Mark Beyer

The preferred bidder for the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline is planning to spend more than $400 million over the next five years to increase the pipeline’s capacity by 35 per cent.

Home Building Society’s new managing director is confident the business has laid solid foundations for more substantial growth and success in future.

Listed engineering and contracting companies have been among the biggest winners from the boom in resource and infrastructure investment across Australia.

Engineering firm Murray & Roberts last week joined a long list of South African companies making major acquisitions in Australia. Mark Beyer reports on their patchy track record.

THE potential investment in Western Australia’s iron ore industry could top $10 billion, with at least three aspiring producers seeking to break the domination of Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton Iron Ore.

The current problems facing biotech company Chemeq add to Western Australia’s poor track record in technology commercialisation. Mark Beyer reports.

WA Business News’ inaugural survey of resource and infrastructure projects has found that China and energy are the two common themes. Mark Beyer reports.

THE development of new and improved infrastructure will account for a big chunk of investment spending over the next few years.

INVESTORS will have a rare opportunity to invest directly in the mining services sector when Bassendean company Labtech Essa launches a $3 million share market float next month.

The number of people undertaking apprenticeships in Australia has gone through a long-term decline, driven in part by the privatisation of government utilities, a national study h

The strength of the State’s resource sector has been reflected in the companies that dominated the top-performing stocks over the past 12 months to June.

Concern about Western Australia’s skills shortage is growing as industry finds it increasingly difficult to recruit the people it needs. Mark Beyer reports.

Total Shareholder Return is a well-recognised tool for analysing the high-level performance of listed companies.

Food manufacturer Kailis & France Foods is planning to increase its size and diversify its business in response to margin pressure from Australia’s big supermarket chains.

Bottled water company Refresh is raising extra capital to support its continued growth, including further moves into the big interstate markets.

Alinta is believed to have teamed up with Alcoa and Macquarie Bank to lodge a joint bid for the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline.

Oil and gas giants ChevronTexaco and Woodside have set off alarm bells in business and government by raising the possibility of sending engineering design work for the Gorgon and Train Five projects offshore.

Two experienced insurance brokers have formed a new firm that plans to target the top end corporate market in Western Australia.

A multi-million dollar Federal Government assistance package for WA’s timber industry just before an election has raised questions about the process, reports Mark Beyer.

The single largest investment in Western Australia’s timber industry is about to start bearing fruit at a vast factory at the Neerabup industrial estate, north of Wanneroo.

State Opposition leader Colin Barnett has announced plans to reverse most of the Gallop Government’s industrial relations reforms to pave the way for more individual employment agreements.