Babcock Australasia’s (Babcock) $7 million extension of its custom-built facility at Woodville North is now complete – further expanding the company’s footprint in South Australia to support critical Defence projects, including AUKUS.
The new multi-million dollar extension expands the $31 million cutting-edge facility – opened in October last year – which houses more than 100 staff working across nationally significant programs supporting the Collins Class submarine fleet and Hunter Class frigates and Defence’s Counter Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (C-CBRNE) program.
As the Adelaide-headquartered defence prime gears up to support the nation-building AUKUS endeavour, the company has future-proofed its operations by adding two new ten-tonne overhead cranes to the site, which can be utilised on a range of different projects.
The expanded warehousing assembly hall also serves as a new bespoke production and test facility to support Babcock’s upgrade and enhancement of the nation’s Defence High Frequency Communications System (JP9101) – an $877 million program and Babcock Australasia’s single largest contract to date. A team of 18 specialist engineers will work in the space where they will conduct required integration testing on the new communications system before it is deployed to sites across Australia.
The extension has grown the facility by an extra 50 per cent to now total 6,000 sqm of floorspace.
Babcock partnered again with Commercial & General to deliver the expansion, supporting more than 100 construction jobs over the six-month build.
Quotes attributable to Babcock Australasia CEO Andrew Cridland:
“Babcock continues to future-proof its capability through further expanding our operations in South Australia. Our $7 million Woodville North expansion enables us to deliver critical current Defence priorities such as our work supporting key programs like JP9101, and future national priorities, like AUKUS.
“We are excited to continue to expand our operations in South Australia – it allows us to support more jobs and provide exciting career opportunities to attract local, national and interstate talent to the state.”
Quotes attributable to Commercial & General Executive Chairman Jamie McClurg:
“We are privileged to continue our partnership with Babcock delivering the second stage at Woodville North – supporting the expansion of their operations.
Our team have earned a track record in the defence sector for their ability to execute with precision and are proud to be contributing to the important economic opportunity that AUKUS provides for South Australia.”
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Defence and Space Industries Stephen Mullighan:
This significant development not only reinforces South Australia’s position as a national defence manufacturing hub but also highlights the critical role local industry continues to play in supporting our sovereign defence capabilities.
Babcock’s facility will help SA to deliver on an ambitious AUKUS initiative and ensure we are ready to take on other future defence projects.
