BABCOCK Australasia has announced the opening of its new facility in Adelaide, South Australia, which will see its maintenance, manufacturing, and repair footprint in the state capital double.
The Defence-accredited building, worth $31 million, will be home to more than 100 Babcock engineers and technical experts working across nationally significant defence programs.
Babcock Australasia, which specialises in defence engineering and logistics, says the facility will support critical sovereign army and navy programs.
The facility, located in the suburb of Woodville North in the city’s north-west, features a 4000 square metre custom-built manufacturing workshop and warehouse, equipped with “state of the art” technology to increase operational throughput, along with an additional 2000 square metres of office space.
The new facility replaces Babcock’s operations at Osborne, and has been flexibly designed to expand so it can easily cater for the future needs of Australia’s submarine program, the company said, including the substantial work which will be required to successfully execute AUKUS Pillars 1 and 2.
Further defence work to be developed at the facility includes systems on the Hunter Class frigates, and counter chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive asset management.
Babcock Australasia CEO Andrew Cridland said the cutting-edge facility underpins the company’s commitment to its Defence customers by positioning it at the forefront of national defence capabilities.
“The additional space means we can scale up our sustainment output on the Collin Class fleet, deliver Life of Type Extension projects, and provide a critical pathway to AUKUS by ensuring these submarines remain operational until the first of the nuclear-powered submarines hit the water,” Mr Cridland said.
“At Babcock our mission is to create a safe and secure world together, and we can already see this facility acting as a centre of collaboration for young engineers who share that ambition and want to hone their craft in an environment that gives them opportunities to grow their careers right here in Adelaide.”
Babcock says the facility’s opening signals a significant uplift in capability for the company’s defence operations in SA by providing additional space to engineer, assemble, and test equipment under simulated conditions, as well as deliver a full suite of high-quality asset management services.
It affirmed the move to the new facility is well-timed for engineers and graduates working on the Hunter Class program, as it presents them with hands-on opportunities to perform design work and apply their STEM skills in the creation and optimisation of mechanical systems.
Owned and constructed by real estate developer Commercial & General and leased to Babcock under a long-term arrangement, the building is designed to be carbon neutral in operation, and features a 99 kilowatts rooftop solar array, ground water harvesting, electric vehicle charging stations, and energy-saving lighting.
Commercial & General executive chariman Jamie McClurg said, “Completed on program, on budget and within 12 months, this facility marks a major advancement in South Australia’s defence infrastructure”.
Babcock confirmed approximately 200 construction jobs were supported during the build process, which was undertaken by Tandem Building Group.
The company says the new facility will be fully operational by the end of the year.
