Business West May 2010

A STAR NEWS GROUP PUBLICATION | $4.95 ISSN 1837-9869

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 RETAIL BOOM IN THE WEST  ARC TURNS 90 YEARS YOUNG  DEADLY SERIOUS DESIGNS  STRATEGIES TO HELP YOUR

BOTTOM LINE

BARRY MEANS BUSiNESS

ISSUE 1 MAY 2010

Creating a Connected Community

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CONTENTS 5

DEPUTY PM’S MESSAGE

6

ARC – 90 YEARS YOUNG A Sunshine legend celebrates a milestone

10 EDITOR Jim Lawrence jim.lawrence@starnewsgroup.com.au

Shopping centres gear up for a retail boom in the West

18-19 BARRY MEANS BUSINESS Profile of a Western warrior

ADVERTISING Jillian Olarenshaw jillian.o@starnewsgroup.com.au Mobile: 0402 071 260

22-23 LIZ HARMAN’S VISION VU chief looks forwards… and back

DESIGN Mark Dinnie mark.dinnie@starnewsgroup.com.au

Business West is a division of Star News Group Pty. Ltd. Celebrating our 101st year as a family-run business. Proudly Australian-owned and independent.

General Manager/Editor-in-Chief Geelong-North West Division, Jim Lawrence. Produced and published

by Paul Thomas for Star News Group Pty. Ltd. ACN 005 848 108.

Star News Group Trading Terms and Conditions can be found on www.starnewsgroup.com.au

Cover Barry Harvey Photo Paul Jeffers

How to save 325 million litres of water a year

14-16 BIG 3 SPENDING SPREE

EDITORIAL Charlene Gatt charlene.gatt@starnewsgroup.com.au

BUSINESS WEST 17 Assembly Drive, Tullamarine 3043 Phone: 9933 4800 Fax: 9933 4844

10-11 WATER WINNER

32

SOLUTIONS THINKING SAVVY Tanya Lacy has some ideas on getting more out of your staff

18 “We’ve got to make sure with the way the West is expanding.

We need to be able to employ people this side of the Yarra.”

33

HOW TO VALUE YOUR BUSINESS Fabio Cammarano provides five basic ways to value your business

36-38 BUSINESS WEST READER NETWORK Meet the first of Business West’s registered readers

22 BUSINESS WEST

3

WELCOME WELCOME to the first edition of Business West, the first regional magazine for local business in Melbourne’s West.

THE West is rapidly emerging as the powerhouse of Melbourne’s commercial and industrial development. Once the home of heavy industry, the West today is attracting hundreds of new and innovative businesses, thanks to its strategic location close to the Central Business District, the Port of Melbourne, Tullamarine and Avalon airports, rail networks and the hub of Australia’s two great highways: the Princes and Hume.

As well, the expanding Western Ring Road has seen the mushrooming of greenfield industrial estates along its boundaries.

These local businesses, large and small, are the backbone of the West’s – and Melbourne’s economy.

Business West, to be published eight times a year, will provide a onestop shop for news, support, advice, advertising and business opportunities.

Each edition will help you keep tabs on your competitors, customers and suppliers, as well as opening up opportunities for new and increased business within the West.

Our aim is to provide news and information of commercial value to you. We will focus on local people and local companies making news, and the leaders spearheading the West’s astonishing growth.

Jim Lawrence General Manager/Editor-in-Chief Geelong North West Division Star News Group

a powerhouse in Victoria’s economy. You can make sure you receive your own copy of Business West by registering online at www. starnewsgroup.com.au/businesswest and we will give you a one-time 30-word listing of your business in a future edition.

Business West offers advertisers a unique opportunity to reach the decisionmakers across Melbourne’s West, as well as the hundreds of home-based business operators who have registered to receive the magazine.

The launch of a new publication is always an exciting event, and specially so for Star News Group now in its 101st year as a family-owned and operated publishing house.

It’s the culmination of much hard work by many people but I particularly want to thank reporter Charlene Gatt, sales executive Jillian Olarenshaw, designer Mark Dinnie, Marketing Manager Richard Sherman and Digital Products Manager Michael Nesbitt for their outstanding efforts.

Business West is your magazine. Let us know of your successes, your new appointments, your views, thoughts and concerns. It’s your platform.

Jim Lawrence

Business West will help keep you up to speed with the latest strategies to drive your business forward. And we will work to provide you with ideas, solutions and advice delivered by recognised, credible specialists and experts in their fields.

Business West is mailed free to an exclusive list of more than 5000 commercial leaders, industrial heavyweights and business owners across the Western Suburbs: the very people who continue to make the West

Hobsons Bay City Council

CONGRATULATES

STAR NEWS GROUP ON THE LAUNCH OF

BUSINESS WEST

Hobsons Bay City Council offers a range of services to the business community: • • • • • • • • •

As a business in Hobsons Bay, take the time to register, to be plugged into everything you need to know about the Free business/event listing on the Council website community you do business in. Simply email business@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au Hobsons Bay Business Excellence Awards to sign up for all the latest news Business Newsletter (and e-newsletter coming) and information around Workshops and seminars Hobsons Bay.

Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre Art in Public Places Support to local trader associations and networks Western Melbourne Tourism Business support, guidance and assistance

464515-SH19-10

Register to get your FREE copy of BUSiNESS WEST now!

Go to www.starnewsgroup.com.au/businesswest 4

BUSINESS WEST

WELCOME

“

MELBOURNE’S West is a strong, diverse and fast-growing community. Many young families are being attracted to our region by affordable housing, a relaxed lifestyle and our strong environmental and social attractions.

This surge in population requires both public and private investments to ensure our growth is both supported and sustainable.

plan for a superfast broadband network will also create a new globally competitive environment for our businesses.

One of the main challenges in the area is supporting the boom in residential growth with the creation of employment opportunities.

Some of the strongest employment sectors in our region are retail, education and construction. The challenge now is to create other value-adding sectors to the local economy.

I hope this publication provides a valuable point of communication for business; enabling insight into investment opportunities in our region.

With such strong communities and economic opportunities, I am confident our region will continue to be a great place to live, work and invest.

These investments establish a strong framework for private sector investment.

They improve our critical transport and building infrastructure and invest in our social capital.

With such strong communities and economic opportunities, I am confident our region will continue to be a great place to live, work and invest.

Julia Gillard Deputy Prime Minister

The Federal Government has made some key contributions to the West. The $4.3 billion Regional Rail Link will provide a better connection from the West to the CBD, creating 40 kilometres of dual track from West Werribee to Southern Cross station.

This major investment in infrastructure for our area will also directly create 2,800 jobs over the life of the project.

The Federal Government has also been creating job opportunities through major investments in education infrastructure.

We have injected $581 million to 274 schools throughout Melbourne’s West. Our

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IT’S A great pleasure to provide my support to the inaugural publication of Business West.

www.wyndham.vic.gov.au BUSINESS WEST

5

90 years young

Fabric Sales Manager Danny Nolan (left) with State Manager Marc Blampied.

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

By Charlene Gatt IT’S survived two world wars, the Depression and countless acquisitions, now the Australian Reinforcing Company is taking on its next big milestone: turning 90.

And if current operations are anything to go by, the ARC’s still got it.

The company was first established in Ballarat Road, Sunshine, in May 1920 as a subsidiary of the British Reinforcing Company.

The original factory had one fabric machine, a hand cropper and a bender.

In the very early days the factory produced four to five tonnes per day, with employees carrying the raw materials on their shoulders from the yard to the factory.

The hard yards paid off in 1921 when the company secured its first major contract – the St Kilda Road conversion.

The ARC soon earned a reputation as an industry pioneer. As Australia entered World Wars I and II, the ARC entered into contracts with the Australian Defence Force to supply barbed wire.

The company stayed one step ahead of competitors with the development of steel reinforced concrete construction and was the first company in Australia to produce fabricated mesh.

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BUSINESS WEST

The 90s were a period of rapid growth for the company after the Smorgon Group gained ownership in 1988.

The Smorgon Group expanded the business and developed new outlets, upgraded manufacturing capability, diversified into new products such as wire and expanded scrap recycling capacity.

Output quadrupled over 10 years and the company was valued at more than $1 billion when it made its debut on the Australian Stock Exchange.

“I think the longevity is something that shouldn’t be underestimated. The world’s gone through massive changes in that period of time and ARC’s been a pretty solid performer through drought, through Depression, through wars, and survived,” ARC Victorian Manager Marc Blampied said.

“They survived through diversification; they were very entrepreneurial in the early years, they were always looking for something else they could get involved in.”

Today, ARC is one of Australia’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of steel reinforcing products to the building, construction, fencing and mining industries.

It has 40 sites located throughout Australia.

With an annual turnover of around $700 million, clients include John Holland, Thiess, Australand, Henley Homes, Carlisle Homes and Dennis Family Homes.

The company has supplied its products for many major construction projects around the country, including the MCG, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the West Gate Freeway upgrade, the Swan St Bridge, the Domain Tunnel, the West Gate Bridge and Eastlink.

The Sunshine factory, which remains the national head office, has around 200 employees and produces over 500 tonnes of steel a day.

And it’s not likely to rest on its laurels, with a possible redevelopment in the pipeline.

At least 20 employees have worked for the company for over 20 years; one employee, Kevin Laidlaw, has notched up 55 years.

Mr Blampied started his job at ARC as a trainee straight out of school and has come and gone three times.

He said many employees stayed on for decades – or, like him, leave only to come back – because the company nurtured its employees and offered them opportunities to move up.

“The industry’s one of those industries that gets in your blood,” he said.

“I think there’s an appeal to come back to people that you know and a business that is viable and has been a leader in the industry for 90 years.” [BW]

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7

INNOVATION

DEADLY SERIOUS AS FAR as career changes go, Asha Martin’s switch to the funeral industry could be seen as dead morbid, reports Charlene Gatt.

The 33-year-old entrepreneur has notched up a year with her home-based West Footscray business, Caskets Direct, a unique website that sells coffins and caskets direct to customers around Australia.

Her coffins, which she designs herself, sell from $680 for a basic flat lid coffin with timber and metal handles to $1299 for a deluxe casket. At funeral parlours, most coffins retail upwards from $3000.

Ms Martin was running her own upholstery and furniture design business, Nucleus Designs, when a chance radio segment with Funeral Rights author Robert Larkins turned into a lightbulb moment.

“One of the things he was talking about in the interview is that consumers don’t have any choice when it comes to buying a traditionalstyle coffin. And I immediately thought ‘why can’t I start a business selling them direct to the public and offering more choice and a much more affordable price?”

The epiphany had cosmic timing. Ms Martin and her husband were keen to start a family and wanted to set up a home-based business that would let her be a stay-at-home mum.

Her son Miles and Caskets Direct were born similtaneously, but while Miles took only nine months to bring into the world, Caskets Direct was two years in the making.

“There was lots to learn about how I could work alongside the funeral industry and then… getting the product right,” she said.

There was also the problem of getting the company’s name out there.

“When people need to organise a funeral, they look for a funeral director, they don’t think to look for a coffin,” she said.

Ms Martin said she had to rely largely on word of mouth and some cunning Google tricks to get Caskets Direct recognised.

Among those is Google Add Words, so that Caskets Direct would show up in any Google search looking for funerals, funeral directors or coffins in the area.

Ms Martin also employed Search Engine Optimisation, which meant her business would be listed on page one of any online search.

The next step, Ms Martin said, would be to have warehouse storage in all the major Australian cities and take on more staff. She currently stores all the coffins and caskets in a Tottenham warehouse. [BW]

Asha Martin from Caskets Direct sells coffins online direct to the public.

