business review australia & asia - july 2016

JULY 2016WWW.BUSINESSREVIEWAUSTRALIA.COM

SPECIAL FEATURE:Charter Hall

SPECIAL REPORT

6 FASTEST GROWING TECH COMPANIES

IMPLEMENTING

DIGITALHealthcaresolutions

TALKING through CHANGE

Company Profile

H E L L O A N D W E L C O M E T O the July issue of Business Review Australia & Asia,

Economies across the world are wrestling with the fallout from the commodity price downturn and the clarion call for economic diversification grows louder by the day.

In light of this, we feature a contribution that explores how Vietnam is growing into the next big supply chain hub in South East Asia and how, even in more developed markets, the business imperative is changing. Australias Spotless Group being a prime example of this. We also take a look at the fastest growing Asian technology companies and the factors that have contributed this unheard of growth.

In a similar vein, our cover story on Allscripts explores how the company is revolutionising its digital processes, bringing together a number of stakeholders in the Australian healthcare space to deliver advanced healthcare solutions.

Nye Longman Editor

[email protected]

IN TH IS ISSUE

3

E D I T O R S C O M M E N T

TECHNOLOGY

30 Charter Hall

46 True IDC Co.,Ltd

ENERGY

56 UASG/AES (Spotless Group)

80 Asplundh

TRANSPORT

92 Gold Coast Cabs

HEALTHCARE

106 Allscripts

SUPPLY CHAIN

128 Vision Australia

146 Siam Winery

158 Mon Logistics Group

CONSTRUCTION

170 Delta Group

EDUCATION

184 Open Colleges

MANUFACTRUING

198 Epic Group

COMPANY PROFILES

FEATURES

CONTENTS

6 Leadership 12 Technology 22 Top 6

4 J u l y 2 0 1 6

30

92

Charter Hall

Gold Coast Cabs

5128

Asplundh

Siam Winery 146

8056

128

UASG/AES (Spotless Group)

Vision Australia Gold Coast Cabs

W R I T T E N BY: J O H N O H A N L O N

LEADERSHIP

Stephen Ellich is the CEO of Spotless Groups utilities infrastructure and asset management unit UASG. Together with its partner A E Smith (AES), was faced with the task of restructuring and refocusing the businesses on climate change and energy efficiency

Talking through

CHANGE:

Stephen Ellich is the CEO of Spotless Groups utilities infrastructure and asset management unit UASG. Together with its partner A E Smith (AES), was faced with the task of restructuring and refocusing the businesses on climate change and energy efficiency

Talking through

CHANGE:

8 J u l y 2 0 1 6

LEADERSHIP

WITH A SUCCESSFUL track record of leading large organisations

through transformational change to

deliver sustainable growth, profitability

and strong operating cash flow,

Stephen Ellich took to the refocus with

enthusiasm. We asked him to reveal

some of his secrets.

His biggest challenge, he says was

integrating the disparate businesses

into a very large corporation. Both

had come out of private ownership.

The cultural differences transferring

from a private company to a large

Stock Exchange listed company

have been significant to overcome.

To ensure business runs as cost

effectively as possible is also part of

the journey.

He sees his management style

as one of bringing people along on

the journey. I try to give the team a

vision and a direction. Something

they can believe in and follow.

Though integration challenges look

large and complicated, the prize at

the end for everyone is worth a little

inconvenience.

What about the natural inertia?

Everyone handles change differently.

9A U S T R A L I A & A S I A

Usually they can get through that initial

tentativeness. I find the best thing is to

have open communication with people

about what is going on to explain

why we are doing it, being upfront

about potential impacts and giving

them the opportunity to participate in

the change journey.

I have been involved in many

change programmes and we get

better at it the more we do. He adds

realistically: Not everyone will be

happy, I can guarantee that! But the

vast majority can be persuaded by a

sound business case based on

sound values.

In fact he relishes working with

mavericks, and meets fortnightly with

his Innovations and Emerging Markets

group. You cannot tell people to be

creative or set a KPI on how many

ideas they have a month! I like to

ask them just a few basic questions:

Does this work help solve a customer

problem? Is the customer willing to

pay for the solution if you find it? Does

it have the potential to be scalable so it

will be commercially viable? Have you

thought through the regulatory and

legal requirements? If they meet those

1 0 J u l y 2 0 1 6

criteria, keep on innovating!

Communication is a big thing with

him, and the key, he thinks, to wider

societal issues. Asked what changes

hed suggest to benefit his industry

in Australia, he replies: While there

are interactions between the various

entities from time to time, these are

usually once off or ad hoc type of

events. There is very little industry-

wide collaboration on matters where

there would be a non-commercial

common benefit. One area where I feel

that collaboration could help improve

the industry is safety. Accordingly,

it would be good if contractors

and utilities had an annual forum

collaborating on safety initiatives to

address the root causes of common

incidents.

That response is a clue to what

really inspires Stephen Ellich. He is

ever looking for the opportunity to

help people along, and has served on

LEADERSHIP

1 1

the boards of the YMCA, with which

he maintains a deep involvement,

Edmund Rice Camps (a not-for-

profit [NFP] organisation, provides

camps for disadvantaged, refugee

and indigenous children and families)

and is on the NFP advisory board of

the Australian Institute of Company

Directors (AICD).

Nobody is perfect. Stephen has an

obsession with punctuality. I hate to

be late for anything, in my professional

life anyway. At home I frequently

have to take a more relaxed attitude!

Happily married for 25 years and with

two teenagers, he regards that as his

most successful venture of all though

somehow it comes as no surprise

to learn he also sits on the board

of his boys school, St Kevins College

in Melbourne.

A U S T R A L I A & A S I A

TECHNOLOGY

WRITTEN BY: JEFF STRYKER, PARTNER, HEIDRICK & STRUGGLESEDITED BY: NYE LONGMAN

Jeff Stryker, partner, Heidrick & Struggles explores the implications for supply chain managers as Asia-Pacific countries develop their

manufacturing operations to compete with China

VIETNAM THE RISE OF

INDUSTRY TRENDS AND TALENT IMPLICATIONS Factory Asia is the catchy name given

to the concentrated manufacturing

and supply chain hub in the Asia

Pacific region. For years, China had

the undisputed monopoly of Asias

manufacturing sector, literally putting

its Made in China stamp on a vast

array of products. However, other

players in Southeast Asia, including

Vietnam, Thailand, India, Malaysia

and Indonesia, are stepping up their

game to become attractive alternative

manufacturing centres.

In the challenging business

environment, there are greater

demands on supply chain

1 4 J u l y 2 0 1 6

TECHNOLOGY

professionals and also increased

competition for supply chain talent.

The challenge is finding talent with

the ability to work seamlessly across

multiple geographies, with the relevant

knowledge, language skills and

overseas experience. Staff retention

can also be difficult, as star players

may have numerous attractive offers

due to the talent shortage.

CHINA THE CHALLENGE TO STAY ON TOPDue to its low-cost labour, efficient

supply chains and relatively lenient

regulatory system, China earned

itself the title of the worlds factory.

However, the global financial crisis,


1 5

regulatory environment amidst

the push to ensure companies are

accountable for the quality of their

products, standards, and possibly

most importantly, the well-being of

their workers and the environment.

In tandem with these increased

regulations, Chinas President Xi

Jinping started an anti-corruption

campaign in 2012, with the aim of

rooting out corruption in government

and business.

While worker productivity in

rising labour costs and environmental

concerns have all contributed to

slowing manufacturing growth in the

country, with year-on-year growth

of 12.1 percent in 2010 dropping to

about 6.0 percent in 2015. With labour

and production costs on the rise,

many businesses have moved their

manufacturing bases out of China to

Southeast Asia.

Another factor that has affected

Chinas dominant position in the

global supply chain is the stricter

1 6 J u l y 2 0 1 6

TECHNOLOGY


China remains high, many supply

chain executives are increasingly

concerned about geopolitical turmoil,

and are de-risking their supply

chain platforms by seeking other

countries that can offer an attractive

manufacturing base. Although

Thailand and Malaysia were often seen

as alternatives in Asia Pacific, Vietnam

has truly become the darling of supply

chain executives looking for such

diversification.

VIETNAM THE SUPPLY CHAIN DARLING OF SOUTHEAST ASIA The worlds largest emerging

economies including Russia, Brazil

and China have been stumbling.

