State of business

 Just wondering how everyone is travelling business and work wise at the moment after the start of the year when it all went to shit. We have actually picked up immmensely and are flat out, I'm actually considering taking on an apprentice, maybe someone a little older. Have picked up two new clients and one has the contract for all the Coles maintenence around town. The oil and gas side of things is still just a trickle but the completeions side of things are busy so that's keeping us busy on that side of things. So how are the rest of you fairing?

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Love the West!


Posts: 4561

Date Joined: 01/02/10

 Bit of a reshuffle a year

Fri, 2015-09-25 09:39

 Bit of a reshuffle a year ago and things looked a little uncertain. I switched from the project side to maintenance side for a bit and have been flat out. Get dragged back in most r & r's. 

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Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

scottland's picture

Posts: 3031

Date Joined: 10/05/10

What are you offering

Fri, 2015-09-25 09:51

sea kem what apprenticeship you offering.. As for myself im in the transport game and all the little guys are all being demolished  centurion and toll arent helping by hiking  down the prices im about 3 months away from finishing my diesel fitting apprenticeship. So will be interesting to see what happens after that. I want to get into the maintenave side of mines etc. 

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i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 It'll be boilermaking mate,

Fri, 2015-09-25 09:59

 It'll be boilermaking mate, I think they call it Engineering/heavy welding now or something like that.

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scottland's picture

Posts: 3031

Date Joined: 10/05/10

Good on you

Fri, 2015-09-25 10:05

 Yeh names are getting ridiculous now my official title is heavy mechanical engineer road transport haha

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i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers

kirky79's picture

Posts: 1351

Date Joined: 13/01/12

Same

Fri, 2015-09-25 10:22

 Yeah bit the same Andy. Was due to buy a new truck at the start of the year, but with all the doom & gloom talk I held off. But we have had a great winter in my business (landscape supplies) which is our quiet time. So pulled the trigger and have got a new 8 t UD tipper due middle of next month ready for the chaos that is Spring. 

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

  Love getting new plant. I

Fri, 2015-09-25 10:43

  Love getting new plant. I bit the bullet and bought a new Guillotine just before the end of the tax year. It's a dream machine, I'm quoting on a massive job for Chevron at the moment and if I get it then I'll deffo need someone else.

 

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Love the West!

Posts: 6265

Date Joined: 26/04/14

 How old 

Fri, 2015-09-25 11:53

 How old 

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 You keen?

Fri, 2015-09-25 20:46

 You keen?

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hilly9's picture

Posts: 282

Date Joined: 13/10/12

 probably due to all the wood

Fri, 2015-09-25 17:48

 probably due to all the wood I bought so my missus could run the wood heater 24/7

kirky79's picture

Posts: 1351

Date Joined: 13/01/12

Haha

Sat, 2015-09-26 09:17

 Yep it all helps Hilly. A lot of people burn more than you too!

Posts: 90

Date Joined: 26/12/14

 I've been off work now for

Fri, 2015-09-25 10:40

 I've been off work now for just over 3 months after a redundancy... It's a tough market out there. Just getting an interview is few and far between let alone even being contacted.. I've applied for over 100 jobs so far

scottland's picture

Posts: 3031

Date Joined: 10/05/10

What

Fri, 2015-09-25 10:44

What are you chasing work in?

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i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers

Posts: 90

Date Joined: 26/12/14

 Anything in the area of

Fri, 2015-09-25 11:12

 Anything in the area of Operations / workshop / maintenance management (specialising in mining equipment repair etc). Or in the Field of business improvement (6 Sigma / Lean) in any industry.

If anyone out there is in need of a hand for any improvement work such as process or asset optimisation then just send me a PM and we can have a chat about how I can help.

Cheers, Mat.

Posts: 90

Date Joined: 26/12/14

 Well waddya know! I just got

Fri, 2015-09-25 15:10

 Well waddya know! I just got a job offer!! Only a 3 month contract at this stage but better than nothing!