Picture: PAUL JEFFERS

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BUSINESS WEST

Local business people. understand your situation and help you achie ve your business goals offer tailored solutionsto better optimise your business cash flow look for opportunities for youto earn more on any surplus cash.

To talk with your local Business Banker

, just call in to y our local Westpac branch.

Things you should kno w: Information current as at 1 April 2010. Š 2010 Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141.

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With Local Business Bankers now in branches across Western Melbourne, local business owners can be sure of face-to-face business support.

Your Local Business Banker will:

RECYCLING

WATER WINNER AUSTRALIAN Vinyls Corporation is leading the way with water recycling technology that will halve its fresh water use this year. CHARLENE GATT learns how…

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BUSINESS WEST

THE $5.5 million technology was opened at the company’s Laverton North plant in February and will save Australian Vinyls 325 million litres of water a year, enough water to fill 130 Olympic-sized swimming pools. It will also reduce its trade waste discharge by 70 per cent a year.

staff and an annual turnover exceeding $250 million.

Australian Vinyls, which is part of Wesfarmer’s Chemicals and Fertilisers division, is Australia’s leading manufacturer of vinyl resins (PVC) and wood-plastic composites.

Despite improving water efficiency over the past 10 years by almost 30 per cent, the company remains one of the top 20 industrial users of potable water in Melbourne.

The company operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and has about 130

But the recycling plant is set to change that.

Sustainability manager Trish Kerin said the PVC-making process used up a significant amount of high quality, low contamination water, all of which is currently purchased drinking water.

RECYCLING Engineer Genevieve Petch told Business West the plant takes the water, or centrate, used to create PVC and pumps it into a pretreatment plant where the bulk of solids will be separated from the water.

The water then travels into a clarified centrate tank for microfiltration, which removes the remaining solids. It is then put into a reverse osmosis feed tank and is neutralised before being stored.

The recycled water is reused in the plant’s reaction processors, boilers and cooling towers.

Ms Kerin said the idea first came about a few years ago when a senior processing engineer at the plant did a thesis on water use.

There was no money for the project at the time, but Australian Vinyls later managed to secure a $1.8 million State Government grant that turned the idea into reality.

Ms Kerin said the company wants to stop using fresh water altogether within the next five years, and is in talks with City West Water about using recycled water instead.

“It’s important to constantly work on reducing water usage,” sustainability manager Trish Kerin said.

“It’s going to take a little while, but it’s definitely something we’re interested in. We make the produce that goes into saving water, so we want to use as little as possible.” [BW]

Engineer Genevieve Petch… saving enough water to fill 130 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Picture: PAUL JEFFERS

A graphic of the water recycling plant, courtesy of Australian Vinyls.

WYNDHAM AND HOBSONS BAY LOCAL LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT NETWORK (WynBay LLEN Inc. ABN: 36 006 648 731)

Key Stake holder groups Education Providers Business and Industry Parents and Families Community groups

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A fully funded initiative of the Commonwealth and Victorian Government School, Business, Community Partnership Brokers Connecting Business and Communities for mutual benefit WynBay LLEN is an incorporated association of members – stakeholders committed to the improvement of education outcomes of young people in Wyndham and Hobsons Bay. The LLEN can help you with skill shortage challenges, community engagement, workforce development, and partnerships with education and training providers.

Become a member or partner and let WynBay LLEN help your business benefit from our initiatives such as the Wyndham and Hobsons Bay Trade Training Centres, Corporate Social Responsibility Charter, Vocational Education & Training. For a membership form and mode details please contact WynBay LLEN on 9394 6331 or Executive Officer – Dallian D’Cruz on 0439 116 279.

BUSINESS WEST

11

FIGHTBACK

ALCOP P Peter Murphy from Independent Distillers alongside the Cruiser production line.

Picture: PAUL JEFFERS

WHO ARE INDEPENDENT DISTILLERS? INDEPENDENT Distillers is a branch of Independent Liquor New Zealand and started importing from New Zealand over 15 years ago.

Owner Michael Erczerg opened the Laverton warehouse in 2001.

The New Zealand entrepreneur died suddenly in a helicopter crash in 2008 and the family sold the business to private investors for a rumoured $1.2 billion.

The Erczerg family and some employees retain a stake in the company.

It boasts a staff of 100 in Laverton and posts an annual turnover of around $250 million.

Independent Distillers supplies beer, Pulse and pre-mixed drinks to ALDI, Coles, Woolworths, Metcash and a range of independent bottle shops and liquor retailers.

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BUSINESS WEST

BY CHARLENE GATT THIS time last year, Independent Distillers was on the brink of collapse.

The Laverton-based distillery suffered a 30 per cent decline in sales because of a 70 per cent Federal Government Alcopop tax hike aimed to curb teenage binge drinking.

Independent Distillers’ two power brands, pre-mixed drinks Cruiser and Woodstock, were hit hardest.

The tax nearly doubled retail prices, with a carton of Woodstock jumping from around $40 retail to as high as $70.

A small corresponding increase in beer sales was not enough to maintain the workforce, and 40 people lost their jobs. Talks of closing the factory began to circulate.

Independent Distillers Chief Executive Peter Murphy branded the tax illogical, and said the tax simply shifted drinkers from premixed drink to other drinks like beer, or to mixing their own drinks.

“Ready to drink products, like Cruisers, are the most expensive way to purchase alcohol.

By putting a tax on the most expensive part of the market, it’s not going to stop binge drinking, because binge drinkers weren’t drinking it anyway,” he said.

“I don’t see any signs of a reduction in binge drinking, I don’t see any signs of reduction in street violence, I don’t see signs of a reduction in alcohol consumption anywhere, so all those people lost their jobs for what?

“If anyone’s benefited from it, it’s the big multi-national (beer brands) at the expense of the small local blokes.”

In a last ditch effort to make their voices heard, management sent its factory staff to Canberra to protest the changes, but the tax had been formally adopted before staff could have their say.

Today, Independent Distillers is slowly clawing its way back.

“What we decided to do was fight,” Mr Murphy said.

“It was the old fight or flight choice. The Government hit us unfairly, and we were at risk of closing the factory and we wanted to fight and save as many jobs as possible.

The company has introduced three subbrands under the Cruiser name – Lady Luck, Apparella apple cider and Hummingbird beer.

The Lady Luck drinks are a vodka-based product that is lower in alcohol than a regular Cruiser and has half the sugar content.

The Lady Luck range, which comes with a more mature label, will target an older market of drinkers. Mr Murphy said traditionally, many women stopped drinking Cruisers once they hit 22.

Independent Distillers’ next move is to expand its export push in the US and Asia. [BW]

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RETAIL BOOM WATERGARDENS Year it opened: 1997 Annual turnover: $400 million Number of stores: Over 240 specialist retailers Number of employees: Around 5500 Biggest drawcards: Station Streat, Eight-screen Hoyts cinema complex, two Woolworths supermarkets, Fenix fitness centre, Sydenham library, good road and public transport access.

BIG 3 SPENDING SPREE CLOSE to a billion dollars is being pumped into retail expansions across the West as Highpoint Shopping Centre, Werribee Plaza and Watergardens look to future growth. CHARLENE GATT reports on the retail boom.

THE West’s three main shopping centres are spending up big in the next few years and will bring in more fresh food and upmarket fashion to cater for a population boom and gentrification.

This is what they have to offer.

HIGHPOINT

Construction on Highpoint Shopping Centre’s $185 million extension is set to begin early next year after Maribyrnong City Council gave the nod in February.

The multimillion dollar expansion will build up the northeast corner of the existing Highpoint site and will increase the centre’s floor space from 125,397 square metres to 155,318.

Plans viewed by Business West include an improved ring road circling the shopping complex, 105 specialty retail stores, a second

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BUSINESS WEST

department store and fresh food market area with a butcher, baker and fruit and vegetable stores.

The extension will span over two floors and will link up with Highpoint’s existing second and third levels.

Two multilevel car parks will add 1005 extra car parking spaces and will bring cars closer to centre entrance points, with the furthest car park 100 metres away.

“We want to bring the shoppers as close as possible to our doors,” GPT retail development manager Damien O’Connor said.

The expansion will create over 1200 jobs during construction, and about 1500 new jobs within the centre once complete.

It’s a big move for an already burgeoning shopping centre. Highpoint was ranked fourth in the 2009 Shopping Centre News big guns

RETAIL BOOM survey and generated a total moving turnover of $779 million for the 2008-09 financial year.

Despite heavy competition from Werribee and Watergardens, general manager Craig Osborne is confident the expansion will keep Highpoint ahead of the pack.

“We’re well aware of them (Werribee and Watergardens),” Mr Osborne said.

“We see the point of difference is our depths of retail offering that they don’t have and the fact that we have the only fullline Myer in the West. We’re mindful of them, there is duplication to some degree, but they don’t cater for that upper echelon of retail like the GStars, the Mimcos, the Country Roads.”

Mr O’Connor said the retail mix would cater towards the middle to upper range fashion labels, with more higher end retailers likely to make Highpoint home.

“It’s really building on the success of what Highpoint has been,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Fashion has been very dominant for Highpoint and for the West, and I think what we’re talking about doing is building upon the strong elements of Highpoint and what has been demonstrated to us is there is a new emerging West, new demographics coming into the area, and there’s a real need for this kind of retail mix,” Mr O’Connor said.

“We expect that this year will be one of design and development for us in terms of knotting out further things like services and kicking off with the retail mix and addressing who we can bring into the fold.”

GPT tended the planning permit application for the development in September last year, less than two weeks after forking out $206.3 million to buy a 16.67 per cent share in

Highpoint and the adjacent Maribyrnong Homemaker City Centre.

Christmas 2012, will provide around 1200 new retail jobs.

Final planning approval still lies in the hands of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal after Highpoint appealed to the tribunal in December because the council had not granted a permit within 60 days.

Stage two will up the total floor space to 140,000 square metres and will focus on the western corner of the site.

WERRIBEE Further out West, Werribee Plaza is set to double in size over the next six years in a $500 million twostage expansion.

Preliminary plans seen by Business West include a twolevel Myer department store, an ALDI, a new mall area running south to the existing mall and an extra 1500 car parking spaces, including underground car parking.

Stage one of the development, which will cost around $250 million, will see the existing floor space jump from 70,000 square metres to 100,000 square metres.

The existing library will be moved to the neighbouring Uniting Church site on Derrimut Rd that the Pacific Shopping Centres group recently purchased, while a twolevel Myer will replace the original library.

An extension to the southeast section of the site will add another 70 stores and a basement car park. Derrimut Road will also be upgraded to make access to the Plaza easier.

The Regent cinema foyer will be refurbished, and Regent is discussing the possibility of upgrading the 10 cinema complex and introducing a Gold Class section.

Construction is expected to start at the end of this year, creating around 500 jobs.

Stage one, which will be complete by

The $250 million plan will create another 1200 with the inclusion of 140 stores, upgrades to the fresh food area, and more restaurants near the cinemas. Stage two will be complete by 2016.

Bernard McNamara from BMDA Development Advisory said the expansion would transform the Plaza into a circular shopping centre, with a second floor likely.

“You’ve got a heck of a lot of Hoppers Crossing and Werribee people that go to Chadstone and the city and we’re saying why can’t we make this a significant shopping centre in the West?” Mr McNamara said.

“The population is tipped to grow by 140,000 (around Point Cook, Werribee and Hoppers Crossing) in the next six years, so there’s going to be a huge demand for quality shopping.