At the same time, Vietnams

economic growth was 6.7 percent

in 2015, making it among the fastest

growing markets globally and one

of the hottest markets in Southeast

Asia particularly its burgeoning

manufacturing platform.

Vietnam has a young and vibrant

workforce with a strong educational

footprint that will allow the countrys

labour force to grow by more than 1

million people per year. This is in stark

contrast to other Southeast Asian

countries which are experiencing

shrinking labour pools. In addition,

Vietnam is part of the Trans-Pacific

Partnership, a US-led trade deal which

is proving quite attractive for foreign

direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam.

The treaty will cut some 18,000 tariffs

in 12 countries, helping Vietnam

increase exports of locally made

products and find new markets.

Exports of manufactured products

in Vietnam will continue to expand,

given that 66 percent of disbursed

FDI in the first nine months of 2015

was directed into manufacturing.

Yet, although companies are

anticipating double-digit growth

for the foreseeable future, most

1 7

TECHNOLOGY


are aware that there are still some

pitfalls. Logistics costs are one of

our major concerns. We just dont get

the economy of scale pricing when

shipping products from our factories

out of Vietnam versus China, stated

a consumer supply chain executive.

We expect the cost curve to come

down over time, but currently we are

disadvantaged in this key logistics

metric.

The Vietnam supply chain narrative

looks strong going forward. However,

companies are not looking at Vietnam

in a singular vacuum, but rather as part

of an overall Asia Pacific supply chain

diversification strategy that is driven by

their end-customers.

ENHANCING THE SUPPLY CHAIN MODELWhile it is challenging to find

top executives in general, most

companies specifically struggle to

1 9

find the right people at the supervisor,

manager and director level. Reasons

include organisations not having a

talent pipeline in place, or that more

experienced workers in mature

markets may not be willing to move

or may not be familiar with the work

culture in Asia Pacific.

These days, many search projects

are regional and even global.

Companies have had to compromise

looking for candidates outside their

industry, or easing requirements for

in-country experience sometimes

sacrificing sector/product knowledge

in favour of cultural fit.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?The factory of the future will likely look at

centralising supply chain functions, and

limiting the number of locations to areas

2 0 J u l y 2 0 1 6

TECHNOLOGY

B U S I N E S S R E V I E W A U S T R A L I A & A S I A

where talent supplies are abundant,

rather than having multiple supply chain

points physically close to the factories.

This can help address many of todays

pressing concerns, including talent,

costs and risk mitigation.

The reality is that it can be hard to find

candidates with the right hard skills to

run a supply chain effectively, and the

soft skills to navigate business in the

Asia Pacific region. However, by being

innovative, organisations can address

the issues and still come out on top.

Next-generation supply chains need

to be agile and responsive, and must

be able to compete in a VUCA (volatile,

uncertain, complex and ambiguous)

world. At the end of the day, talent

is at the core and to succeed,

organisations need to create a new

talent paradigm that aligns with their

corporate strategy.

2 1

TECH COMPANIES TO WATCH IN 2016

6 ASIA-PACIFIC

TOP 6

2 3

Written by: Nye Longman

TECH COMPANIES TO WATCH IN 2016

Business Review Australia & Asia takes a look at some of APACs fastest growing tech companies and explores why they

will be the ones to watch this year

6 ASIA-PACIFIC

iDreamSky is Chains largest mobile game publisher and works with a number of leading mobile game developers from across the globe in order to localise their games to appeal to the massive Chinese mobile market. The company boasts over 98 million monthly active users and has a number of high profile partnerships with companies that include Disney, Tecent, and China Telecom.

Country: ChinaProduct: Software2015 Growth: 4,979 percent WWW.IDREAMSKY.COM

Characterised by high-growth percentages, technology companies are not only at the forefront of innovation but are leading a new trend of businesses that have very few bricks-and-mortar locations yet often rake in billions in profits. Business Review Australia & Asia uses data from last years Deloitte annual Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific (APAC) study, which takes a broad look at technology companies, from such diverse fields as life sciences, media, communications, and software.

2 4 J u l y 2 0 1 6

SHENZHEN IDREAMSKY TECHOLOGY CO LTD6

TOP 6


CHONGQING YIJIFU TECHNOLOGY CO LTD

Chongqing Yijifu Technology (or Yiji) offers international customers seeking entry into Chinese markets a comprehensive online cross boarder payment service (PSP) which covers payment, financial services and credit information. The platform offers accessibility, ease of use and security, as well as compliance with Chinas internal

2 5

5banking regulations. Since its foundation in 2006, Yiji has grown to become the largest PSP in Midwest China.

Country: ChinaProduct: Communications2015 Growth: 5,024 percent WWW.YIJI.COM

Australia-based Cirrus Networks IT tailored solutions integration package covers every step of an infrastructure project from design to building and management. The company is also able to offer a range of security solutions, as well as advice on regulatory issues. The companys 1H FY16 results

CIRRUS NETWORKS4

2 6 J u l y 2 0 1 6

have shown that the company has continued to grow since last years report and has now branched out into offering cloud technology and associated services and has acquired a rival IT company called L7 Solutions.

Country: AustraliaProduct: Hardware2015 Growth: 5,571 percent WWW.CIRRUSNETWORKS.COM.AU

TOP 6

PROSPA

Prospa supports small Australian businesses by providing them with small loans. Its online platform is proprietary and provides businesses with simplified applications process the company can turn around a small loan in as little as 24 hours. The winner of last years Deloitte Australias Tech Fast 50, the company offers unsecured online small business loans, from of $5,000 to $250,000. Its website

3


2 7

offers an interesting insight into its successful philosophy: Prospa focuses on the health of a business to determine creditworthiness, not the personal score of the owners.

Country: AustraliaProduct: Software2015 Growth: 6,971 percent WWW.PROSPA.COM

2 8 J u l y 2 0 1 6

Keen to keep up with the growth of smart technology and the Internet of Things, Wuhan hi-target provides a range of cutting-edge hardware solutions. With the ability to cater to a range of different sectors and applications, the companys hardware centres on precision 3D scanning technology. The companys remit covers surveying geographic information, industrial measurement and fulfilling requirements for smart cities.

Country: ChinaProduct: Hardware2015 Growth: 7,100 percent WWW.HI-CLOUD.COM.CN

WUHAN HI-TARGET DIGITAL CLOUD TECHNOLOGY CO LTD2

TOP 6

Located in Seouls trendy Gangnam district, Devsisters focuses on entertainment, particularly on developing and servicing games for mobile devices. The companys products have spread across the globe and are present in as many as 20 different markets. What makes this company stand out is

its attention to developing original game content that will get users engaged and more likely to play, share and engage.

Country: South KoreaProduct: Software2015 Growth: 8,516 percent WWW.DEVSISTERS.COM

1 DEVSISTERS CORP


2 9

Written by: Sarah Megginson

Produced by: David Kulowitch

BIG DATA drives

BIG change

Written by: Sarah Megginson

Produced by: David Kulowitch

BIG DATA drives

BIG change

Opening up the world of big data within its property portfolio has been a game-changer for Charter Hall

CHARTER HALL A U S T R A L I A & A S I A

A idan Coleman, a business technology executive with more than two decades of diverse international experience, joined Charter Hall in 2014 fresh from a three-year stint delivering technology transformation at Stockland.

Charter Hall came to a realisation around three years ago that it needed to take a more strategic view of technology, and how it could be better utilised to both grow the business and to scale the business, Coleman says.

Property is interesting because its one of those industries that is a bit of a laggard when it comes to technology. IT is certainly a huge

focus for property businesses now and at Charter Hall were in

a really good position. IT has now firmly got a seat at the executive table and weve started to deliver on the strong pipeline of solutions for improved services for our people and customers.

As a property investment and funds management business focused on office, retail, and industrial property sectors, Charter Hall has experienced rapid growth over the last decade, a factor that was contributing to their immature IT strategy of three years ago.

It was Colemans task, as the incoming Chief Technology Officer, to establish a clearer strategy and

3 2 J u l y 2 0 1 6


identify opportunities for improvement, putting in place the capabilities underneath to make it happen.

The immediate focus was really to establish the capability within the IT team, based on shifting from what was very much an operations focus. Charter Hall had grown its IT function organically to include a team of really dedicated, talented people who have primarily come out of the project infrastructure space, Coleman explains.

