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Babcock has increased its investment in Australia’s sovereign defence capabilities, officially launching the expansion of its Australian headquarters in Adelaide.
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The new workspace has been specifically designed, purpose-built and Defence approved to provide secure, state of the art facilities to support their growing operations across the emergency medical services, defence, oil and gas, and transport sectors.
Babcock Australasia CEO, David Ruff, said the investment is part of Babcock’s ongoing commitment to South Australia and its broader commitment to invest in Australia.
"Today’s opening symbolises Babcock’s commitment to the South Australian economy, as we grow – so too does our employee base and our economic contribution to the state. This new space will house Babcock’s team, which provides support to more than 50 locations around Australia for government, military, and oil and gas customers," Ruff said.
The increase in Babcock’s capacity is driven by successive contract wins, with further significant bids in the company’s pipeline across the defence, oil and gas, and emergency services sectors.
Babcock’s investment plans include a new facility in the Osborne Marine precinct, to enable its submarine business to transition into Australia’s future submarine program. Babcock is also investing in its ship maintenance joint venture, NSM, a partnership with UGL.
Babcock International Group CEO Archie Bethel, who is based in London and was the driving force behind establishing Babcock operations in Australia, with the acquisition of Strachan & Henshaw at Osborne in 2008, applauded the expansion of the Australasian operations.
"Babcock International has always invested in its Australasian operations, we believe the growth opportunities in Australia are only going to increase in the coming years," Bethel said.
This recent expansion also allows the Adelaide office to provide support to Babcock’s operations in the northern hemisphere, with a team dedicated to providing technology support services through a follow-the-sun model. It also offers Babcock’s steadily growing team of dedicated professionals a safe, comfortable and modern working environment from which to support its complex and diverse operations, right across Australasia.
Assistant Minister for Defence David Fawcett, who also attended the opening, said, "Babcock have extensive experience in supporting and enhancing Defence capability and I welcome their increased investment in Australia. As a senator for South Australia, I’m obviously pleased that they are investing here in Adelaide but most importantly I’m pleased to see industry responding to the Coalition’s policy to create a sovereign Defence industry."
In Australia and New Zealand, Babcock operates nationally, employing over 850 people.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