“The whole market of Werribee is changing. It now has people from a broader socioeconomic area, so they’re looking for places that have brands and quality levels of retail. There’s demand for better fashion shops and a much bigger selection.”

Pacific Shopping CEO Graham Otter said easy access was another tick for the centre.

“All roads don’t lead to Highpoint. It’s not the easiest to get there. There’s not a main road like Werribee Plaza. If you come from Geelong, it’s hard to get there. We’ve got the advantage of being on main roads and we’re about a kilometre away from the Princes Highway. It’s got good access, the roads

WERRIBEE PLAZA Year it opened: 1985 Annual turnover: $394 million in 2009 Number of stores: 225 specialist retailers Number of employees: Over 2000 in full-time, parttime or casual employment Biggest drawcards: 10-cinema Regent complex, Myer, Kmart retailing 24/7, Wyndham Library, good road access.

Right: Artist’s impression of Werribee Plaza’s new Myer store.

BUSINESS WEST

15

RETAIL BOOM

HIGHPOINT Year it opened: 1975 Annual turnover: $779 million for the 2008-09 financial year Number of stores: Over 400 specialist retailers Number of employees: Around 3500 in full-time, part-time or casual employment Biggest drawcards: Only full-line Myer in the West, 17-screen Hoyts cinema with IMAX, Playtime, Maribyrnong Homemaker Centre, over 10 cafes and restaurants, upmarket retailers like Mimco and Oroton.

Above: Artist’s impression of Highpoint’s planned extension.

have all been updated and it’s well set up,” Mr Otter said.

Pacific Shopping development manager David Tuckett said Highpoint and Watergardens’ upgrades kept the centre on its toes.

“The thing about shopping centres is that they evolve over time, and retail’s continually changing, so as the population changes and retail trends change, the shopping centres need to change with them,” Mr Tuckett said.

Pacific Shopping still needs to create a development plan, rezone the Uniting Church land and liaise with VicRoads and the Department of Transport before a permit can be granted.

WATERGARDENS Watergardens will also welcome a Myer to its everexpanding shopping centre in its latest redevelopment plans.

The upgrade will introduce a two level, 12,000 square metre Myer and new specialty retailers.

16

BUSINESS WEST

The price tag, construction timelines and number of stores have been kept firmly under wraps, with QIC Global Real Estate Chief Robert Carter saying only that it would be a “major development”.

Mr Carter said the expansion would strengthen Watergardens’ already strong offer of Target, Big W, Coles, two Safeways, Hoyts and over 240 specialty retailers.

“Watergardens has been planned to mature with its trade area, growing in uses as well as area as determined by market expectations, so that it remains an attractive destination for the region,” he said.

“Further stages of development will occur as demand continues to outstrip the supply of retail and leisure facilities.”

Brimbank City Council is currently assessing the planning application.

The expansion follows Watergardens’ $20 million Station Streat development, which opened in December 2009 and features seven restaurants and cafes, including Chilli Padi, Switch Lifestyle, Hogs Breath Café, Grill’d, Kouzina, Max Brenner Chocolate Bar and La Porchetta. [BW]

catering that’s hard to

Make your next corporate function one to remember at station streat Watergardens. Take your pick from seven venues offering magnificent corporate packages and catering. Everything is at your disposal - there’s even a projector screen available at Chilli Padi!

So book your end of financial year party at everyone’s favourite street.

station streat dining, watergardens town centre 399 Melton Highway, Taylors Lakes, 3038 Phone 9361 5555, www.watergardens.com.au

Switch Lifestyle 8390 7699 Chilli Padi 9390 9399 Grill’d 8390 7722 Max Brenner Chocolate Bar 8390 7889 Hogs Breath Cafe 9390 4444 Kouzina 8390 7655 La Porchetta 9449 1322

464517-SH17-10

b

COVER STORY

By Charlene Gatt HE WAS never a scholar, but it was clear from an early age Barry Harvey AM graduated with honours from the school of hard work.

And that hard work has paid off in spades, with Mr Harvey, 62, now in charge of one of the largest cold storage facilities in Melbourne.

It all started when Mr Harvey left school at 13 and started a butcher’s apprenticeship at RJ Mercers Pty Ltd in Anderson St, Yarraville.

He would wake up at 4am, six days a week, and ride his bike around 10 to 15 kilometres to work a 15 hour day and jump on back on the bike for the ride home.

“It was different then. You worked hard and you had tough bosses, but I loved the job. He (my boss) was tough, but he made you do things right.”

He won a slew of awards with his company each year, and was named apprentice of the year in his last year.

He opened his own butcher’s shop aged 20, but went back to his old employer briefly before taking a job at Mayfair Ham and Bacon Company.

Here, he worked as sales and marketing manager for their fresh meat and small goods division, then later became the production manager of their abattoir and smallgoods factory in Bendigo.

He was instrumental in introducing the “new fashioned pork” concept to Australia in conjunction with Safeway supermarkets across Victoria.

When Mayfair was taken over, Mr Harvey started up AustCo Enterprises Pty Ltd with a meat boning room and cold storage unit in Preston in 1984.

The company quickly outgrew the small space, prompting Mr Harvey to lease a couple of storage rooms at Polar Cold Storage in Laverton North.

In 1988, Mr Harvey bought out the site and upgraded the facilities.

Over the next 10 years he built two new cold stores with a 5000 pallet capacity and an office block. Since then, he has also refurbished two export boning rooms.

Today, Polar Cold Storage has around 50 staff, an annual turnover of about $10 million and exports all over the world.

Clients include Pampas Pastry, Goodman Fielder, Tatiara Meat Company and O’Connors Meat Company.

His days vary greatly. Whether it’s dealing directly with clients, overseeing all repairs and maintenance, dealing with export licensing or checking Occupational Health and Safety guidelines, no two days are the same.

And that’s just the way he likes it.

18

BUSINESS WEST

“I’m lucky, because I don’t have to go to work and know at eight o’clock I’m going to be doing this, at nine o’clock I’m going to be doing that.”

But his biggest commodity is his staff.

Three of his staff to retire in the past three years had been with him from the start, and over half of his workforce has been around for over 10 years.

“I think people are your business – they make it or break it,” he said.

“If you’ve got good staff, you’ve got to look after your staff, you’ve got to respect them. I think the old autocratic days of ‘I’m the boss, and you’re the workers’ has well and truly gone by the by.

“You’ve got to train people, I think you’ve got to give them authority and give them the tools to do their job.

“I can’t do it on my own. Anyone who thinks they can do it on their own is kidding themselves.”

“

You’ve got to train people, I think you’ve got to give them authority and give them the tools to do their job…

He also had help from his wife of 42 years, Cheryl, who stayed at their East Keilor home and looked after their son Cole while he built up the business.

“I couldn’t have done what I’ve done without her,” he said.

His son now owns his own water treatment business, Aeramix, which is based at the Polar site, upstairs from Mr Harvey’s office.

Over the years, Mr Harvey has also turned into a reluctant community activist. In 1989 he was approached by ex Werribee councillor Stuart Southwick to join the Werribee Industrial Liaison Development (WILD) group.

He has been chair since 1992.

Mr Harvey was also approached by councils in the West to be the spokesperson for the Geelong Road upgrade, was recently appointed to the Regional Development Authority for the western region, and is president of Essendon North Rotary Club for the second time.

He is also the former national chairman and current life member of the Refrigerator Warehouse and Transport Association.

His efforts were rewarded in 2000 when he was named Werribee Citizen of the Year.

In 2001 he received an even higher honour with an Australia Day Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to the meat industry and Wyndham industry.Last year, he was heavily involved in the Wyndham rates furore that proposed a 21.54 per cent industry rate hike. The debacle saw the sacking of Wyndham CEO Peter Marshall and the resignation of Director of Corporate Services Peter Gould. The rate increase was downsized to 12.78 per cent and the council vowed to upgrade infrastructure in the area.

“I haven’t gone out to do those sort of things, I just seem to get roped into them,” he said. “(Industry is) a very important part of Wyndham. Laverton North is a big employer and it’s grown at a great rate over the last 10 to 15 years and has been lucky to attract a lot of big businesses out there, and we want to build on that.

“We’ve got to make sure with the way the West is expanding. We need to be able to employ people this side of the Yarra.”

When he’s not building up the business or advocating for the West, Mr Harvey rides horses at least once a week, and rides in the mountains a few times a year. He has even bred a few of his own racehorses.

The mad Bulldogs supporter has also been Brad Johnson’s player sponsor for the past 15 years.

“It keeps you young and it keeps you fit.

I don’t feel very old; I’ve just been around a while,” he said.

And don’t expect to see him quit the business anytime soon.

“I’m too young to retire, I enjoy what I do. I can’t see myself retiring, I think I’d get bored.” [BW]

BARRY MEANS BUSiNESS

Polar Cold Storage owner and longtime industry leader Barry Harvey in one of his cold storage rooms.

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

BUSINESS WEST

19

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THE objective of LeadWest is to foster and undertake actions that will support sustainable growth and regional development of Melbourne’s western region. It aims to build on the region’s social, economic and environmental capacity and to plan and create a sustainable future for the wellbeing of its communities.

There can be no denying that growth brings opportunity, and with 40 per cent of metropolitan Melbourne’s population growth heading west over the next 40 years, opportunities abound in Melbourne’s west.

Melbourne’s west is undergoing major transformation. There’s a renaissance taking place in the west. The west of Melbourne is where the majority of Victoria’s population growth is going to be driven.

Growth also demands careful planning and regions need an advocate, so LeadWest was formed. LeadWest was formed by the local councils that make up the western region and other business leaders in the west with a view to trying to coordinate the major priorities that that west needs to tackle.

If we’re going to have population growth, we need jobs to go with them, if we’re going to have another couple of hundred thousand extra citizens, we’re going to need to have vast increases in our spending on health care and aged care and transport and make sure that all of

the things that you need to support that growth are factored into thinking.

have been taken for granted in the east.

You’ve got to consider the west’s proximity to the CBD as a real benefit. “I can do the We know the population is coming so CBD to Melton in 30 minutes” – people the infrastructure is being planned on are now saying. To live in the west is that basis. And that’s in a sense what’s affordable and increasingly becoming happened in relation to the transport system, where the Government has looked attractive as people start very hard at the future and seen what they to build new communities. need to do to improve the public transport With growth come growing pains but Melbourne’s west is supporting its system and road system. predicted population rise with new Action is being taken and major projects and expanded infrastructure. Schools, are under way or in the planning stage. healthcare, transport links, housing Work on the Regional Rail Link has started, and utilities are all requirements to upgrades to the Ring Road and M1 are accommodate this growing population and underway, premium housing developments governments are responding to the call. and new suburbs are in development We’ve got growth and what’s happening and Western Health has had a significant now is that there is a very strong funding injection. The result is that the commitment taking place by governments, west will be a desirable and beautiful place to live and a sensible destination for both state and federal, in delivering the infrastructure to support the growth. businesses to establish or grow.

With the $4.3 billion Regional Rail Link There are multiple reasons why the underway, an extension of the urban west is desirable for both residents and growth boundaries already addressed, businesses. We are already starting to more than $200 million committed to the see the infrastructure being put in place Sunshine Hospital redevelopment and to deal with this increased population. proposals for a new tunnel under the The traditional transport shortcomings Maribyrnong River and Metro-style train are being addressed. Sunshine Hospital network being considered, the new west is is being redeveloped. City West Water taking shape. is looking after the region’s water needs and many suburbs across the region (GXFDWLRQ have been identified as major activity The education needs of the growing west centres for commercial and residential are a major consideration. redevelopment.