While the team was very proficient in this space, when it came to process improvement, project delivery and applications development we recognised that we needed to bring in new skills and capability to lead the business to achieves its strategic goals.

And while Coleman will admit that there is no end date to the continuous improvement

Key people

Aidan ColemanChief Technology Officer

Aidan is a key member of the executive team at Charter Hall, providing leadership and direction for all strategic & operational technology activities. Aidan is a technology thought leader and implementer who focuses on how process, information and technology-enabled change can contribute directly to sustainable business growth. With over 20 years in IT, the last 5 in Property and funds management, Aidan brings with him great experience in people leadership, strategic planning, program delivery, operations and innovation across a range of other industries including Commercial Software, Retail, Media, FMCG, Management Consulting, Insurance, Banking and Telco. Aidan is also an active participant in the Tech start-up scene in Sydney, Australia and currently Chairs the Advisory Board for a stage 2 start-up NuaMedia, who deliver innovative multi-channel Customer Experience Management solutions to enterprises.

CHARTER HALL

3 4 J u l y 2 0 1 6

initiatives that the Group is planning, he is making significant progress. At this months RealComm conference in Silicon Valley, the Australian property funds management group was the only Australian nominee for a prestigious Digie Award.

This nomination reflects the success of our strategy and recognises the depth of the skills and talent of our team and our ability to create a culture of innovation in order to deliver greater efficiency into our business processes.

A three-stage process of change

With a wide range of objectives to tackle, the IT team at Charter Hall has been implementing a three-year transformation program aligned with the business objectives.

Its been a very interesting couple of years. Were about a year-and-a-half into the Enterprise journey and

weve completed our first launch of major projects, which have been quite varied, he says.

These include a range of initiatives to really simplify and streamline how we undertake our financial processes internally. For instance, weve just put in a new solution in terms of how we process tax, financial reconciliation and our transactional banking process.

Charter Hall has also been doing a lot of work in the customer space, developing a customer strategy that is focused on understanding what their customers needs are and turning those needs into great customer experiences.

This has been no small undertaking, with Coleman collaborating with leadership from the property sector and marketing teams internally to develop more user-friendly customer portals, and

A U S T R A L I A & A S I ACHARTER HALL

www.char terha l l .com.au 3 5

Workday is a leading provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources. Founded in 2005, Workday delivers financial management and human capital management to more than 1,100 customers ranging from medium-sized businesses to Fortune 50 enterprises. In Australia and New Zealand, customers include Atlassian, CBA, Charter Hall, Diageo, Fletcher Building, HP, Salmat and Thomson Reuters.

Workday is supporting helping transform the roles finance and HR departments play in their organisations and also changing the way people experience their interactions with these business functions.

Workdays enterprise applications are intuitive and simple to use, and allow users to easily collect and use financial and people data so they can make decisions based on up-to-date data.

Workday Human Capital Management helps you organise staff and develop your workforce whether its local or

global. Workday gives you the insight and data to attract, engage and retain employees. Workday automates common HR functions, and helps you know who to hire, identifies where you have talent gaps, and gives insights on how to retain top performers. Workday Human Capital Management answers all your people-related questions.

Workday Financial Management goes beyond the basics of accounting and focuses on speed, agility, cost, and insights. This unified application includes a full range of finance and accounting capabilities, real-time business insights, and fully auditable process management. Workday Financial Management gives the tools and insights to make the decisions that drive your business forward.

Workday is focused on customer satisfaction and has a 98% customer satisfaction rating

Workdays unified finance and HR system will help you transform your business.

Management: Rob Wells, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand

Website: www.workday.com

SUPPLIER PROFILE



CHARTER HALL

automate traditional B2B functions, like service request management.

Hes also worked closely with Charter Halls Head of People, Brand and Community, Natalie Devlin, to implement a new HR platform, Workday, which aims to support a broader talent strategy.

We launched Workday in April of this year; it was a big piece of work which focused on enabling a smarter employee experience so we

can better manage and enable talent mobility across the orgnisation. We realised that there was a great opportunity to connect our people and create better efficiency in our systems and processes in HR.

Harnessing Big Data for big results

Charter Hall is redefining its relationship with information technology both within the business

Charter Hall came to a realisation around three years ago that it needed to take a more strategic view of technology, and how it could be better utilised to both grow the business and to scale the business Aidan Coleman, Chief Technology Officer

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and externally. Opening up the world of big data within its property portfolio and at a retail level has been a game-changer, Coleman confirms, particularly in terms of gaining a competitive edge.

Weve been embracing new data-capture technologies across our retail platforms, where were rolling out WiFi, for instance, he explains.

Its great for our shoppers and retailers in the centres, but its also giving us a whole world of data around people: everything from how people enjoy our shopping centres, to how our marketing campaigns are impacting our foot traffic.

Charter Hall has been working with some third parties to integrate that data into areas like basket analysis, so it can gain a greater understanding around not just how people are using the retail centres, but also what they are buying, when, and why.

This is creating huge insights in terms of building strong customer profiles and also in terms of evaluating the competition, Coleman says.

From ad-hoc, manual processes to streamlined systems

Processing data to use in forecasting and predictive models has also been really important, and the company has a focus to drive that forward.

Its really about getting a focus on productivity and process improvement around our core focus, and trying to deliver to not only release our people internally so they can focus on adding value to drive the business forward but also to improve the quality of information that is flowing right through our business, he adds.

This is all in the pursuit of streamlining our operations so

INNOVATIVE, FLEXIBLE PROPERTY AND INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS THAT EMPOWER YOUR REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIO.

2016 MRI Software LLC. All rights reserved.

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INVESTMENT MANAGEMENTOptimise your investment portfolio with our powerful, end-to-end suite of products:

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT (ASSET & FUND LEVEL)

POWERFUL BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

WHAT-IF SCENARIO MODELLING

ROBUST PERFORMANCE FORECASTING

COMPREHENSIVE LEASE MANAGEMENT

STREAMLINED RETAIL SALES ANALYSIS

FLEXIBLE PROPERTY ACCOUNTING

HIGHLY CONFIGURABLE REPORTING

CONTACT MRI TODAY

Australia +61 2 8915 5000Hong Kong +852 3928 5608Singapore +65 6622 [email protected]

www.mrisoftware.com

Social. Mobile. Smart.



that as a funds manager, we can make the best decisions around doing what we do best, which is managing our investors money.

I think that as we succeed in this space and a number of initiates have already been implemented or are in the process of being implemented the focus is shifting towards the customer experience. Its a continuous program of working with the business more broadly on a range of initiatives, focused on both automating and streamlining our core processes and systems, and also delivering new capabilities, new functionality, new reporting systems, and a big focus on our customer strategy.

Social. Mobile. Smart.

CHARTER HALL

4 4 J u l y 2 0 1 6

Unit C4, 27-29 Fariola StreetSilverwater, NSW 2128

E: [email protected]

P: 02 9648 0583F: 02 9748 3485www.cavs.net.au

CAVS is a highly respected rm in the eld of audio visual system design and integration and indeed consultancy, providing state-of-the-art audio visual systems that meet the commercial, communications and educational requirements of your organisation.

OOur success is driven by our relentless commitment to quality and detail. We pride ourselves on being able to ooer our clients the latest in audio visual technology.



Another key focus and a key pillar that has been recently implemented is a philosophy to create a best in class workplace, Coleman adds.

Anyone who comes into our environment will tell you its quite energised and fully tech-enabled, he says.

We are fully embracing agile as a way of working, not just a project methodology. The conditions are ripe for change. Its a great workplace with low levels of bureaucracy and a huge opportunity to innovate. Im glad to say that the changes weve made to date are really working.

