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transfieldservices.comTHE TRANSFIELD SERVICES BUSINESS MAGAZINE23comparisons we want to draw for Defence.”Derek’s passion for leveraging the strengths of the Company becomeeven more evident as he talks through the similarities of very differenttypes of assets and how maintenance practices are transferable – and infact advantageous – across industries.“For too long the defence industry has hired large defence contractorsbecause they think their equipment is special and different – buteveryone’s equipment is special and different. Telstra’s equipment?Guess what? That’s special and different. With the Department ofTransport in Western Australia we maintain navigation aids kilometresoffshore. Look at the maintenance work the Company does for majormining and oil and gas companies. All our clients’ assets are specialand different. It’s your ability to manage these assets in high risksituations that is the key.”INDUSTRY TRENDS – MINING INFLUENCEON THE MAINTENANCE GAMEThe maintenance landscape in Australia has changed and the resourcesboom has fundamentally changed the game.Derek compares the difference in approach of mining companies with thedefence industry: “A mining company won’t stand for a bit of equipmentbeing down for four to six hours due to a failure, whereas defence haslonger downtime periods. For example, they might send a key asset to thenorth, something goes wrong and they bring it on a truck to the south tobe repaired and overhauled, and then send it back up again.”“Mining companies quickly realised the efficiency gained by proactivelymaintaining their equipment as opposed to moving their equipmentwhen it required repair, so they move their workforce to their equipment –whereas Defence will often move their equipment to the workforce.”While financial limitations may be the reason behind why the defenceindustry continues with its current approach, Derek argues that thereis definitely a case for Defence to have a hard look at its standards ofavailability of its equipment and what turnaround time should in fact be– using the mining industry as a starting point. This may enable Defenceto achieve some of the savings and efficiencies they’re currentlyseeking. And this is precisely where Transfield Services can help.* BARE BASE: The Royal Australian Air Force currently maintains three Bare Bases in remoteareas of Northern Australia. These bases were developed in the 1980s and 1990s in line withthe Defence of Australia Policy in order to enhance the RAAF’s ability to conduct combatoperations from the Australian mainland. The bare bases are well provisioned with bunkersand other defensive facilities and have the capability to support the RAAF’s F/A-18 Hornetsduring wartime, exercises and civilian emergencies.OUR DEFENCE MAGNATESDEREK OSBORN joined Transfield Servicesin 2003 on a facilities management contract inWestern Australia. He then moved to Perth andbecame an operations manager which includedthree defence contracts. Prior to this he had noexperience working with the defence industry.“I was quickly immersed in the world of defence. It was a veryacronym-rich environment. I’ll never forget in one of my firstmeetings with a Colonel, I asked him to explain an acronym forme and he couldn’t. He knew what it meant, what it was implying– but he didn’t know what the letters actually stood for. From thatpoint on I knew that I could get by.” says Derek.Derek now heads up national operations for the Property andAsset Services business.“I like the fact that I don’t have a defence background becauseit allows me to ask difficult questions and challenge some of thethings that others take for granted. I think our business benefitsfrom having a balance between a large number of people whowere in Defence for much of their career and people who havenever been in the Defence Force. This is the sort of thing I reallyadmire and enjoy about working with Defence. The ability to havea conversation, even difficult ones when it’s required and still notaffect the relationship,” Derek says.DAVE REYNOLDS joined TransfieldServices in 2006 and has more than 15 yearsof experience providing support services tothe defence industry. He has recently beenappointed as the National Manager – Defence,looking after our defence operations in WesternAustralia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.“Transfield Services and Defence are a great mix. Defencerecognise that we are willing to work with them to establishsustainable outcomes that benefit both organisations. For example,Transfield Services received feedback in 2004 that we shouldestablish an in-house catering solution. Our service was first testedin 2005 with the commencement of the Garrison Support Servicescontract in South Australia. We now provide in excess of two millionmeals per annum for Defence across the country,” Dave says.1999 – October: Inconjunction with theThales Group from France,Transfield purchased ADI,the government’s defencecontractor and Australia’s onlysupplier of military ordnance.2004:TransfieldServices renewsGSS-SA contract.2007: TransfieldServices renewsGSS-WAcontract.2011: Transfield Services awardedComprehensive Maintenance Servicesservicing primarily RAAF Base Williamtownin Newcastle and Singleton Military Area inNew South Wales, as well as bases spreadfrom the Hawkesbury River north of Sydneyto the Queensland border.1998: Transfield Servicesawarded Garrison SupportServices (GSS) contracts inSouth Australia, SouthernVictoria and WesternAustralia (WA).2002: ADI won contractto upgrade command,control and guidedmissile launch systemson the Perry Classfrigates, worth morethan $1 billion.2006: TransfieldServices renewsGSS-SV contract.2009: Transfield Services renewsArmy Logistics and Support contractin the Hunter Valley. TransfieldServices also awarded the AirWarfare Destroyer contract fromASC (formerly Australian SubmarineCorporation).Transfield Services was alsoawarded ComprehensiveMaintenance Servicescontract including BaseSupport Services at DefenceEstablishment Woomera inSouth Australia.