The west is striving to capture greater We are now getting quality residential investment in education in order to developments being built of the types that better position its residents to be active

participants in the “new economy”.

Victoria University is a key player for us in this important education services area and we all need to improve school retention rates and further develop our skills across the board. Further investment in trade training is also a priority for the region.

7RXULVP 7KH $UWV

The west of Melbourne is also witnessing strong growth in visitor numbers and with key tourism assets such as the Werribee Open Range Zoo, Scienceworks attracting more visitors. Also the great cafes in Moonee Ponds, Yarraville & Williamstown together with wineries with an ever growing reputations that dot the region such as Witchmount, Galli and Shadowfax have been warmly embraced by visitors.

Increasingly the west is also starting to develop a vibrant Arts scene and the area in increasingly attracting this ”creative class”.

7UDQVSRUW

New and proposed transport infrastructure servicing the west is also on track, with construction of the Regional Rail Link to start this year. The link is a major new train line running from West Werribee to Sunshine and through to Southern Cross Station. The new infrastructure, which includes about 50 kilometres of new rail track and the transformation of Sunshine Station, will provide an increase in capacity and reliability for Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo services, and free up capacity for additional suburban services

from Werribee, Sunbury and Craigieburn.

The $4.3 billion project will deliver capacity for 9000 extra regional and suburban passengers every hour. Funding has also been committed to investigate the possibility of a Metro-style underground rail system, says Ralph Willis, chair of the LeadWest.

:DWHU

City West Water is implementing new infrastructure in preparation for the west’s population surge.

Late last year, construction began on the $46 million Altona Recycled Water project, which will provide recycled water to industry, golf courses and public parks in Melbourne’s west. In December, $100 million was committed for a salt reduction facility and associated infrastructure to supply about 20,000 homes in West Werribee with recycled water. The multimillion-dollar project will see three billion litres of waste water from the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee treated to Class A standard. The water will then be piped directly through a separate system to households and for Wyndham City Council’s use.

Historically, Melbourne’s west was perceived to be the home of manufacturing industry and a bluecollar population. But today, the west’s business scope extends way beyond its traditional parameters. Strategically placed close to the CBD, Port of Melbourne and Tullamarine and Avalon airports,

manufacturing still has a role in the west, but the region’s location, infrastructure and young skilled workforce is opening doors for significant business, investment and real estate opportunities.

With major projects under way, including the Footscray Renewal Program, the Keilor Road Renewal Program, Sunshine Hospital redevelopment, the Werribee Employment Precinct and development of Toolern, the time is ripe to invest in the west.

The west is keen to attract businesses and businesses will want to be where there’s opportunity and growth. So, I guess the west is really keen, as a collective region, to try to attract businesses and professionals across the whole spectrum, and there are numerous projects under way to encourage this.

the Urban Growth Boundary, is set to become the largest urban growth area in Victoria.

As well as accommodating more than 50,000 new residents, there are also plans for a new major activity centre and 760 hectares of employment land creating more than 30,000 new jobs.

With the western region predicted to house an additional 330,000 people by 2026, construction of homes is set to soar, with new housing developments and suburbs emerging, particularly around Werribee and Melton.

The Footscray Renewal Program is built around Footscray’s identification as a state government Central Activity District. Keilor Road, identified as a major activity centre, is earmarked for commercial and retail development. More than $200 million has been committed to Sunshine Hospital.

The infrastructure to support the growth is already on its way. New train stations are under construction at Williams Landing and Caroline Springs, which will result in a 35-minute commute to the CBD. The new Regional Rail Link train line runs from West Werribee through to Sunshine then Southern Cross Station and the State Government is electrifying the train line to Sunbury.

The Werribee Employment Precinct, which is home to a number of research and development organisations including CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, Victoria University, Melbourne University Veterinary Clinic, the Dairy Innovation Centre and Agrifood Technology, will open up further to accommodate a wider range of industries with a focus on white-collar employment. And Toolern, located within

Housing and land affordability is an undisputed asset. The ability to buy or build a brand-new, affordable house in a nice area which is close to the city is the primary reason why people choose to move to Wyndham. Melbourne’s west has become increasingly popular as a place to live, accounting for more than 25 per cent of all new dwellings.

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THE objective of LeadWest is to foster and undertake actions that will support sustainable growth and regional development of Melbourne’s western region. It aims to build on the region’s social, economic and environmental capacity and to plan and create a sustainable future for the wellbeing of its communities.

There can be no denying that growth brings opportunity, and with 40 per cent of metropolitan Melbourne’s population growth heading west over the next 40 years, opportunities abound in Melbourne’s west.

Melbourne’s west is undergoing major transformation. There’s a renaissance taking place in the west. The west of Melbourne is where the majority of Victoria’s population growth is going to be driven.

Growth also demands careful planning and regions need an advocate, so LeadWest was formed. LeadWest was formed by the local councils that make up the western region and other business leaders in the west with a view to trying to coordinate the major priorities that that west needs to tackle.

If we’re going to have population growth, we need jobs to go with them, if we’re going to have another couple of hundred thousand extra citizens, we’re going to need to have vast increases in our spending on health care and aged care and transport and make sure that all of

the things that you need to support that growth are factored into thinking.

have been taken for granted in the east.

You’ve got to consider the west’s proximity to the CBD as a real benefit. “I can do the We know the population is coming so CBD to Melton in 30 minutes” – people the infrastructure is being planned on are now saying. To live in the west is that basis. And that’s in a sense what’s affordable and increasingly becoming happened in relation to the transport system, where the Government has looked attractive as people start very hard at the future and seen what they to build new communities. need to do to improve the public transport With growth come growing pains but Melbourne’s west is supporting its system and road system. predicted population rise with new Action is being taken and major projects and expanded infrastructure. Schools, are under way or in the planning stage. healthcare, transport links, housing Work on the Regional Rail Link has started, and utilities are all requirements to upgrades to the Ring Road and M1 are accommodate this growing population and underway, premium housing developments governments are responding to the call. and new suburbs are in development We’ve got growth and what’s happening and Western Health has had a significant now is that there is a very strong funding injection. The result is that the commitment taking place by governments, west will be a desirable and beautiful place to live and a sensible destination for both state and federal, in delivering the infrastructure to support the growth. businesses to establish or grow.

With the $4.3 billion Regional Rail Link There are multiple reasons why the underway, an extension of the urban west is desirable for both residents and growth boundaries already addressed, businesses. We are already starting to more than $200 million committed to the see the infrastructure being put in place Sunshine Hospital redevelopment and to deal with this increased population. proposals for a new tunnel under the The traditional transport shortcomings Maribyrnong River and Metro-style train are being addressed. Sunshine Hospital network being considered, the new west is is being redeveloped. City West Water taking shape. is looking after the region’s water needs and many suburbs across the region (GXFDWLRQ have been identified as major activity The education needs of the growing west centres for commercial and residential are a major consideration. redevelopment.

The west is striving to capture greater We are now getting quality residential investment in education in order to developments being built of the types that better position its residents to be active

participants in the “new economy”.

Victoria University is a key player for us in this important education services area and we all need to improve school retention rates and further develop our skills across the board. Further investment in trade training is also a priority for the region.

7RXULVP 7KH $UWV

The west of Melbourne is also witnessing strong growth in visitor numbers and with key tourism assets such as the Werribee Open Range Zoo, Scienceworks attracting more visitors. Also the great cafes in Moonee Ponds, Yarraville & Williamstown together with wineries with an ever growing reputations that dot the region such as Witchmount, Galli and Shadowfax have been warmly embraced by visitors.

Increasingly the west is also starting to develop a vibrant Arts scene and the area in increasingly attracting this ”creative class”.

7UDQVSRUW

New and proposed transport infrastructure servicing the west is also on track, with construction of the Regional Rail Link to start this year. The link is a major new train line running from West Werribee to Sunshine and through to Southern Cross Station. The new infrastructure, which includes about 50 kilometres of new rail track and the transformation of Sunshine Station, will provide an increase in capacity and reliability for Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo services, and free up capacity for additional suburban services

from Werribee, Sunbury and Craigieburn.

The $4.3 billion project will deliver capacity for 9000 extra regional and suburban passengers every hour. Funding has also been committed to investigate the possibility of a Metro-style underground rail system, says Ralph Willis, chair of the LeadWest.

:DWHU

City West Water is implementing new infrastructure in preparation for the west’s population surge.

Late last year, construction began on the $46 million Altona Recycled Water project, which will provide recycled water to industry, golf courses and public parks in Melbourne’s west. In December, $100 million was committed for a salt reduction facility and associated infrastructure to supply about 20,000 homes in West Werribee with recycled water. The multimillion-dollar project will see three billion litres of waste water from the Western Treatment Plant in Werribee treated to Class A standard. The water will then be piped directly through a separate system to households and for Wyndham City Council’s use.

Historically, Melbourne’s west was perceived to be the home of manufacturing industry and a bluecollar population. But today, the west’s business scope extends way beyond its traditional parameters. Strategically placed close to the CBD, Port of Melbourne and Tullamarine and Avalon airports,

manufacturing still has a role in the west, but the region’s location, infrastructure and young skilled workforce is opening doors for significant business, investment and real estate opportunities.

With major projects under way, including the Footscray Renewal Program, the Keilor Road Renewal Program, Sunshine Hospital redevelopment, the Werribee Employment Precinct and development of Toolern, the time is ripe to invest in the west.

The west is keen to attract businesses and businesses will want to be where there’s opportunity and growth. So, I guess the west is really keen, as a collective region, to try to attract businesses and professionals across the whole spectrum, and there are numerous projects under way to encourage this.

the Urban Growth Boundary, is set to become the largest urban growth area in Victoria.

As well as accommodating more than 50,000 new residents, there are also plans for a new major activity centre and 760 hectares of employment land creating more than 30,000 new jobs.

With the western region predicted to house an additional 330,000 people by 2026, construction of homes is set to soar, with new housing developments and suburbs emerging, particularly around Werribee and Melton.

The Footscray Renewal Program is built around Footscray’s identification as a state government Central Activity District. Keilor Road, identified as a major activity centre, is earmarked for commercial and retail development. More than $200 million has been committed to Sunshine Hospital.

The infrastructure to support the growth is already on its way. New train stations are under construction at Williams Landing and Caroline Springs, which will result in a 35-minute commute to the CBD. The new Regional Rail Link train line runs from West Werribee through to Sunshine then Southern Cross Station and the State Government is electrifying the train line to Sunbury.

The Werribee Employment Precinct, which is home to a number of research and development organisations including CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, Victoria University, Melbourne University Veterinary Clinic, the Dairy Innovation Centre and Agrifood Technology, will open up further to accommodate a wider range of industries with a focus on white-collar employment. And Toolern, located within

Housing and land affordability is an undisputed asset. The ability to buy or build a brand-new, affordable house in a nice area which is close to the city is the primary reason why people choose to move to Wyndham. Melbourne’s west has become increasingly popular as a place to live, accounting for more than 25 per cent of all new dwellings.

PROFILE

BY CHARLENE GATT VICTORIA University Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Harman has arguably the best office view the West has to offer.

Big bay windows give way to enviable sights of Melbourne’s CBD, Flemington Racecourse, the Maribyrnong River and Docklands, while directly below, teachers, artists and business owners of the future make their way to the next class.

Professor Harman has only a handful of months left to enjoy the scene as she prepares to quit her role at the end of this year after seven years at the helm.

“When I was asked by the university to extend my contract a while ago, I said I’d extend it for just two more years, until the end of the seventh year,” she said.