IT is certainly a huge focus for propertybusinesses now and at Charter Hall were in a really good position Aidan Coleman, Chief Technology Officer

CHARTER HALL

Written by: Nell Walker Produced by: James Pepper

ASIAN expansion

Our key differentiation

factor is not technology; were

not Google, and were never going to be the

Facebook of the world. Were going to build

talent using Asian diversity. I call myself

a change agent thats what I do. My expertise is

transformation

4 7

True IDC, an off-shoot of Ascend Group, is Thailands leading international data centre and cloud services solution provider, priding itself on bringing global partners within reach of Southeast Asian businesses

4 8 J u l y 2 0 1 6

TRUE IDC CO. ,LTD

T rue IDC, an off-shoot of Ascend Group, is Thailands leading international data centre and cloud services solution provider, priding itself on bringing global partners within reach of Southeast Asian businesses. Established in April 2003, the company now boasts multiple centres in Bangkok, across Thailand, and other countries in Southeast Asia. Already providing platforms for Amazon Web Services, Google Chromebook, Microsoft Office365, Huawei Simply Cloud, Beedoo, True IDC Share, and Avaya Teleconference Solutions, True IDC aims to be the leading digital economy enabler in the ASEAN Economic Community.

Supparat Sivapetchranat Singhara na Ayudhaya is Chief

Product and Technology Officer at True IDC. Singhara na Ayudhaya had previously been the first Thai to take on a global role at Thomson Reuters, and during that time, he was accountable for many international teams within the company. Singhara na Ayudhaya considers himself a hybrid, speaking multiple languages, and in working across various groups, he discovered the true business extent of global.

Global is no longer New York, its no longer London, its no longer Tokyo, he says. Its Asia Shanghai, Dubai, Delhi. A significant portion of the Thomson Reuters code deployed globally was based in Bangkok; a lot of people outside the company dont know that. Theres untapped talent here. I

T E C H N O L O G Y

www.ascendcorp .com 4 9

Supparat Sivapetchranat Singhara na Ayudhaya, Chief Product and Technology Officer for True IDC, describes how the company has cornered the local market with an Asia-focussed business model

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TRUE IDC CO. ,LTD

but as Singhara na Ayudhaya has the benefit of a global perspective, the company chose to merge the responsibilities.

Targeting the marketIn addition to the Enterprise segment, True IDC develops within the local market by aiming for SMEs. He states, We are targeting emerging markets, like Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar. SMEs are the main drivers of the economy

saw new opportunities with this knowledge, so I made the decision to move from this multinational corporation to Ascend, he notes.

Singhara na Ayudhayas role now is based in developing products for the local market in Thailand and Asia, increasing the speed of the technology, and evolving infrastructure platforms. The role is unique in that most companies would separate the product and technology development,

The key for us is our leadership team, and the leadership team needs to navigate an ever-changing business climate Supparat

Sivapetchranat Singhara na Ayudhaya, Chief Product and Technology Officer for True IDC

T E C H N O L O G Y


there. A lot of players try to capture them, but its difficult. Thailand is in a unique position in that its SMEs have a high adoption rate of mobile phones. It has a population of 60-70 million, and only 30 million of those are online, yet there are around 80 million mobile phones being used across the country. This gives us great opportunities. Were in a unique position in being the only cloud service provider thats also a telecom. Even the big cloud players like Amazon lack connectivity

capability, thus empowering a mutual partnership between True IDC and Amazon, Google,

The key for us is our leadership

team, and the leadership team

needs to navigate an ever-changing business climate

- Thanasorn Jaidee, General Manager, True

IDC (Above left), Supparat Sivapetchranat Singhara Na Ayuthaya (Above Right)

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

www.microsoft.com

Microsoft, and Huawei. We have the connectivity and the existing customer base to expand upon.

True IDC enjoys the advantages of having the required services in place already, ensuring that market shares are also well-positioned, despite the fact that larger companies may have more advanced technology. However, these companies do not necessarily view ASEAN as a key market in the same way. True IDC is making advancements with strategic partnerships that will drive more business to Thailand.

Skill and diversity In any emerging market, Singhara na Ayudhaya says, finding the required skill level is a challenge. He adds, The experience is out there. The skills are out there. The knowledge is out there. The key thing for us is attracting the right talent that can complete globally as the digital economy is borderless thats part of the reason I was brought here. Were looking at people with global talent who can understand the local market but communicate globally. The key for

us is our leadership team, and the leadership team needs to navigate an ever-changing business climate.

Singhara na Ayudhaya states that while Asian culture is respective to a very command-and-control approach, Western culture is more about engagement, and so True IDC tries to leverage a culture of various comforts, ensuring that what the young company lacks in experience, it makes up for by achieving its goals more quickly.

One such project this mindset has allowed is the Simply Cloud Public Cloud Thailands first cloud service which allows users to manage their own data at a reasonable price. The cloud will enable a bigger market in Thailand, and in Cambodia, says Singhara na Ayudhaya.

We are also launching the first cloud software marketplace platform tailored for SMEs. The marketplace will be the regions first platform connecting start-ups and SMEs. Its key because the adoption rate of cloud services is not necessarily just going to be

T E C H N O L O G Y


Just two years ago, True IDC was only in Bangkok; now, it is based in Myanmar and Cambodia as well as Vietnam, and the company is exploring other markets such as Indonesia

Diversity is about connecting the change together to generate opportunities, and to make intelligent bets in the region Supparat

Sivapetchranat Singhara na Ayudhaya

the infrastructure in the service space, although theres a higher mobile penetration in Asia than in Europe or the US. Our play is that we provide a scalable platform that connects emerging start-ups with SMEs in the region. Capturing the market is fundamentally a KPI, as well as being able to offer the right services on tap.

True IDC has entered into a joint venture with SUPERNAP, a tier four data centre. Next year, Thailands own branch of SUPERNAP will open, which is the first outside the US. Singhara na Ayudhaya points out, Now what this does is lay the foundation. It guarantees 100 percent uptime data centre service within the region and will support growth across Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and of course Thailand. From a connectivity standpoint, it puts us in a strategic position. We have to be reliable, and to be reliable we have to guarantee SUPERNAP 100 percent uptime asset running. Banks have already signed up to these services.

ExpansionJust two years ago, True IDC was only in Bangkok; now, it is based in Myanmar and Cambodia as well as Vietnam, and the company is exploring other markets such as Indonesia. Each country has its own multi-market strategy depending on local demand. In Myanmar, political instability has made

5 4 J u l y 2 0 1 6

TRUE IDC CO. ,LTD

Just two years ago, True IDC was only in Bangkok; now, it is based in Myanmar and Cambodia as well as Vietnam, and the company is exploring other markets such as Indonesia

people hesitant about data centre and cloud business, but it is a good place to invest in. Cambodia lacks the business traction of Thailand but is maturing all the time, and in Vietnam, the focus is on the marketplace rather than the infrastructure.

The key lesson is how do you get the ability to connect the dots, Singhara na Ayudhaya says. Our key differentiation factor is not technology; were not Google, and were never going to be the

Facebook of the world. Were going to build talent using Asian diversity. I call myself a change agent thats what I do. My expertise is transformation. We make things happen. For us to compete, its about diversity. We provide a very insightful perspective. Technology is about change, but diversity is about connecting the change together to generate opportunities, and to make intelligent bets in the region is something I am personally driving towards.

T E C H N O L O G Y


Written by: John OHanlon

Produced by: Josef Smith

PUTTING ENERGY in its place

Climate change targets apart, businesses, utilities and facilities can save millions on energy by buying smart and cutting waste: Spotless Group has put together a

business unit to help them do just that

UASG/AES ( S P O T L E S S G R O U P ) E N E R G Y

L isted on the ASX, Spotless is one of Australia and New Zealands largest and most diverse services groups with interests in facility management, catering and hospitality, cleaning, security, asset management, maintenance, HVAC, mechanical and electrical and utility support services. It started in 1946 with a single dry cleaning store in Melbourne and now employs more than 36,000 people. UASG delivers tailored utility and telecommunications service solutions across all sectors including government and large corporations, employing around 2,000 people. Over the last couple of years it made a decisive move into the field of contracted-out services when it put together the recently acquired entities Utility Asset Management (UAM), Skilltech (a meter reading company) and Fieldforce (a long established energy efficiency specialist) under the leadership of Stephen Ellich, a seasoned CEO with long experience in the telecommunications sector.

Ellich heads up the Infrastructure, Telecommunications and Utilities

5 8 J u l y 2 0 1 6

group sector within Spotless, and is CEO both of UASG and of the technical and engineering services contracting company AE Smith (AES). Acquired by Spotless in 2015, AES has built a great reputation in mechanical, electrical, energy, fire, hydraulics, plumbing and refrigeration work since it was founded in 1898. It was a considered a particularly good fit alongside

UASG/AES ( S P O T L E S S G R O U P ) E N E R G Y

UASG, he explains: Many customers of Spotless have faced challenges with understanding and curtailing their energy spend, and also finding sustainability options around water consumption. Most of the public debate around energy conservation, including solar, wind and battery power, has been conducted at the consumer level, but there has been far less within the medium to large commercial and industrial sector.

