April 21, 2011

The Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare met with South Australian company J&H Williams Holdings Pty Ltd on April 21, 2011. Williams is successfully manufacturing ventilation ducting for the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) project – one of Australia’s largest naval shipbuilding projects.

Minister Clare visited Williams at Port Adelaide which has secured a contract to supply components that are being used to build the AWDs at Techport Australia.

The AWD Alliance is responsible for building three Hobart Class ships for the Royal Australian Navy at the Government of South Australia’s Common Uses Facility.  The AWD Alliance is a partnership between ASC, Raytheon Australia and the Commonwealth Government’s Defence Materiel Organisation.

Williams is a family-owned third-generation company that is doing a good job supplying ventilation ducting for the AWD build phase.

Williams is an example of the successful working relationships that are underway between South Australian businesses and the AWD Alliance.

The AWD Alliance said Williams Laser Cutting and Fabrication is manufacturing quality ductwork for Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) and fabricating laser cut parts for the AWDs.  Each ship needs about 3800 metres of HVAC ducting, which is demanding a lot of work from Williams over many months.

Williams has a total workforce of 18 people, including two apprentices, with nearly half of the workforce working directly on AWD project.

The AWD project is strengthening the manufacturing base in South Australia as well as boosting Australia’s naval shipbuilding capability.

The AWD Alliance has awarded more than $40 million in contracts to South Australian companies, including contracts to Babcock Integrated Technology Australia, Ottoway Engineering (pipe fabrication), Onesteel/Whyalla Steel (supply of steel products) and Transfield Services (blast and paint).

The enormity of the project is reflected in the large quantity of supplies needed to build each ship including - 51 kms of piping; 427 kms of electrical cable, 4,700 tonnes of steel and 137,800 litres of paint. 

The AWD Alliance is on track to exceed the target of over 50 percent Australian Industry Content.  It is estimated the project expenditure could reach over $2 billion in South Australia alone over the next ten years.

The project will create 3000 jobs nationally, with flow on benefits to thousands of businesses and families. In South Australia alone, 800 jobs have already been created and, at its peak, there will be 1000 people working on the AWD Project at Techport Australia.