“I think seven years is a pretty good term for a CEO, and that’s really what I am – a CEO of a large and complicated enterprise which has an annual budget of over $400 million, and a staff of over 3000 people.”

The selection process for Professor Harman’s successor has yet to begin, but it is expected one will be selected early in the second half of the year so that they can get a crash course in all things VU. Professor Harman, 64, worked her way up to the top job after numerous roles within the tertiary sector. She has worked extensively in the private sector, and also has professional expertise in politics and public policy.

22

BUSINESS WEST

PROFILE Professor Harman was deputy Vice Chancellor at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia when she was offered the position at VU. “I saw it as a wonderful challenge,” she said.

The offer came at the perfect time. Her economist husband, Frank Harman, was keen to retire and was more than happy to become the house husband so that she could take the reins in her career.

“That’s really been fantastic. It’s worked for both of us. He still does a little bit of consulting, but basically I get well looked after. You can’t switch off from a job like this, you really have to be thinking about it 24 hours a day almost and it’s much easier to do when you have really good support at home. “(Now) I’m ready to go off and enjoy some family life and some reading. It’s a good time to give somebody else a chance.”

But she won’t be sitting at home twiddling her thumbs.

Instead, she will continue her role on a number of boards, including the Regional Development Authority, the Australian Business Higher Education roundtable and the World Association for Co-operative Education.

She is also a participant observer on the Western Bulldogs board.

“I’m not out looking for anything else, but

I would want to continue to contribute to the West, contribute to the relationship between education and business in Australia, and have the chance to do that without the day to day work of running a big and complicated institution.”

Professor Harman is set to go out on a high with the opening of VU’s $68 million sports education centre at the Footscray Park campus due to coincide with her departure.

The building is the final piece of the sports triangle – an exclusive collaboration between Victoria University, the Western Bulldogs and Maribyrnong College. The sports triangle was one of Professor Harman’s pet projects during her tenure.

“We’re hoping to use that opening as a celebration of what the region is now beginning to accomplish in the area of sports, education and research,” she said.

“Why couldn’t the West of Melbourne be known for sports education in much the same way as Parkville is known for biomedical research? We could be the national sports excellence centre.”

The collaboration is one of many partnerships VU has secured in recent years.

The university has also joined forces with Sunshine Hospital, which is building a multimillion dollar training centre to keep doctors and nurses training and working in the West; Linfox for higher level logistics training;

City West Water for engineering; and the Australian Community Centre for Diabetes, which is based at the St Albans campus.

Ultimately, Professor Harman hopes the partnerships will build a strong spine of campuses, with each specialising in a particular sector.

“If we could get those three things running – the big sports development at Footscray Park, the health partnership between the St Albans campus and Sunshine Hospital, and the Sunshine campus construction and engineering focus – that would be a pretty good legacy.

“The West is right on the cusp on a whole series of major changes – socially, economically, culturally and VU is so well poised to be a major part of that transformation. I’m hoping to pass on to my successor the chance to have a really brilliant time for VU. “I don’t have any regrets. I just think it’s been a fantastic opportunity. I’ve been privileged to be part of some absolutely exciting developments that are poised to make an enormous difference across the western region. I couldn’t regret for one moment being at the beginning of all that.” [BW]

HARMAN’S

VISION

Victoria University Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Harman will step down at the end of this year.

Picture: PAUL JEFFERS

BUSINESS WEST

23

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

LAND RUSH THE West accounted for almost half of Melbourne’s construction activity in the second half of 2009, (47 per cent) pointing to its fresh popularity and growth surge. Belinda Giardino reports…

THE West is considered a major hub for Melbourne and in fact Australia’s transport, logistics and distribution businesses.

According to a report by Jones Lang LaSalle, rental rates in the West have also proved resilient over the past two years.

Raine and Horne Commercial spokesperson Glyn Bosisto, has seen a recent demand for tenants seeking purpose-built 5000 square metre plus sites, particularly with Laverton and Derrimut.

The western suburbs industrial precinct has major arterial roads virtually at the doorstep West Gate freeway, Princes Highway and Freeway, Western Ring Road and now the Western freeway.

Mr Bosisto said, “The West is very attractive to business all over Australia.

“It is the only location in the country which is close to the ports, the airport and the city.”

The significant West Park Industrial Estate in Derrimut by Australand (totalling 46,200 square metres) has many speculative projects under construction, displaying the confidence in the market.

Also, major retailer K Mart have pre committed to lease a 75,000 square metre distribution centre in Laverton from developers Goodman Group upon completion, making it one of Victoria’s largest industrial pre-leases.

Mr Bosisto says there will continue to be an increased demand for larger office warehouses from distribution and transport companies.

Growing demand for purpose-built sites

The largest industrial precinct in Australia, from a leasing perspective, it is the most affordable option of all the major industrial areas.

It is very accessible, particularly with the new Deer Park bypass, making it beneficial to businesses wanting to set up in the area.

The bypass has provided improved access from the Western Freeway to the Western Ring Road and to Melbourne’s ports.

Australian JOBNET

Employers, we can provide staff in the following industries: • Business Services • Transport and Logistics • Payroll Services (BAS & GST) • Warehouse & Distribution • Farming • Manufacturing • Hospitality • Asset Services • Overseas Skilled Working Visa* • General Labouring

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“Businesses are finding it hard to fund smaller acquisitions, and instead prefer to lease for now, with the intention of purchasing in the future,” said Mr Bosisto.

He notes that owner occupiers and investors interested in smaller properties up to the $1.5 million mark are choosing to find alternative ways to fund their purchases, such as via self-managed super funds. [BW]

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He also believes there will be improved demand in the market when purchasers find funding from banks, which are holding back on funding acquisitions at the moment.

BUSINESS WEST

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DEER PARK STATION

Sweet Enough owners Leonie Schweitzer and Cristina Velardo started up a company selling sugar-free confectionary.

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

SWeeT SUCCESS

BY CHARLENE GATT

IN AUGUST 2007, Leonie Schweitzer and Cristina Velardo stood in the middle of an Essendon warehouse contemplating their product line of sugar-free lollies and chocolates for their new business, Sweet Enough.

The line would cater to the diabetic market, a motivator that resonated with both women, who had fathers and a long line of sweet-toothed relatives who suffered from type 2 diabetes.

“When my dad was diagnosed with diabetes my mum trawled the supermarket aisles for hours checking the nutritional value of food, because he had such a sweet tooth,” Ms Schweitzer said.

and a spate of pharmacies and independent confectionary shops.

Three years on and the Sweet Enough warehouse has moved to a bigger premises in Airport West, which opens to the public every Thursday and Friday.

The company has the exclusive distribution rights for five product lines in Australia and their sugar-free sweet treats have also gained popularity among weight-loss groups and parents whose kids suffer from attention deficit disorder.

A week after the delivery, the long-time friends launched Sweet Enough at the Sweet Temptations exhibition to an overwhelming response.

Their success is in line with new research from the Australian Community Centre for Diabetes, which has uncovered a diabetes epidemic in the West.

The successful launch shelved the pair’s plans to turn their online company into a chain of stores.

One in seven residents in the West has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, compared with a state average of one in 30.

Instead, the Essendon mums embraced the wholesale market and took on a clientele including David Jones, Diabetes Australia, select IGA stores, duty free stores in Sydney

This month, these modern-day Willy Wonkas are set to make their original dream come true when they open their flagship store in Melbourne’s CBD.

The pair hopes to follow-up the opening with the introduction of smaller, boutique stores and eventually want to franchise the company.

But it wasn’t such smooth sailing to begin with.

The pair came up against a hostile Australian market during their research and found most of their products from overseas companies.

Both were also shocked to discover that many companies would not give female executives the time of day.

“We’ve been asked where ‘the man’ is; the director, and they were shocked that we’re it,” Ms Schweitzer said.

“I always tell them ‘I didn’t realise we need one’”. [BW]

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BUSINESS WEST

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Q&A ANNE BARKER Managing Director, City West Water ANNE Barker was appointed as City West Water’s Managing Director in November 2002. Ms Barker practised law before gaining broad management experience with Myer and the ANZ Banking Group. Before joining City West Water, she was the Executive Manager of the Commercial and Revenue divisions at SPI Powernet where she gained extensive experience working in a regulated utility environment. She is a director of the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board, a member of the Board of LeadWest and a member of the Plumbing Industry Advisory Council.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL WORKING DAY. Much of my typical day is spent in meetings, about half each internal and external meetings. As CWW is one of four water businesses in Melbourne, I meet a lot with the other water businesses as we need to work together on the important strategic issues affecting us. I’m also a member of a number of external boards and committees.

My sons seem to think I spend my days at my desk, doing my nails and shouting at people.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CAREER SUCCESS TO DATE? Leading CWW. It is an extraordinarily interesting and challenging business, and I have the best team I’ve ever worked with and the best customers in Melbourne. The job also lets me get involved with many western suburbs initiatives which I really enjoy.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CAREER FAILURE TO DATE? At a previous employer, I was project manager of a major business process reengineering project. It had enormous potential to improve the business, but was at the same time pretty controversial. Over the course of two years, which was how long it took to complete the project, the senior management team changed and the new team had no interest in what we had produced. It was seen as an expensive failure.

HOW DID THAT HELP YOU GROW AS A BUSINESS WOMAN? The work itself taught me to ask “why?” which is the basis for continual improvement. The failure taught me that you can’t ignore the politics.

THE CITY WEST WATER BOARD HAS AN EVEN SHARE OF MALE AND FEMALE MEMBERS. IS THIS INDICATIVE OF OTHER BOARDS YOU HAVE BEEN ON/ARE ON? I think it’s pretty standard on government sector boards. There should be more women on private sector boards; every business needs different perspectives on issues, and that’s something most women do well.

IF YOU HAD TO INVITE FIVE PEOPLE TO A BUSINESS LUNCHEON, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? Because I’m passionate about what business can do for the environment and for the community Tim Flannery for his views on the environment; Christine Nixon because she’s amazing; Lindsay Fox to try to get his support for my favourite cause, Whitelion; Mark Watt, CEO of Whitelion, because he is a remarkable man doing a remarkable job; and Julia Gillard who is a real western suburbs girl and committed to the same things I am.

YOU WERE A LAWYER AND WORKED AT ANZ AND MYER BEFORE JOINING CITY WEST WATER. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS POSITION? I wanted to see if I’d be any good at being the boss.

HOW DO YOU RELAX AWAY FROM WORK? I’m addicted to talking books and spend every hour outside work with my ipod in my ears. It drives my family crazy.

HOW WOULD YOU SELL THE WEST TO A PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS INVESTOR? The West still has masses of untapped potential, and it’s on the move.

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BUSINESS WEST

2 Ferris Road Melton South VIC 3338 Phone 8746 0604

PROPERTY

BLUE CHIP DEAL

By Charlene Gatt

THE Werribee Mansion Hotel and Spa will change hands in coming weeks after family owned and managed business The Lancemore Group won the business.

The Lancemore Group, which operates boutique hotels and conference venues around Victoria, will take over the five-star boutique hotel from The Mansion Group in late May on a 40-year lease.

The Lancemore Group signed the contract in March following 10 expressions of interest.

It also placed an unsuccessful bid for Werribee Park’s Shadowfax winery.

The hotel, which had over 10,000 customers in 2009, is an extension of the historic Werribee Mansion and has been running for 10 years this June.

It has 91 guest rooms and suites, Joseph’s Restaurant, 10 conference rooms, a day spa, gym and indoor pool.