Key People

Stephen EllichCEO of UASG & AES

Stephen is a senior executive with a 20+ year proven track record of success in leading large, complex, national organisations through establishment, development and transformational change to deliver sustainable growth, profitability and strong operating cash flow. His business expertise has a strong focus on sustainable growth through innovation, combined with astute financial acumen, international experience and the maturity of a senior executive with Board experience, positions him to contribute at all levels.

Energy: the hidden costSpotless plays its part in that

sector as a large facilities manager. Within the group, UASG has been able to identify a need and create a unique customer value

proposition, he continues. We believe we can deal effectively with managing down a customers energy consumption and in doing so provide an immediate and long term economic benefit to those

UASG/AES ( S P O T L E S S G R O U P )

6 0 J u l y 2 0 1 6

customers. Strategically, this involves moving the companys mindset away from the proposition that it would carry out project tasks for an agreed sum and then walk away. Instead consider the

problem holistically, auditing the customers energy usage, identify the root causes and then engineer an end-to-end solution. In cases where the customer prefers not to fund the capital outlay involved, the

E N E R G YUASG/AES ( S P O T L E S S G R O U P )

w w w. u a s g . c o m . a u 6 1

Smart metering: effective way to reduce cost of energy

With our experience of deploying smart meters: Great Britain (1million) and Australia (1.4 million), Secure can

provide retailers in Australia with a solution that allows them to offer a high quality service to their

customers. This solution can help consumers save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

E a ns oy it t ao v ru es se n | oR c e ya gl r t eim nEe | in ef so ur m ytia ct ii ro tn c: e le en te er ggy d uu bs e s p& l eco H |s t e g| A asw ua r ye gn re es ns e ab uto

ays p a a sh yc ou us gs oei g | re et fa ir nt es ah ng du o sr trh et as mtb lie nd e d tha eb ie r c ou pd ee rr a | t ie ov nr ae ls po rt o t cs eo sc s eri seht ecuder

Secure Australasia Pty Ltd258 Darebin Road, Fairfield VIC 3078, Australia | t: +61 3 9485 6000 | f: +61 3 9485 6099 | www.securetogether.com

SUPPLIER PROFILE

Employees: 2500+ (globally), 40+ (Australia)Established: 1987 (globally), 2004 (Australia)Industry: Energy meteringServices: Electricity metering and data services

Management:Michael Guy, Managing DirectorIan Levell, General Manager (Sales and Marketing)Peter Taylor, General Manager (AMI Solutions)

Visit our website: www.securetogether.com

Secure Australasia is part of a group focused on developing, manufacturing and deploying products and solutions for energy measurement and monitoring. Secure works across the entire energy chain, including utilities, energy retailers, commercial and homes. While we work at the frontiers of technology enabling smart energy control and management, we believe in focusing on customer and consumer needs. A 500 strong R&D team focuses on better smart grid and energy management solutions.

A reflection of our commitment to our customers, our participation in the design and specification of products for the Australian market has culminated in a range of meters that meet all electronic metering requirements of standards and approvals specific to the region. The Melbourne site hosts a fully accredited NATA 17025 laboratory, delivering metering support services. Secure has over 1,400,000 smart meters deployed in Australia to date.

As the energy optimisation and climate change debate intensifies, our group has been developing products and solutions, together with like-minded strategic partners to offer relevant and innovative

solutions to our customers. The Secure UASG-Skilltech partnership is a reflection of this thinking.

UASG-Skilltech have worked with Secure as the solution provider to deliver integrated and appropriate metering services to their customers, including:

manuallyreadelectronicmeters embeddednetwork;point-to-multi point;meteringsystems fullend-to-endsmartmetering solutions.

A recent project being undertaken through the partnership is for the upgrade of Secures 3 phase manually read meters at a 500+ apartment building complex. These meters will be upgraded to deliver data remotely through a point-to-multipoint RS485/3G solution. This will remove the need to manually read meters and provide tenants with more timely and accurate billing.

Going forward, Secure is embracing reforms under the Power of Choice where metering will become contestable in turn promoting innovation leading to greater choice for customers.

Innovative Solutions for Modern Metering

Strongcast is an innovative company manufacturing and supplying cutting edge ancillary products to the domestic water metering industry. We offer a unique consultation and development service with the capacity to structure infrastructural upgrades to reduce the amount of non-revenue water losses through the use of advanced products and strategies.

2-6 Bishop DrivePort of Brisbane, QLD Australia 4178Phone: (07) 3207 1753Email: [email protected]: www.strongcast.com.au


www.uasg .com.au 6 5

E N E R G Y

solution might involve a financial as well as an operational solution. The contractor funds deployment over a period of up to 15 years, under a model that delivers economic benefit to the customer from day one, with that benefit growing each year thenceforward.

A good example of this was Spotlesss own laundry business. The 19 sites across Australia, some of them dating from the 1950s, faced increased annual energy costs of more than A$1 million as of 2017. Doing nothing was not an option, so UASG looked at replacing old and gas or electric boilers with the latest energy efficient gas micro turbines or co-generation plant as a way to generate power at a cheaper rate. Where appropriate, solar deployment is considered as well: low energy lighting, meter reconfiguration and water recycling solutions are also considered

to improve efficiency. We can upgrade the critical infrastructure on site to provide a reduction in energy and water consumption using technology that will be able to deliver the same functionality at a much lower cost, he says. Though each case is unique, typically an investment of a couple of million dollars will be recovered by the customer within three years - thereafter those savings go direct to that customers bottom line. If UASG funds deployment the savings will be seen from year one, while capital costs are recovered over a longer period.

Solutions like these apply to any high

Innovative Solutions for Modern Metering

Strongcast is an innovative company manufacturing and supplying cutting edge ancillary products to the domestic water metering industry. We offer a unique consultation and development service with the capacity to structure infrastructural upgrades to reduce the amount of non-revenue water losses through the use of advanced products and strategies.

2-6 Bishop DrivePort of Brisbane, QLD Australia 4178Phone: (07) 3207 1753Email: [email protected]: www.strongcast.com.au

CLEAN, LOW POWER ELECTRICITY WHEN AND WHERE ITS NEEDED, WITH HIGH EFFICIENCY HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS UP TO 90% EFFICIENCY.

www.optimalgroup.com.auWithin Australia: 1300 678 476Outside Australia: +613 9545 1077Email: [email protected]

Optimal Group Australia Pty Ltd9 Bastow Place MulgraveVictoria, 3170 Australia

Optimal Group distribute the unique Capstone Microturbine and specialise in grid connected and o grid power generation solutions. Our modular, exible and reliable low emission power, cogeneration & trigeneration solutions deliver cleaner, lower cost and more reliable energy for a range of industries. Solutions range from 30 kW to 10 MW, tailored to any application.from 30 kW to 10 MW, tailored to any application.

Experience the benefits of onsite power



E N E R G Y

energy use business. Laundries are one; another good example would be leisure and aquatic centres and these days few businesses can afford to stay as they are where energy use is concerned. One large not-for-profit services provider for people with disabilities undertook a comprehensive energy upgrade across its facilities: within three

months it reported that its energy usage was down by 15 percent, and that it expects to achieve annual savings of $31,000 in HVAC and lighting costs alone. It also remarked on a huge reduction in maintenance call-outs thanks to the greater reliability of the assets installed and in this case its worth noting that the customer was

CLEAN, LOW POWER ELECTRICITY WHEN AND WHERE ITS NEEDED, WITH HIGH EFFICIENCY HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS UP TO 90% EFFICIENCY.

www.optimalgroup.com.auWithin Australia: 1300 678 476Outside Australia: +613 9545 1077Email: [email protected]

Optimal Group Australia Pty Ltd9 Bastow Place MulgraveVictoria, 3170 Australia

Optimal Group distribute the unique Capstone Microturbine and specialise in grid connected and o grid power generation solutions. Our modular, exible and reliable low emission power, cogeneration & trigeneration solutions deliver cleaner, lower cost and more reliable energy for a range of industries. Solutions range from 30 kW to 10 MW, tailored to any application.from 30 kW to 10 MW, tailored to any application.

