Companies score $150 million through NZTE service
18 August 2005 – New Zealand businesses in the engineering, marine and construction industries are winning millions of
dollars worth of business and fast-tracking their expansion into the Australia Pacific region thanks to an
Internet-based market intelligence tool provided by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE).
In the past 12 months, the number of successful business leads identified by ProjectLink has reached $150 million – a
strong motivator for other companies in the same sectors to take advantage of the service.
Recent business wins include a $25 million contract won by long time ProjectLink subscriber, Fitzroy Engineering, to
supply flash tanks to Australian aluminium company Comalco. The contract was originally awarded at $16 million in 2002.
ProjectLink had been reporting on this project for many years and the regularly updated information proved useful to
Fitzroy Engineering as they monitored the project. The contract was then extended by another $9 million after the scope
of the project was increased.
In June, Dunedin based engineering company, Farra Fabrication was awarded a $57,000 contract to supply a reactor vessel
to Nufarm, an Australian chemical company that specialises in crop protection. Farra Fabrication had only been a
ProjectLink subscriber for two weeks when they were given an opportunity to bid because of the difficulty Nufarm
experienced in finding local contractors at the right price.
Another contract was won in June in Fiji by quarrying and contracting firm HG Leach, which was named the preferred
supplier for a $10 million tender to complete the Naboro Land waste site for the Fiji Public Work Department.
“ProjectLink is New Zealand’s secret weapon when it comes to finding business opportunities in the Australia Pacific
region,” said NZTE Trade Commissioner Penelope Lawry. “There is no other government service in the world that offers
genuine business leads to this level of detail and success rate.”
Greg Mischefski, Marketing Manager International from Fitzroy Engineering says ProjectLink is a powerful entrée to
valuable networks and industry contacts.
“The Fitzroy Engineering Group was one of the first subscribers to ProjectLink. We saw its value immediately and used it
to help us break into the Australian market,” said Mr Mischefski.
Scott Hellyer, Divisional Manager at Farra Fabrication says using ProjectLink enables them to identify business
opportunities earlier than they would have alone.
“Without ProjectLink, we wouldn’t have known about the opportunity with Nufarm. We are a large engineering firm but
relatively unknown in the wider market. ProjectLink helps us identify opportunities that we would have otherwise been
unaware of,” said Mr Hellyer.
ProjectLink is not only targeted at companies that are new to exporting but is also used as a tool to compliment the
market intelligence gathering by established exporters.
Ms Lawry says ProjectLink also gives New Zealand companies a greater understanding and appreciation of the Australia
Pacific region they are working in which improves their prospects of securing work.
“With ProjectLink, our researchers throughout Australia and the Pacific talk directly to decision-makers in companies
across a wide range of sectors. Identifying business opportunities often even before a tender is announced, ProjectLink
is giving New Zealand businesses a significant advantage to make a strong impression before the competition heats up.
“As well as specific project opportunities, subscribers can find out who the major players are in the industry, what
type of projects a company is working on and who the key contacts are in the market,” says Ms Lawry.
The primary sectors ProjectLink focuses on include:
-Construction (Medical, tourism, office, retail, public buildings, entertainment and residential)
-Production (agricultural, chemical, dairy, mining, packaging, pharmaceuticals, timber)
-Marine (commercial, componentry, recreation, maintenance)
-Infrastructure (airports, bridges, energy, ports, rail, roads, telecoms, water, waste)
-Services (consultancy, education, research).
ENDS
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is the New Zealand Government's economic development agency, committed to helping
businesses grow their international competitiveness, profitability, and capability. www.nzte.govt.nz