Lancemore CEO Julian Clark said the changeover would be seamless, and has ruled out any immediate expansion plans.

“I see it as a really iconic property, and it’s got a really great reputation,” he said.

“We were pretty happy that it came on the market.

“To start off with, our major bid is just to keep on running the business under the brand name Mansion Hotel and Spa at Werribee Park as it is. If all goes well, maybe we could speak with Parks Victoria about (expanding).”

Mr Clark said the purchase was part of an aggressive growth strategy that Lancemore had undertaken on blue-chip properties throughout regional Victoria.

Lancemore’s portfolio includes Lindenderry at Red Hill, Lindenwarrah at Milawa and Lancemore Hill in the Macedon Ranges.

The Lancemore Group, which started up in 1985, made its name for having the first purpose-built conference centre in Australia at its Lancemore Hill property.

Mr Clark is currently the Australian Chapter Chair of the International Association of Conference Centres, the chair of Hotels and Motels Association of Australia and a member of the Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau board.

Mr Clark would not comment on the sale price, but Peter Harper from Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels said the hotel and spa went for around $7 million.

Mr Harper said Jones Lang was currently negotiating the contract for the sale of the Shadowfax Winery.

Michelle Campbell from the Mansion Group said the Group sold the property to explore other investment opportunities. [BW]

Julian Clark, CEO of The Lancemore Group, eyes the company’s newest acquisition, the Werribee Mansion Hotel and Spa. Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

BUSINESS WEST

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SMALL TALK TABCORP MELTON’S Tabcorp Park is continuing to grow with the announcement of a new $2.6 million multi-purpose facility to be built this year.

The building will be located on the hill adjacent to the winning post and will include a 250-seat café for race night dining and a Sky studio for on-course presenters.

Construction will begin in July. The new facility will be ready in time for December’s SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup Carnival.

The State Government is providing $2.34 million towards the project, with Harness Racing Victoria paying the balance.

Tabcorp Park boasts a 41room four star hotel, function and conference rooms, bistro, sports bar, TAB and gaming room.

Racing commenced at the venue’s state of the art 1040-metre racetrack in July last year.

The announcement comes as former Metropolitan Fire Brigade CEO Ken Latta became the new chairman of Harness Racing Victoria. His appointment is for three years.

Mr Latta was also the Executive Director of Victoria Police for 10 years and has served on the boards of Victoria University, CRIMTRAC and the Victorian College of Agriculture.

GRANTS BRIMBANK City Council has given St Albans traders $30,000 to improve shop fronts.

All owners or occupiers of shops zoned Business 1 or 2 in the St Albans shopping precinct were eligible to receive their share of a new grant scheme to freshen up businesses earlier this year.

The scheme funded up to 50 per cent of the total cost of a company’s works to a maximum $1000 per property.

MATERNITY WORKS have begun on the $14 million expansion of Werribee Mercy Hospital’s maternity services.

The two-stage development will add eight obstetric beds and four special care nursery cots to meet growing demand on Werribee’s busy maternity ward.

The post-natal unit will be finished later this year, and the special care nursery will be opened in mid 2011.

The number of births at Werribee Mercy

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BUSINESS WEST

Hospital is expected to skyrocket from 1740 over 2008-09 to 2692 in 2016 once the expansion is complete.

of 50 businesses found that 76 per cent of employers believed that open plan offices decreased productivity.

The expansion will create over 80 design and construction jobs.

Only 16 per cent believed the set up was beneficial in promoting communication and interaction among staff, while a further six per cent felt open place offices only worked effectively if managers were sitting among employees.

JOBS UP TO 15,000 jobs will be created at a new 662 hectare industrial precinct in Wyndham.

The Leakes Road site is earmarked to become one of the largest blue collar sectors in the West, with a $60 million Kmart distribution centre the first to set up shop.

The Kmart centre, which will be completed early next year, will be a central hub for the company’s Australian and New Zealand supply chain.

State Planning Minister Justin Madden said the precinct would provide about one in 10 new residents with an income.

Wyndham’s population is expected to soar by more than 270,000 people in the next 20 years.

More than 60 per cent of Wyndham residents travel each day to work outside the municipality.

OPEN PLAN ARE open plan offices an efficient way to run a business, or are they just plain distracting?

A Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) web survey

The result followed reports some workplaces were considering open place office etiquette training to ensure that staff learn to minimise distractions and improve productivity.

“The reality is that most office lay-outs have positive and negative aspects – it is about selecting the style that works best for the culture and operational requirements of individual workplaces,” VECCI’s manager of workplace relations policy Alexandra Marriott said.

MOBIL ABOUT 100 Exxon Mobil employees across Australia and New Zealand will lose their jobs in the next year under a company restructure.

Mobil employees were told in February that the Yarraville lubricant blend plant and used-oil analysis laboratory would close because it could no longer keep up with the global market.

SMALL TALK The company’s Altona refinery will also stop manufacturing bitumen.

Around 36 jobs at Yarraville’s Francis Street terminal will be axed, with a further 19 from the lubricant blend plant gone

by February 2011.

The jobs will go overseas under a restructure of Mobil’s operations in Australia and New Zealand.

Mobil spokesperson Alan Bailey said the company would try to redeploy workers and would offer redundancy packages for others who don’t find work within Mobil.

The Yarraville Terminal has operated since 1926 and is the largest and one of the most efficient blend plants for the industry in Australia.

Mobil’s fuels storage and distribution operations at Yarraville will continue.

LONELY PLANET MORE Lonely Planet writers have lost their jobs at the Footscray head office in a new round of redundancies for the company.

Spokesman Adam Bennett said eight jobs in the digital editorial department were made redundant earlier this year as the company becomes a “multimedia travel services provider”.

Lonely Planet will now commission writers for its works rather than rely on an in-house team.

The company, which has around 400 employees, retrenched 50 employees from Footscray in February last year.

PoMC TOTAL trade through the Port of Melbourne has drawn level with pre-Global Financial Crisis (GFC) volumes thanks to a strong growth in container imports and exports.

The PoMC is down 0.1 per cent for the financial year to date, with a 24.6 per cent increase in total trade in February compared to February 2009.

Full container exports in timber (up 137 per cent), wheat (up 82 per cent), processed vegetables (up 82 per cent) and paper (up 54 per cent) performed strongly during February, while exports of milk powder and meat declined during the month.

Full container imports posted their fourth consecutive month of growth, with increases in insulation material (up 194 per cent),

aluminium (up 177 per cent), furniture (up 90 per cent), vehicle parts (up 52 per cent), clothing (up 47 per cent) and paper (47 per cent) and a decline in pulp, wastepaper and fresh and frozen vegetables.

Empty container movements increased by 41.8 per cent but are still down 13.8 per cent for the year to date.

“We are delighted to see trade bounce back so strongly but these monthly figures need to be seen in context,” PoMC Chief Executive Stephen Bradford said.

“By February 2009 we were seeing the full brunt of the GFC impact on trade volumes so the strong monthly trade growth comparison is perhaps not so surprising.

“The fact that trade through the Port of Melbourne has almost drawn level with its pre-GFC volumes is a good indicator that the Victorian economy is robust with forecast growth ahead.”

NAMECHANGE MELTON Shire Council is set to change its name.

The council is putting the call out for alternative names for the municipality and is also considering a status change from a shire to a city.

Alternative names will be presented to the council on 3 May ahead of an official survey in July that will give residents a chance to have their say.

GRASSROOTS YARRAVILLE small business owner Gillian Milne has been awarded a $5000 grant from the Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (VECCI) Grow me the Money program for her eco-friendly business approach.

Ms Milne’s home-based business, Grassroots Productions, is a boutique event management company that specialises in eco friendly business events, weddings, celebrations and other functions.

Green measures include running the business on Green power, recycling, using grey water and favouring Green suppliers.

Ms Milne, 33, set up the business at the height of the Global Financial Crisis in December 2008.

Ms Milne, who has one employee, has spent the past year organising a range of events around Melbourne and hopes to expand this year by opening her own office.

She eventually wants to organise her own eco festival and other sustainable living events.

VECCI’s Grow Me the Money is a year-long online program designed to help small to medium businesses become more sustainable and save money.

STRUCTURE PLAN MOONEE Valley Council has adopted a Moonee Ponds Activity Centre Structure Plan that will create a new civic and community heart for the area by 2030.

The plan includes works for a new transport hub at the Mount Alexander Road junction, a new north-south pedestrian link between Gladstone and Everage streets through Puckle St and a redevelopment of the “civic triangle” that includes the council offices, the Clocktower and Moonee Ponds Police Station.

WESTERN BULLDOGS THE Western Bulldogs has partnered up with banking giant Westpac in a three year deal that will strengthen community relationships in the West.

Westpac will be a presenting partner of the Bulldogs Friendly Business program and will also take part in a range of the Bulldogs community programs, including the Bulldogs Friendly Schools program.

Westpac has 16 bank branches in the West.

“We see this great partnership with the Western Bulldogs as a way of giving back to the local community and small businesses of the western suburbs that have suppor ted us for many years,” Westpac regional manager Michael McCormick said.

STRATEGIES

SOLUTIONS THINKING SAVVY WHAT business owner wouldn’t want their people to contribute to the growth of the business?

Tanya Lacy has some ideas on how a solutions focus can ensure your people contribute more everyday.

SETTING things up to succeed. From our experience unrealistic expectation of others ranks high as a growth limiter to business. What are your expectations of others as a leader? Are they realistic?

Are they too high? Do your unmet expectations of others turn to frustration?

MONITOR AND LIMIT FRUSTRATIONS What’s the impact on others if you are frustrated?

How do you let off steam? Do you start telling rather than asking? Do you stop listening when you’re frustrated?

SOLUTIONS THINKERS ARE LISTENERS A solutions focus requires excellent listening.

To elaborate, if the business leader is a good listener/questioner/listener and the staff copy this, then the staff become good questioners/ listeners/questioners. When we listen we connect with the other person to ensure we truly understand the problem at hand. Then we can set about solving the problem with the product or service that the business supplies.

COMPRESSION

TANYA LACY Tanya Lacy is founder and program creator at Intercept who are a Leadership and Enterprise Solutions company that work to grow business’ of all shapes and sizes.

She writes, gives talks, facilitates and runs panels.

Tanya shares valuable insight from the work Intercept does with leaders and their teams all over the world.

Tanya grew up and lives in the West.

Twitter.com/intercept www. interceptexperience.com tlacy@ interceptexperience.com Phone 9397 4697

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BUSINESS WEST

If we don’t ask, but tell, we don’t call people to step up. If we don’t give people room to step up and grow, then those that work with us are often not being stimulated or (even worse) are working below their capability.

This creates a downward force of limitation on the business (or compression) rather than an upward thrust of growth. If you’re leading your business to succeed through growth it is key to: 1 Relentlessly take stock of your own expectations of others.

2 Understand the impact of your own approach and how it’s emulated.

3 Check in with yourself on how often you ask vs tell 4 Start Listening differently POWER VS EMPOWERMENT If empowerment is your ticket to business growth then always remember that ‘telling’ culture is a power trip and ‘asking’ culture is a journey to empowering your people. Asking is key to growing solutions focussed, problemsolving people.

DEVELOPING CONTRIBUTORS The single best skill you can develop in your business is to provide the environment where everyone is OK with asking questions. While this can take a bit to establish, it’s very worth while for growth.

BE SUPPORTIVE AND LISTEN MORE When you’re encouraging people to be problem solvers, you must be positive when suggestions are made. If not, initiative is discouraged, enthusiasm quashed. The secret is to be supportive by asking more and more questions and listening to the answers until the most suitable ‘doable’ solution arrives. In this way you are co-axing the best out of the hearts, minds and mouths of your people and they are learning to capably create and contribute.