Experience the benefits of onsite power

BlueScope Plate Supplies is proud to be associated with UASG, providing quality steel products and supply solutions.

BLUESCOPE AND UASG

RELATIONSHIPS MADE OF STEEL .

ABOUT BLUESCOPE PLATE SUPPLIESBlueScope Plate Supplies offers a wide range of high quality Australian made steel plate products backed by our expert technical support and flexible supply.

OUR PRODUCT RANGEOur range of products comprise:

TRU-SPEC steel XLERPLATE steel Weathering Steel Boiler & Pressure Vessel Plate Quenched & Tempered Plate Aluminium

OUR SERVICE OFFERAs part of the BlueScope group of companies, we have the ability to investigate and produce specially designed steel grades outside our standard range and offer a number of third party certification options as well as non-standard test requirements.

Were committed to providing high quality processing capabilities, ranging from simple processing to more complex and precise processing work. Backed by our commitment to quality, all our products comply with Australian standards and we hold ISO 9001 Quality Management System Accreditation.

Key to our offer is our ability to provide JIT delivery services and consistent quality products. With our significant stock holdings we are able to deliver on time, ensuring consistent supply and quality, providing value to key clients like Utility Asset Services Group, (UASG).

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH UASGBy working closely together, we are able to ensure both businesses achieve mutually beneficial outcomes and seek out ways to improve through a culture of excellence and innovation. We are able to respond quickly to UASG needs and can accommodate adjustments to project requirements, including design and scheduling changes, without missing critical deadlines.

OUR INNOVATIVE STEEL EFFICIENCY REVIEWWith our Steel Efficiency Review offer, we can look closely at your business operations to identify potential cost and time savings and make incremental changes which can translate into profit improvements. We have worked closely with UASG to continually improve and increase efficiency in the areas of stock, forecasting and material flow management thereby ensuring optimal supply chain and resource management.

For more information call on 1800 549 197 or visit bluescopeplatesupplies.com.au.

XLERPLATE, TRU-SPEC, BlueScope Plate Supplies and BlueScope Brand Mark are registered trademarks of BlueScope Steel Limited. 2016 BlueScope Steel Limited ABN 16 000 011 058. All rights reserved. Steel Efficiency Review is a trade mark of BlueScope Steel Limited. ABN 16 000 011 058



E N E R G Y

helped by AES to obtain a $134,000 grant from the Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP), which provides co-funding to local governing bodies and non-profit community organisations for energy efficiency projects.

The combined expertise of UASG and AES is now united under a common management team, with regional general managers in each state, with the exception of large and complex construction projects requiring skilled project management, which are looked after by a national AES general

manager. The largest such contract currently on hand, worth some $100 million, is to provide HVAC and other elements for the Queensland Governments $1.8 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital funded by Lendlease, a new public tertiary teaching hospital. The work started early in 2015 and will be completed later this year, and the hospital is due to open in 2017.

A new model for BOOTOur business has deep and

broad engineering expertise, says Ellich. When a customer

BlueScope Plate Supplies is proud to be associated with UASG, providing quality steel products and supply solutions.

BLUESCOPE AND UASG

RELATIONSHIPS MADE OF STEEL .

ABOUT BLUESCOPE PLATE SUPPLIESBlueScope Plate Supplies offers a wide range of high quality Australian made steel plate products backed by our expert technical support and flexible supply.

OUR PRODUCT RANGEOur range of products comprise:

TRU-SPEC steel XLERPLATE steel Weathering Steel Boiler & Pressure Vessel Plate Quenched & Tempered Plate Aluminium

OUR SERVICE OFFERAs part of the BlueScope group of companies, we have the ability to investigate and produce specially designed steel grades outside our standard range and offer a number of third party certification options as well as non-standard test requirements.

Were committed to providing high quality processing capabilities, ranging from simple processing to more complex and precise processing work. Backed by our commitment to quality, all our products comply with Australian standards and we hold ISO 9001 Quality Management System Accreditation.

Key to our offer is our ability to provide JIT delivery services and consistent quality products. With our significant stock holdings we are able to deliver on time, ensuring consistent supply and quality, providing value to key clients like Utility Asset Services Group, (UASG).

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH UASGBy working closely together, we are able to ensure both businesses achieve mutually beneficial outcomes and seek out ways to improve through a culture of excellence and innovation. We are able to respond quickly to UASG needs and can accommodate adjustments to project requirements, including design and scheduling changes, without missing critical deadlines.

OUR INNOVATIVE STEEL EFFICIENCY REVIEWWith our Steel Efficiency Review offer, we can look closely at your business operations to identify potential cost and time savings and make incremental changes which can translate into profit improvements. We have worked closely with UASG to continually improve and increase efficiency in the areas of stock, forecasting and material flow management thereby ensuring optimal supply chain and resource management.

For more information call on 1800 549 197 or visit bluescopeplatesupplies.com.au.

XLERPLATE, TRU-SPEC, BlueScope Plate Supplies and BlueScope Brand Mark are registered trademarks of BlueScope Steel Limited. 2016 BlueScope Steel Limited ABN 16 000 011 058. All rights reserved. Steel Efficiency Review is a trade mark of BlueScope Steel Limited. ABN 16 000 011 058

Many customers today want to do these upgrades but dont have the technical know-how or the capital to do it Stephen Ellich, CEO of UASG & AES

Contact Andrew Fletchere. [email protected]: 1300 956 523 www.jpwassociates.com

JPW partners with utilities worldwide by oering maintenance, consultation, and innovation to their meter interrogation hardware.

OOur comprehensive maintenance programs reduce downtime and expense, while our advanced solutions deliver interoperability across diverse hardware platforms. Our goal is to redene the way you think about service.

JPW Serviced Sectors: Manufacturing Warehousing Airline baggage handling Sports venue gate ticketing Route delivery Car rental Lumbering Security access control Citation enforcement Oil drilling

Its time to redene expectations andtransform the face of Industry - together.

A Fresh Start.



E N E R G Y

wants to talk about their problem these experts look at their billing and tariffs and walk through their property as a first pass to identify the potential spectrum of engineering opportunities and the savings than might be available. If that looks positive we take it to the next stage where we do a very deep audit on their physical infrastructure, then

provide them with a detailed costing and economic impact model. This is submitted in two forms, he explains, one funded by the customer, one by UASG.

The latter is the build, own, operate, transfer (BOOT) model, which many readers will be familiar with applied to construction and civil engineering. It has not, however, been much used

Contact Andrew Fletchere. [email protected]: 1300 956 523 www.jpwassociates.com

JPW partners with utilities worldwide by oering maintenance, consultation, and innovation to their meter interrogation hardware.

OOur comprehensive maintenance programs reduce downtime and expense, while our advanced solutions deliver interoperability across diverse hardware platforms. Our goal is to redene the way you think about service.

JPW Serviced Sectors: Manufacturing Warehousing Airline baggage handling Sports venue gate ticketing Route delivery Car rental Lumbering Security access control Citation enforcement Oil drilling

Its time to redene expectations andtransform the face of Industry - together.

A Fresh Start.



E N E R G Y

for critical infrastructure upgrades, and hardly ever before as a tool to drive down energy costs. Energy performance contracting is, then an innovative way to proceed. We are finding that many customers today want to do these upgrades but dont have the technical know-how or the capital to do it, says Stephen Ellich. When we talk to them they are often really surprised at the savings they can make by taking a more holistic view of their critical infrastructure and the amount of energy that can be saved by making use of solar, gas micro-turbines or cogen/trigen plants and by putting in more energy efficient equipment like LED lighting. When these things are done at scale, by an organisation with the engineering expertise to make them all work together, for example in large shopping centre the savings are very significant.

This is a very opportune time for UASG/AES, he declares with

conviction. Substantial reforms to the national electricity market are underway in 2017 following recommendations to the state and federal governments by the AEMCs Power of Choice review which allows consumers to make informed choices about the way they use electricity. Ultimately, consumers will be in the best position to decide what works for them. Ownership of the metering infrastructure changes. We will see a power shift from the distributor-led to a more retail-led business as the retailers become more hands-on with infrastructure rather than simply differentiating themselves on tariffs. As one of the largest metering companies in Australia, UASG can partner these organisation in this industry transformation.

