Trade office mission allows delegates to connect to EU

Delegates taking part in a trade mission organised by the Western Australian Government’s European Trade Office together with the Department of Commerce say the event allowed them to make valuable contacts with overseas investors and industry.

The trade mission, organised to coincide with the Offshore Europe Exhibition and Conference in Aberdeen, Scotland attracted 26 delegates from Western Australian companies. The group was made up of executives from Civmec Construction and Engineering, Diversified Exhibitions Australia, BAE Systems Australia, Eilbeck Cranes Australia, GMA Garnet, Hertel Modern Offshore, Industry Capability Network Western Australia, Australian Project Management, Oceaneering Australia, Matrix Composites & Engineering, Rig Inspection Services, Open Door Migration, Vigil Antislip, Westralian Engineering Services, Velocious and Peak Well Systems.

Bill Hare from Diversified Exhibitions Australia, which presents the Australasian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference, said the visit was a success.

“Offshore Europe afforded me an excellent opportunity to make new contacts and strengthen existing networks which will certainly lead to new business from all over the world but especially from the UK,” he said.

“Being part of the Western Australian delegation added much value through the sharing of contacts, and through the organized networking events such as the Scotland seminar and Lord Provost function.”

“Many thanks to Paul Mercer from the Department of Commerce for his meticulous organisation of the delegation and to the wonderful support from the WAGO office led by Kerry Sanderson and Stuart Russell.”

After the conference the delegation spent two days in London attending a briefing with British Chemical Engineering Contractors Association and the Energy Industries Council as well as having meetings with a number of large companies involved in the industry. The group then travelled to Rotterdam, and to The Hague before heading to Paris for more meetings with industry experts.

The meetings with senior representatives from several Engineering Procurement Construction and Management (EPCM) companies arranged for the delegation were designed to raise awareness about Western Australia’s capacity to provide engineering and construction skills and support to a broad range of developments being planned in the state

Brett Phillips, Operations Manager of Oceaneering said the trade mission proved to be a useful networking tool.

“Being part of the Western Australian delegation to Offshore Europe has provided me with a number of new contacts and strengthens existing local relationships with fellow delegates,” he said.

“The networks generated from being part of the delegation will certainly lead to new business opportunities that otherwise are unlikely to have been made.”

 

IMAGE: 1. Stephen McCorkill Managing Director, Vigil Antislip 2.  Rob Egan, Chief Operating Officer, Rig Inspection Services 3. Gus Haagh, CEO of Haagh Protection BV 4. Jill Stajduhar, Business Development Manager, Energy and Minerals Institute, University of Western Australia 5. Brett Mastaglia, Engineering Site Manager/Project Engineer, Westralian Engineering Services 6. Stuart Russell, Senior Trade and Investment Manager WA Government Trade Office 7. Brett Silich, Managing Director, Velocious 8. Andrew White, Managing Director, Hertel Modern 9. Frank Mastaglia, Managing Director, Westralian Engineering Services 10. Linus O’Brien, Manager, Industry Capability Network Western Australia