Barriers to growing contributors. Fear of failure, fear of looking stupid, fear of ‘getting into trouble’, fear of stepping on toes. You can overcome these barriers with a supportive curious approach.

CRITERIA AND CREATIVITY Ask questions that help people see the limitations in their own thinking. Then set criteria, standards and positive outcomes you expect.

Problem-solving can work within any business if you set the criteria. Allow people to be creative within the criteria. Look for opportunities to ask questions of your people and listen to the answers. This sets the example. i.e. What do you think? What would you like to do here?

What’s missing?

GOING FOR GROWTH Solution Thinking Contributors can remove pain and create wealth. As we support the resolution of other people’s problems, we are of great value to them. The value we create exceeds concerns including that of price.

SUMMARY Solutions thinking savvy intercepts economic stagnation, creates positive forward action, generates positive energy and sentiment.

Because economies rise and fall on positive or negative sentiment, growing problem-solving skill is a great opportunity we have within our control for communities, industry sectors, economies and nations to contribute differently more often and thrive. © Tanya

Lacy 2010

STRATEGIES

HOW TO VALUE YOUR

BUSiNESS

OFTEN small business owners are unaware of the actual value of their business. A valuation can be undertaken to determine the worth of a business. This can potentially set a sale price for an owner to sell the business or for a purchaser to determine whether they are effectively buying themselves |a job or a profitable business. Fabio Cammarano shows you five basic methods used for valuing a business: CAPITALISATION OF FUTURE MAINTAINABLE EARNINGS

INDUSTRY RULES OF THUMB Some industries use a historical rule-of-thumb to measure the value of a business. The outcome of the rules-of-thumb method may result in a similar value to one of the methods below. However they are generally regarded by valuers as unreliable. Rulesofthumb are generally used by industry members for a quick estimation of value.

Many industry rules-of-thumb are based on the turnover of the business. This is common for a wide range of businesses ranging from accounting firms to hairdressers. Other industry rules-ofthumb base their valuation on the quantity of goods consumed in the business. For example, cafes use the amount of kilograms of coffee consumed and service stations base their value on litres of petrol sold.

The inherent danger of using such valuations can be best illustrated by comparing a business with lower sales but higher profits, to another business that has higher sales and is less profitable.

In these cases most industry rules-of-thumb will incorrectly ascribe a higher value to the business with the lower profits.

DISCOUNTING PROJECTED CASH FLOWS This method assumes the value of the business is the net present value of its projected future cash flows.

This method requires the forecasting of cash flows over a suitable period of time, the analysis of these future cash flows, the capital structure and cost of capital (discount rate), and an assessment of the residual value of the business remaining at the end of the forecast period.

This valuation method is mainly used for a startup business, a business with a finite life and/or a business that experiences volatile cash flows.

This is the most commonly used method of valuing businesses.

It involves capitalising the future maintainable earnings at a multiple which reflects the risk and opportunities of the business and the stream of income it generates. As part of this valuation method, the net business asset backing is also considered as it provides some assurance as to the ability of the business to maintain its earnings and enables the identification of the value of intangible assets to determine the value of the business goodwill.

NOTIONAL REALISATION OF THE ASSETS OF THE BUSINESS A valuation is based on the estimation of the net proceeds from an orderly realisation of assets. This is commonly applied to businesses that are not going concerns.

In instances where the business value determined under one of the other valuation methods is less than the net assets of the business, this approach is also considered. This is common with businesses that are making substantial losses but have a significant amount of stock and/or plant and equipment.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT PERCENTAGE The Return on Investment percentage (ROI) method is based on the percentage returns to an owner on his capital investment in the business. This is calculated as follows: Return On Investment (ROI) =

Net Profit

x

100

Purchase Price

1

The ROIs for specific industries are published by a leading valuation firm on a regular basis. The net profit is adjusted to add back owner interest, tax, depreciation and ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salary. This method is used for smaller owner operator businesses and as a result is deemed inappropriate in valuing larger businesses.

FABIO CAMMARANO is a partner of Collins & Co. and heads up the Valuation & Forensic Accounting Division.

He specialises in tax advisory and valuation services for a wide variety of businesses, with a strong focus on the SME market.

He works with small and medium sized businesses ranging from $500K to $100M turnover.

Fabio can be contacted on 9680 1000 or fc@collinsco.com.au

BUSINESS WEST

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AFTER HOURS

BRIMBANK BUSiNESS

BREAKFAST

OVER 100 business owners breakfasted at Keilor’s Ultima Function Centre recently for the Brimbank Business Breakfast. Founding director of Inmatrix and managing director of Pearl Finance Alan Miltz discussed cash flow management strategies to help build businesses.

Businesses also had the chance to spruik their companies in a “Mad Minute” section.

(L-R): Cheryl Shilton – Victoria University, Alvin Vella – G.L. Lee Real Estate, Kevin Nguyen – G.L. Lee Real Estate.

Alan Miltz, Managing Director of Pearl Finance, talks cash flow management.

Henry Jolles from Matchworks spruiks the business during his “Mad Minute”.

Left: (L-R) Darren Smith – Optus Business Melbourne West, Greg Nanscawen – Graffiti Removals and Peter Lewinsky – Chair of Administrators Brimbank Council.

Pictures: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

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BUSINESS WEST

AFTER HOURS

MELTON BUSiNESS EXCELLENCE

AWARDS CAROLINE Springs’ Re-creation Health Club scooped the pool recently at the Melton Business Excellence Awards.

The business, which has been open since 2007, took out the Melton Business of the Year, Best Franchise Business award and Apprentice of the Year for personal trainer Ergin Halil.

The awards were held at Rockbank’s Witchmount Estate Winery, which won last year’s Business of the Year.

Melton Toyota and Witchmount Estate were both inducted into the Melton Business Hall of Fame on the night.

1

2

3

1. (L-R) Lynn Long, Rhonda Hume, Susan Butler and Leanne Evans of the Woodgrove Shopping Centre.

2. Sharon Orbell and awards judge Barbara McLure, of Victoria University.

3. Best Trade and Construction Business Award winners, Exclusive Homes.

L-R David Caruana, Cory Cassar, Michelle Caruana, Ted Caruana.

4. Melton Business of the Year award winners Re-creation Health Club.

(L-R) Sharon Rapa, Sheona Howard, Darren Rapa, Kylie Crnogorac, Suzanne Rapa, Robert Rapa, Ergin Halil, Kyliee Muscat, Sharon Rapa.

4

Hobsons Bay Business Connections president Dino Gulizia addresses February’s panel.

Picture courtesy of Ivan Lacy, Intercept.

Pictures: EMILY LANE

BUSINESS WEST

35

BW NETWORK Welcome to the first listing of Business West Network – a growing directory of local businesses ready to do business with you. You can join the Business West Network by registering online at www.starnewsgroup.com.au/businesswest to make sure you receive your personal copy of Business West AND receive a free onetime 30word listing for your business in a future edition.

WPC GROUP

SELECT ONE CATERING

440 William St, West Melbourne Ph: 1300 656 461

16a Loop Road, Werribee

WPC Group offers skills solutions to business and government by offering apprenticeships, traineeships and job placement to people wanting to pursue careers in skilled occupations. We will mentor them through their apprenticeship training and handle payroll, Workcover, superannuation and other administrative requirements.

TECHNE PTY LTD PO Box 2237, Geelong 3220 Techne has operated within the construction, project management and development industries for 25-plus years in Melbourne, Sydney, regional Victoria and NSW. Techne recently developed The Brook entertainment facility at Point Cook and is currently associated with the planning design and development of projects with a value in excess of $100million.

CRS AUSTRALIA Level 49, 360 Elizabeth St, Melbourne CRS Australia works in partnership with employers across a range of industries to help them find staff.

Call your local office on 1800 277 277 or visit www.crsaustralia.gov.au for more information.

ALTONA RSL SUB BRANCH INC. 31 Sargood St, Altona Located right in the heart of Altona.

Great place to come and relax with friends enjoy a meal/refreshments and entertainment. Function Rooms available.

SCENTED SISTERS 115 Hogans Rd, Hoppers Crossing We maufacture natural skin care products.

No harsh chemicals or preservative added to our products. Olive oil soaps are our specialty. Organic Clay is added to colour soaps.

A unique catering and events company with over 17 years experience. Catering for both private and corporate clients; large and small events throughout metropolitian and country Victoria.

HOLMAN & ASSOCIATES PO Bx 42, Werribee Business Advisors, Accountants and Tax Specialists. Offices located in Werribee and Point Cook. Proudly operating for over 20 years.

ENCORE TISSUE 3741 Gilbertson Rd, Laverton North Manufacturer of Toilet Tissue and Paper Towel.

VAGUHAN CONSTRUCTIONS 103 Pelham St, Carlton As a leading Commercial and Industrial Developer Vaughans has built almost 2000 projects, we have designed and constructed facilities for manufacturing, transport and distribution, cold storage and food processing plants.

BUSINESS WEST

From all the major brands of pet food to everything you will ever need for your dog, cat, bird, rabbit, tropical fish. We even stock products for horses and reptiles. Pets are welcome in our stores. We also have an instore veterinary clinic and professional dog grooming.

MATCHWORKS 225 Racecourse Rd, Flemington MatchWorks is an employment service provider contracted by the government under Job Services Australia. Matchworks has 19 sites that cover the Western corridor of Melbourne. MatchWorks is a notforprofit organisation that works closely with the local community in engaging, training and helping over 15,000 jobseekers find employment.

STRATEGIC INVESTMENT AND RETIREMENT SOLUTIONS P/L 38 Duncans Rd, Werribee Financial Planning, Superannuation, Investments, Asset Finance, Home and Investment Lending, Insurances/Wealth Protection. Member of Count Financial Ltd.

CITY PACK PTY LTD 7/27 Westside Dve, Laverton North

SHADDAI GROUP PTY LTD 36 Watton St, Werribee

City Pack is a family owned and run wholesale supplier of quality disposable food packaing, washroom products and cleaning chemicals. Environmentally responsible products available.

Chocolatethemed boutique cafe in the Werribee CBD also offering retail giftware as well as a place to indulge in the finest chocolate.

INSURANCE ADVISERNET AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED C5 Level 1, 2 Main St, Point Cook Town Centre Specialist Insurance Brokers and Consultants for both General Insurance and Life Insurance Businesses.

TONY HANNEBERY LAWYERS 38 Duncans Rd, Werribee Accredited Criminal Law Specialist: over 30 years experience; All Courts; All locations; Legal Aid available.

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PET GOODS DIRECT 31/428 Old Geelong Rd, Hoppers Crossing

TELSTRA BUSINESS CENTRE MELBOURNE WEST Unit 2, 81 Victoria St, Seddon Telstra’s total solutions business centre situated in Melbourne’s West catering for all your voice, mobile, data, phone system and cabling requirements.

KIDS PARTIES ORGANISED 7 Livingstone Square, Point Cook Kids Parties Organised tailors any party theme for you, and takes the time, effort, and expense out of these stressful events.

BW NETWORK MOSSFIEL ELECTRICAL AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT P/L 13 Kingston Blvd, Hoppers Crossing Electrical contractors in the commercial/ residential markets, accredited eco smart electricians. Accredited solar power installers, specialists in emergency and exit lighting as well as energy efficiency solutions.