Coming together under Spotless enabled the UASG entities and later AES to move their back office systems onto the parent groups

CASE STUDY

Technology that has helped us save time and

run operations more efficiently



E N E R G Y

SAP infrastructure, and upgrade to its cloud-based systems, changing the business from a paper-based to a fully electronic operation. This was a painless enough migration thanks to Spotlesss top to bottom training and it resulted, he says, in a better governed, more compliant and structured business.

Charting the way forwardMost of the work within the UASG

group is carried out using its own resources and personnel. Ellich likes it that way, because it makes for a close engagement with the customer both at grass roots and management level, so only around 30 percent of projects are reliant on subcontractors. The exception to that is Skilltech, the company that installs 100,000 meters a year and reads them more than 70 million times, using its own staff almost

CASE STUDY

Technology that has helped us save time and

run operations more efficiently

SHEPELEC CONTRACTING SERVICES

07 4955 2271www.shepelec.net.au

For further information,contact us at:

A Family owned business with an excellent reputation for reliable quality service and safety

Mackay based Electrical Company servicing the Central Queensland region with a wide range of expertise

Overhead Cranes, Hoists and Winches Maintenance & Installation in accordance with AS1418 and AS2550

Lifting Equipment Inspections and Maintenance Electrical Equipment Inspections, Maintenance and

Installation including Building Maintenance Contracts Data, Communications, Security and CCTV Installations

and Maintenance Public and Privately owned Street Light Maintenance

and Installation

DOMESTIC, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL

PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH AE SMITH

JAG Welding Pty Ltd10-12 Steel St Capalabap. (07) 3390 2411

FULL SERVICE SUPPLY, FABRICATION & INSTALLATIONYOUR PREFAB STEEL CONSTRUCTION SPECIALISTS

WWW.JAGWELDING.COM.AU


w w w. u a s g . c o m . a u 7 7

exclusively. The company has installed more than 880,000 smart meters in Victoria and carries out a large network metering contracts throughout Australia.

Metering is no longer a drudge for staff and customers alike, he stresses. His innovations and emerging markets team has created unique devices for saving and tracking water consumption called SmartPipe. With the backing of Spotless, UASG is developing a metering centric application called MIMTR, which is going to be able to provide all metering services from a single device under one system. Our view of it is that it provides, uniquely, a contractor portal for field mobility and data acquisition. It provides a customer portal for the utility to get real time access to their data via an internet browser. Plus a consumer APP so if customers get an estimated reading, they can enter their own data and can put the right information direct into the utilitys system through our interface. Customers get frustrated when they receive estimated bills, but now they can enter their own data on a highly secure channel. From the utilitys point of view, sincethe

We will see a power shift from the distributor-led to a more retail-led business as the retailers become more hands-on with infrastructure Stephen Ellich, CEO of UASG & AES

E N E R G Y

L AT I N A M E R I C A

Reece hvac-r has a network of 39 branches providing specialised products and services supporting mechanical contractors, engineers and consultants involved in large commercial projects.

Reece. Works for you.

Call 1800 032 566 or visit www.reece.com.au for your nearest Reece hvac-r store.

Thermal and acoustic insulation Ducting internal and external Piping hot, cold and acoustic Tank, chillers and pressure vessels Plantroom walls and ceilings Fire rating of duct Sheet metal manufacture Cladding of pipe duct and equipment Ductboard manufacture

SERVICES INCLUDE:

Unit 8/20 Ingleston Rd, Wakerley 4154

F: 07 3890 4515E: [email protected]

T: 07 3890 1737

www.bdinsulation.com.au

7 9

L AT I N A M E R I C AUASG/AES ( S P O T L E S S G R O U P )

APP can authenticate the information that the consumer uploads, the ability to defraud is vastly reduced.

The business case for working with UASG is compelling, as energy costs rise and technology provides the means to limit these, however environmental awareness goes well beyond this thanks partly to Australias National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) which measures and compares the environmental efficiency of premises. The company has its own NABERS assessors to help clients achieve the highest standards of compliance.

Company Information N A M E

UASG/AES (Spotless Group)

I N D U S T RY

Energy services

H E A D Q U A RT E R S

Head Office, 549 St Kilda

Road , Melbourne, Victoria,

Australia

F O U N D E D

2014

E M P L O Y E E S

2,500

W E B S I T E

www.uasg.com.au

Written by: Patricia Carswell


TREEexpertise Asplundh New Zealand is the countrys leading

vegetation management company, standing out from the crowd thanks to the backing of its global parent

company Asplundh Tree Expert

Written by: Patricia Carswell


TREEexpertise

ASPLUNDH E N E R G Y

w w w. a s p l u n d h . c o . n z

W ielding a cutting device right next to a power line is just the sort of dangerous activity that calls for an experienced hand and they dont come more experienced than Asplundh New Zealand. Its part of the US-based, family-owned Asplundh Tree Expert Co., which

has been providing vegetation management since its founders started trimming trees away from power lines and telephone wires in Philadelphia in 1929. Asplundh has been providing a vegetation management services for New Zealand utilities for 27 years.

This long pedigree doesnt

8 2 J u l y 2 0 1 6

ASPLUNDH E N E R G Y

w w w. a s p l u n d h . c o . n z

allow for any complacency, though. Its very competitive, says Managing Director Kevin Burt. With 29 utility networks servicing only 4.5 million people, and some of the networks providing their own services in-house, Asplundh cant rest on its laurels. We have to be more than just a cutting company to our clients, says Burt.

To stand out from the crowd in such a competitive environment, it helps to have the backing of a global enterprise. One of our USPs is the ability to deliver a higher level of capability, says Burt. We have access to technology, we have access to systems and we have access to equipment which generally may not be cost effective for smaller operators or networks.

Equipment, that is, like the Jarraff and Mini-Jarraff a fully insulated mechanical line-trimmer which allows the operators to remain on the ground or in a protective cabin, at a safe distance from the power line.

The Jarraff makes the business of cutting trees next to power lines significantly safer. Unfortunately well never get to the point of

8 3

Key people

Kevin BurtMD

Unfortunately well never get to the point of removing the physical aspect of men and equipment needing to be in close proximity to the power line but over time, as the vegetation management regimes improve here in New Zealand, those tools and devices will have a much greater impact.

removing the physical aspect of men and equipment needing to be in close proximity to the power line but over time, as the vegetation management regimes improve here in New Zealand, those tools and devices will have a much greater impact.

Investment in equipment like

the Jarraff reflects Asplundhs commitment to safety. Safety first, no one gets hurt is the companys slogan and mission statement, and according to Burt they are not just empty words.

We work in an extremely high risk environment and everything I do as a managing director and everything I

8 4 J u l y 2 0 1 6

ASPLUNDH

www.asp lundh.co .nz 8 5

challenge our staff to deliver is very much driven by that [mission statement].

State-of-the-art equipment isnt the sole answer to safety, of course; without good operators the best equipment, it is worthless. We take the qualifications, skill and competency of our staff very, very

seriously, says Burt. We empower them to be out there operating independently and we need to make sure theyre not only technically proficient in what theyre doing but trained in the soft skills to be able to make smart decisions on the ground.

Asplundh has its own warranting

E N E R G YASPLUNDH

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ASPLUNDH

system for its staff and works with the industry to improve standards. Were about whole, industry-wide safety and actively participating in utility working groups to share that information, says Burt.

Small wonder, then, that when new health and safety legislation came in this year, Asplundh was barely affected. We have a history and culture of exceeding the

legislation, so for us it was a very easy transition.

What Burt has seen changing is the clients role in setting and enforcing health and safety standards. Our clients are stepping up. They are understanding their vital role in health and safety and understanding the first principle that we have to take reasonable steps to ensure any risk to our employees is

Unfortunately well never get to the point of removing the physical aspect of men and equipment needing to be in close proximity to the power line but over time, as the vegetation management regimes improve here in New Zealand, those tools and devices will have a much greater impact. Kevin Burt, MD

E N E R G Y


mitigated. The thinking is changing for the positive, I believe.

Asplundh singles itself out further with a vegetation asset management system, known as VAMS, which Burt championed when he arrived at the company. A former officer in the military, and armed with a degree in IT, he asked himself how the business could add value in a tight market with agile competitors.

