WA Shipwrighting Pty Ltd opened for business on April Fools’ Day in 1998.
WA Shipwrighting Pty Ltd opened for business on April Fools' Day in 1998.
Co-founders Robert Camarda and Rod Munro, both shipwrights by trade, were keen to make use of their skills and develop a business servicing vessels that required hold cleaning and specialist cargo services in Western Australian ports.
The Naval Base business grew moderately during its first four years, but balancing work life with personal time became a problem, particularly for Mr Camarda, whose wife gave birth to triplets.
But even more upheaval was to follow not long after, as Mr Camarda found himself in hospital fighting for his life.
Despite life-threatening internal bleeding caused by complications from a previous condition, Mr Camarda still had his wife bring work into the hospital for him to keep the business going.
"There I was, close to checking out in the operating room and I just felt I was going to die; I felt like I was slipping away," Mr Camarda told WA Business News.
"It was then that I made a promise to myself that if I got out of that operating room I was going to get the balance [between work and family life] right.
"I made all sorts of promises to my wife and young family which I found difficult to keep, especially recently when increasing labour shortages mean that everyone in the business is working longer and harder.
"Up until recently I was not only the MD but also the senior supervisor, office manager and sometimes workshop foreman as well.
I knew things had to change but it was difficult to let go." Drawing on his learning from a managerial course taken at Curtin University of Technology, Mr Camarda began to systematically organise both his working life and personal life to "improve the work-life balance".
By delegating tasks and accepting that he could no longer take on all the responsibilities, he discovered that his business was still capable of growing, even though he was spending less time at work.
"I had already started the ball rolling by employing Clint John, initially as workshop foreman, who is now the operations manager (and shareholder) who handles most of the day-to-day technical stuff, allowing me to concentrate on marketing, business development and that," Mr Camarda said "This in itself makes for a stronger business; we are now proactive in our thinking rather than reactive.
As a result, our planning is better and our processes more streamlined, meaning we provide yet better service.
"The labour shortage remains an ongoing problem and although we have strategies in place now to deal with this, it remains a constant challenge.
Although I am personally working less, I am much more productive with my time." Mr Camarda said systemising WA Shipwrighting's operations, by delegating and prioritising tasks, and by distributing responsibilities, enable the business to grow into a more reputable operation.
Now, WA Shipwrighting has an established boat building and fit-out division and exports its services to both Asia and Europe.