MATCHWORKS 40 Synnot St, Werribee MatchWorks provides a range of employment related services to people looking for work from 19 sites throughout Victoria including our office at Werribee.

RIO’S TASTY CHICKS Shop 7, 110-116 Fitzgerald Rd, Laverton North

REDMOND REPITITION ENGINEERING 29/31 industrial Ave, Hoppers Crossing www.redmondrepetition.com

Charcoal chicken, fried chicken, hamburgers, chicken burgers, fish and chips, souvlaki, homemade schnitzel, garlic cream potatoes.

Friendly atmosphere, Open 6am to 3pm.

COMMONWEALTH BANK Unit 3, 3739 Little Boundary Rd, Laverton North

MELTON CHINESE MEDICINE Shop 4, 264 High S, Melton

Corporate Banking centre at Laverton North which looks after the banking needs of businesses in the West.

AUSTRALAND PO Box 19450 Southbank, 3006 Australand is the developer of West Park Industrial Estate which comprises over 280 hectares of land in Derrimut. We have the ability to sell industrial land or purpose build facilities for your requirements.

In Melton Chinese Medicine we give our clients the opportunity to focus on their wellness rather than sickness by providing unlimited number of natural and gentle treatments for one year.

GROUNDTRUTH MAPPING SYSTEMS 8 Sassafras Close, Point Cook Groundtruth Mapping Systems helps municipalities, catchment management authorities, valuers and other organisations to work more efficiently and make better decisions by using geospatial information in their business processes.

DANCEMAX Cnr Heaths and Derrimut Rds, Werribee Plaza Library Complex Level 1

CARTRIDGE WORLD WERRIBEE 2/32 Synnot St, Werribee

DanceMax is the fun and friendly experience!

Classes for students from 2 years to adults in Jazz, Tap, Classical Ballet, Acrobatics and Hip Hop. Specialist beginners classes, boys classes and adult classes available.

Cartridge World Werribee, your one stop shop for all your printer needs. Printer and printer cartridge specialists. A wide range of printers, faxes, paper and fax supplies.

DEXUS PROPERTY GROUP 1/180 Flinders St, Melbourne rod.speakman@dexus.com Dexus own and develop industrial land in the Truganina precinct; own and manage numerous blue chip facilities in the West.

PAULA’S CHOICE (AUST) PTY LTD Unit 10/2230 Wallace Ave, Point Cook Online skincare and cosmetics nationally and throughout SE Asia. Selling products from the acclaimed author Paula Begoun the Cosmetics Cop. PC sell products in Europe, Asia, SE Asia and Asia Pacific.

WERRIBEE COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION CENTRE 3 Princes Hwy, Werribee Werribee Community and Education Centre is a registered training organisation providing courses in language, literacy and numeracy, vocational education and training, the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning, employment skills and hobby and leisure classes.

POLAR FRESH COLD CHAIN SERVICES 12-18 Distribution Dve, Truganina Polar Fresh provides cold chain services to a major supermarket chain and has a unique combination of inspired people, industry acumen and an unflinching drive to achieve success.

LINKING MELBOURNE AUTHORITY Level 1, Building 1, 540 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley Linking Melbourne Authority is responsible for the planning process for WestLink.

DRAGONFLY SCRAPBOOKING 12 Galilee Blvd, Melton Small homebased scrapbooking business.

Fortnightly workshops, monthly garage sales and twiceyearly retreats.

SAVILLS (VIC) PTY LTD Level 25, 140 William St, Melbourne Savills provides clients with innovative property solutions and expertise in sales, leasing, valuations, and all aspects of property and business management.

WYNBAY LLEN INC. Building C5, Level 1, 2 Main St, Pt Cook Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLENs) are a grouping or network of organisations and individuals interested and involved in education, training and employment, and in particular how these relate to young people in the age range 1019 years. WynBay LLEN covers the regions of Wyndham and Hobsons Bay. For more details and for a membership form please contact WynBay LLEN on 9394 6331.

DEPARTMENT OF INNOVATION, INDUSTRY AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT 3 Belair Ave, Glenroy Supporting business growth, investment, employment and export within Northern and Western Metropolitan Melbourne.

SOUTHERN AURORA SHEDS 122 134 High St, Melton Southern Aurora Sheds specialises in the supply of quality sheds and water tanks for a diverse range of needs ranging from small suburban backyards to lifestyle, farming, and commercial applications.

LEADWEST LTD PO Box 2382 Footscray 3011 The objective of LeadWest is to foster and undertake actions that will support, sustainable growth and regional development of Melbourne’s western region. It aims to build on the existing social, economic and environmental capacity of the region and to plan and create a sustainable future for the well being of the communities of the region.

BUSINESS WEST

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BW NETWORK SHOWCASE DIGITAL MEDIA Unit 1, 29 Westwood Dve, Ravenhall

WOODS REAL ESTATE Box 83, Melton, 3337

GET PRINTED! 10 Hounslow Green, Caroline Springs

Worldfirst digital centre piece for advertising, sponsor recognition, marketing, promotions, etc.

At Woods Real Estate our philosophy is to work hard and be available when our clients have time and need to see us. We are open 7 days a week until 7pm

From design through to delivery we pride ourselves on getting all things printed and organised for you. Talk to us for design, print, copy and marketing services.

CAT’S BODY CRAFTS PO Box 2251, Melton South, 3338

BUSINESS WAREHOUSE 68 Berkshire Rd, Sunshine

Cat’s Body Crafts specialises in Bowen therapy, pregnancy, relaxation, remedial and seated massage in Melton and Caroline Springs.

Buyers and sellers of new and used pallet racking, industrial and retail shelving, shopfittings, office furniture and warehousing equipment.

THE YARRAVILLE CLUB 135 Stephen St,Yarraville

CARE CONNECT INC. 94 Empress Ave, Kingsville

The Yarraville Club is a not-for-profit community club providing dining, entertainment and bar facilities to members and visitors. Function rooms are available for hire. The cub supports local community groups.

Aged care/disability case management agency providing also home care services.

A national organization with offices in all states along the Eastern Seaboard

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY Footscray Nicholson Campus, PO Box 14428 MCMC

Small business consultants with bigger business ideas for small business growth Marketing business skills planning strategy.

STATION HOTEL 59 Napier St, Footscray Station Hotel’s concept is simple create a relaxed, informal pub environment with well prepared food using quality ingredients, plenty of cold beer on tap and a small but interesting wine list. Station Hotel is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. ‘The Age’ Good Food Guide 2010 recommended.

BELMONT FINANCIAL PLANNERS Shop 3/165 High St, Belmont Maximising your entire financial situation is vital for quality of life. With your finances under control now and for the future, enjoyment of other aspects of your life becomes easier.

ELDERS REAL ESTATE david@elderswerribee.com.au One of Wyndham’s longest established real estate agents, offering professional residential sales, property management and auctions. Specialists in the marketing and sale of medium to large sized residential land developments.

ANNECTO 81 Cowper St, Footscray We are a NFP community organisation committed to enabling inclusion and opportunities for people with disability, older people, families and carers.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP P.O. Box 31,Sunshine, 3020 NIBE helps accelerate your business.

Give your staff, yourself a fast track marketing qualification. Do street smart Courses, Accredited Certificates and Diplomas. Network with top industry experts. www.nibe.com.au INDEPENDENT DISTILLERS 50 Swann Drive, Laverton Independent Distillers manufactures, markets and sells a range of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages for domestic and export markets.

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BUSINESS WEST

Managing new initiatives for VU Community Gateways takes the university out into community space to provide individual career counselling (no charge with qualified counsellors), language and skills assessment and referrals, workshops etc. Developing a mobile Gateway using a large vehicle that can work with industry in their own space.

Launch is on May 19 at Highpoint.

HOBAN RECRUITMENT 32 Little Boundary Rd, Laverton North Entirely Australianowned recruitment services provider, specialising in temporary and permanent recruitment for industrial and commercial sectors. Hoban services Government, large corporations through to SMEs. CASDELL PTY LTD 13 Corris St, Yarraville Bakers Delight Franchise located in Footscray Plaza.

DEBORAH SELLECK BRIDAL AND EVENING COUTURE 80 Charles St, Seddon Deborah Selleck Bridal and Evening Couture specialises in elegant oneofakind exquisite bridal and evening gowns. made from the finest imported fabrics. New ready to wear range now available. Appointments required.

Phone 9687 8493

CATHERINE WHELAN & ASSOCIATES PO Box 261, Brunswick East, 3057

SANCTUARY LAKES CLUB LIMITED Greg Norman Drive, Sanctuary Lakes Sanctuary Lakes Club is a members golf club with magnificent facilities including a Greg Normandesigned championship golf course, a driving range, a restaurant and bar, and a function centre that hosts up to 120 people. The hospitality facilities are open to the public.

COMITTTEE FOR WYNDHAM INC P.O. Box 2296, Werribee, 3030 CFW operates as a facilitator and catalyst to help shape our community in a strategic and consultative manner and robustly represent relevant interests to ensure potential for Wyndham as a preferred place to live, work and recreate, is realised.

COMPLETE HIRE EQUIPMENT PTY LTD 185 Fairbairn Rd, Sunhine We hire all types of equipment from the home handy man to the construction worker.

FOR YOUR DIARY

MAY Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

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Friday

Saturday

Sunday

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3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Cash Flow Management Email Marketing Seminar Seminar Maribyrnong City Gannawarra Centre, Council offices, 132 Keilor Rd, corner Hyde & Napier North Essendon.

Sts, Footscray. From 6pm to 8pm. $20. 6pm to 8pm. $20.

Call 9243 8866 Call 9688 0195 to register to register

Women in Business Network Breakfast Western Local Community Partnership, Devonshire Rd, Sunshine. 7am-9am.

Contact Michelle Micallef 0488 100 082

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 ATO Tax Basics Seminar Moonee Valley City Council, 9 Kellaway Ave, Moonee Ponds. 5pm to 8pm. Free.

Call 9243 8866 to register

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LeadWest Federal and State Budget Breakfast Briefing Employer Update Seminar Wyndham Civic Centre, Function Centre, 45 Princes Hwy, Werribee.

4.30pm to 6.30pm

Pricing and Packaging Workshop www.destination melbourne.com.au

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ATO Record Keeping Workshop Moonee Valley City Council, 9 Kellaway Ave, Moonee Ponds. 1pm to 4.30pm. Free.

Call 9243 8866 to register

Maximise Your Website Seminar Hobsons Bay Civic Centre, 115 Civic Parade, Altona. $20. 6pm to 8pm.

Call 9932 1000 to register

2010 Employment Expo Clocktower Centre, 153 Mount Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds.

To exhibit call 9243 8866

Got a business breakfast, workshop, seminar or event coming up in June and July? Make sure it is listed in Business Westâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s For Your Diary feature by emailing business.west@ starnewsgroup.com.au

BUSINESS WEST

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Let our Free Same Day service take care of your business deliveries.

Place your order online, over the phone or fax before 11.30am and get it delivered on the same day.^ Order more than $55 in one transaction online, over the phone or fax and delivery is free.^ Interested in becoming an Officeworks 30 Day Business Account Customer?

Call 1300 OFFICE (633 423) or visit us online at www.officeworks.com.au

^All deliveries are made on business days and incur a $4.95 handling charge. Big & Bulky items may incur an additional charge. Free and Same Day delivery not available for Big & Bulky items and is only available in metro areas. For more information on delivery visit www.officeworks.com.au or call 1300 OFFICE (633 423). Printed for Officeworks Superstores Pty Ltd ABN 36 004 763 526.

OW2638 464511-SH17-10