How do you do that when your main function is cutting trees next to power lines? Well, you get into the mindset of doing that smarter, sharper, safer. In our space thats gaining vegetation intelligence and delivering a better outcome, he says. To reduce our clients network vegetation risk and deliver industry leading productivity, we capture the vegetation and cutting data, and

ASPLUNDH

Unfortunately well never get to the point of removing the physical aspect of men and equipment needing to be in close proximity to the power line but over time, as the vegetation management regimes improve here in New Zealand, those tools and devices will have a much greater impact. Kevin Burt, MD

ASPLUNDH


effectively analyse it to ensure our programs see us sending the right people to the right job for the right outcome at the right time.

VAMS allows the business to think strategically, looking ahead to a 5-10 or even longer cycle. Vegetation is not going to go away, says Burt. We have to make sure were not thinking short term and just going around doing the same old thing year on year.

So successful has VAMS been that it is now

ASPLUNDH

To reduce our clients network vegetation risk and

deliver industry leading productivity, we capture the

vegetation and cutting data, and effectively analyse it to

ensure our programs see us sending the right people to

the right job for the right outcome at the right time Kevin Burt, MD

E N E R G Y

www.asp lundh.co .nz

E N E R G Y

Established 2001, Safety & Apparel offers businesses an alternative option to dealing with Multinational general supply

companies for their safety and work apparel needs. We are the only 100% New Zealand owned national Safety Specialist.Our aim is simple - to offer quality internationally &

nationally recognised products, at competitive prices, combined with personal service.

www.safetyandapparel.co.nz

Check out the range weoffer in store or online at:

ASPLUNDH

being rolled out across the US. Burt is understandably gratified. The satisfaction is driven primarily because of the skill and ability of my staff here in New Zealand who have been real leaders of the development, who have taken the time and effort to see the vision. Its hard to test and trial and update while running business as usual, so system development is never a smooth process, but if people see

the vision and the benefits that it can deliver theyll push hard for it.

Utility vegetation management isnt the only service Asplundh offers; over the years it has diversified. To stay in a small marketplace we have to look at other revenue streams, says Burt. A significant percentage of the business is open space management which includes services such as the maintenance of

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E N E R G Y

Company Information N A M E

Asplundh

I N D U S T RY

Vegetation Management

H E A D Q U A RT E R S

PO Box 14-501, Panmure,

Auckland, 1741, Panmure,

Auckland New Zealand,

1741

F O U N D E D

1928

E M P L O Y E E S

250

W E B S I T E

www.asplundh.co.nz

ASPLUNDH

sports fields and parks, mowing, gardening and even burial and sexton services.

As for the future of Asplundh New Zealand, the main aim is to continue with what they are doing, only better. I think theres strong benefit in focusing on what were currently doing and doing it better and delivering better value for money to our clients, says Burt.

Keeping pace with rapidly-changing technology is key to this. Burt is excited by the potential of LiDAR (light detecting and ranging) laser scanning technology that is being introduced into vegetation management to capture vegetation data around distribution and transmission lines to identify areas with clearance issues. When harnessed correctly it is a powerful tool, he says.

He foresees an increasingly collaborative approach to vegetation management, with an online portal where members of the public can report issues and learn about risks. They can start to take ownership.

Whatever the technology may be, Burt is positive about the next few years. I think the future looks bright, he says. Its going to be exciting to evolve the business and see how the industry evolves over the next three to five years.

Written by: John OHanlon

Produced by: Vince Kielty

GETTING AROUND

THE GOLD COASTGold Coast Cabs (GC Cabs) is a public unlisted company owned by its 135 shareholders and by some margin the largest taxi operator in Australias premier tourist region. It is noted for its reliability and its commitment to its customers, drivers and staff

GOLD COAST CABS A U S T R A L I A & A S I A

Australias Gold Coast is strictly speaking a city, the countrys largest that isnt a capital. But add the definite article and the Gold Coast is a densely populated 55 kilometre strip that runs along the Queensland coast from Ormeau in the north to Coolangatta and Tweed Heads (which are just into New South Wales), and from the famous surfing beaches in the east to the forested

hills around Springbrook in the west. By far its largest industry is tourism, so its no surprise that one of the things that make it tick is its taxi service. The largest operator GC Cabs has been in business since 1937, so it has grown with the regions popularity.

Since July 2014 the company has been led by CEO Gordana Blazevic, a very experienced businesswoman whose background

9 4 J u l y 2 0 1 6 www.gccabs .com.au

GOLD COAST CABS A U S T R A L I A & A S I A

in the public sector and police work gives her a deep insight into the core values of a business whose reputation stands on its ability to deliver a reliable, and even more important, a safe service to more than half a million residents and over ten million visitors each year. The business model, she explains, is a collaborative one whereby affiliated owner/operators are licensed to use the GC Cabs brand name: the company does all the booking, scheduling, training, maintenance and compliance work from its Helensvale headquarters, administered by nearly 100 direct

Key people

Gordana

BlazevicCEO of Golden Coast Cabs

A self-motivated individual, Blazevic previously held senior management positions in a number of government agencies and private companies prior to successfully managing her own consulting business. Strategic and results driven, she has an ability to easily build rapport with a diverse range of people and collaborate with key internal and external stakeholders to achieve business outcomes. Blazevic originally studied and worked as a criminologist. Over time, her professional interests and skills broadened to a greater business focus. She has worked with private and public sector clients in a broad range of industries including agriculture, community services, education, energy, government, health, hospitality, finance, law enforcement, property development, security, tourism and transport.

www.gccabs .com.au

employees and home to its driver recruitment and training centre.

All the drivers however are self-employed, either owning their own vehicle or having an agreement with an operator to drive one of their cabs and to share fare revenues,

insurance costs and other overheads. A cab might be part of a small business investment or as in many cases, an individual will see investment in a taxi as a good way to spend their retirement fund and secure ongoing

GOLD COAST CABS

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financial independence. As it approaches its 80th

birthday, GC Cabs is one of the Gold Coasts institutions, says Blazevic. When people think of the Gold Coast they think newness and transience but there are

some important stable, iconic and institutional things too, and were one of them! Our customers range from residents to business people and of course tourists, but a very large amount of specialised work is undertaken too, such as servicing

A U S T R A L I A & A S I AGOLD COAST CABS

www.gccabs .com.au 9 7

special events. Thats something that will be in huge demand when the Gold Coast hosts the Commonwealth Games in 2018, she points out. In addition, the company undertakes contract work for all levels of government, private clients and the health sector. It is worth noting that of i ts 352-strong fleet, 125 are wheelchair accessible.

Saving energy always cuts cost, but hybrid vehicles are ideal for taxi

work, and thats why 51 percent of the cars are Toyota Prius hybrids. When the car decelerates, it charges the batteries. The electric-only mode is very good at low speed and stop/start, but in highway driving it kicks over to a blend of electric and petrol. We get a better mileage about 30 percent better than a petrol only vehicle. Though maxi taxis are not yet available as hybrid, the other vehicles all run on low emission diesel or duel fuel

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GOLD COAST CABS

www.gccabs .com.au 9 9

petrol and LPG. This is sound fuel economy management- as we know taxis spend a lot of time waiting, and in the hot Queensland climate the cars keep running for the comfort of drivers and passengers alike. Hybrid cars are ideal for this, she says, as they idle using electricity only and produce no emissions.

This is a company that takes community engagement seriously. Our employees raise money for

Guide Dogs Queensland, she says. And were proud to be the sponsors of the annual Invitational Athletics Championships for Children with Disabilities. This year is our 30th anniversary as major sponsors. Many young people use these championships as a stepping stone to the Paralympics. Among the other causes the company supports are the Gold Coast University Hospital Foundation, and the Gold Coast Centre against Sexual

A U S T R A L I A & A S I AGOLD COAST CABS

When people think of the

Gold Coast they think newness and transience

but there are some important

stable, iconic and institutional

things too, and were one of them!

Gordana Blazevic, CEO of Gold Coast Cabs

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GOLD COAST CABS

Violence, which benefits from all the unclaimed lost property. Were very conscious that we need to give back to our community, she emphasises.

Any Australian with a clean driving rec

business review australia & asia - july 2016

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