entering Defence. There can still sometimes be the perception of a ‘black box’ regarding their requirements. It’s something we need to learn over time through engagement.
'Our local Senator helped us by connecting us with the Centre for Defence Industry Capability, where a defence business adviser came out and visited our facilities. Through the Centre for Defence Industry Capability we’ve been going to multiple events to network, and start engaging with the primes.
'There’s now some traction starting to happen. While it’s slow, Defence is a long-term investment for us. Our facility can meet the demand, but it’s not something we can turn on overnight. We have met people through the Centre for Defence Industry Capability that have been helpful, and I’m confident will continue to help us in future as we develop and join the Australian defence industry,' Mr Carson said.