Cold Feet's picture

Posts: 120

Date Joined: 04/08/15

Oil and Gas

Fri, 2015-09-25 11:20

After Wheatstone and INPEX, Onshore Oil and Gas construction will be almost done, I think.. Mining will come up again when the Chinese market recovers, but the big $$$ O&G projects are over, so on to the next big thing..

3 of my mates have lost thier jobs in various projects over the beginning half of the year, and are struggling to get back into work again too.

Not helping getting overseas workers in for cheaper rates either, but the big guys have chosen Malaysian and PNG sites for new projects in this region, or taken the gas offshore, due to the cost of labour in Australia at the moment.

Unless we(Govt) agree to fracking or uranium mining it will be fairly slow for the next few years again, but there is about a 7 year economic cycle in Australia, so not all doom and gloom.

Maintenance is probarly the area to target, as all the big O&G construction sites will be operating within the next few years.. not as much $$, but would'nt want to be scrambling for the 300 odd maintenance and production jobs per site in 2 years time..

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 Cheers,

Cold Feet 

 

scottland's picture

Posts: 3031

Date Joined: 10/05/10

Construction side yes

Fri, 2015-09-25 11:34

get on the maintence side of it and your laughing at life. A mate of mine is storeman for agc at karratha gas hub (the original not pluto) the lad is on $120 p/h 

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i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers

rob90's picture

Posts: 1522

Date Joined: 06/02/13

 $120ph???!!! Shit i dont

Fri, 2015-09-25 11:41

 $120ph???!!! Shit i dont make that in a day. There is money to be made out there hey.

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 Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic

scottland's picture

Posts: 3031

Date Joined: 10/05/10

Criminal

Fri, 2015-09-25 11:49

weekly it 9000$ gross $5000 after tax 

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i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers

rob90's picture

Posts: 1522

Date Joined: 06/02/13

 Fuark! Pays more than my

Fri, 2015-09-25 11:56

 Fuark! Pays more than my monthly income in tax each week thats a spin out. Perths building trades get fingered soo hard. I Shoulda done more research when i was 18 hahaha

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 Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

I find this one a little hard

Fri, 2015-09-25 11:57

I find this one a little hard to believe.  I charge $140 p/h for offshore work, that's the going rate for a boilermaker charged out , so $120 p/h for a storeman?

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rob90's picture

Posts: 1522

Date Joined: 06/02/13

  140ph goin rate? jeeperz

Fri, 2015-09-25 12:06

  140ph goin rate? jeeperz this gets crazier by the post. Whats this apprentice your looking at getting gonna be earning? Haha

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 Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Ha ha as I said this is what

Fri, 2015-09-25 12:11

 Ha ha as I said this is what I charge for going offshore onto a rig, it's all relative but yeah good dough. Unfortunately it's dried up at the moment as they won't drill/explore as much  if the oil price is down.

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Posts: 865

Date Joined: 30/12/09

 Yep and included your $140

Fri, 2015-09-25 12:13

 Yep and included your $140 you have to account for your flights, super and overheads. 

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 Get busy living, or get busy dying!

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Thankfully my client pays

Fri, 2015-09-25 12:23

 Thankfully my client pays for airfares etc , but yeah super etc 

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scottland's picture

Posts: 3031

Date Joined: 10/05/10

Cross my heart

Fri, 2015-09-25 12:36

cross my heart eagles lose tomorow if im lying. I would send a photo of the pay sheet but its got privates on it haha 

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i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Ha ha ok we'll take your

Fri, 2015-09-25 12:54

 Ha ha ok we'll take your word on it, don't really want to see your mate's privates lol.

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Lastchance's picture

Posts: 1272

Date Joined: 02/02/09

Whats his name, Scottland?

Thu, 2015-10-01 13:55

Whats his name, Scottland?

scottland's picture

Posts: 3031

Date Joined: 10/05/10

Rusty

Thu, 2015-10-01 17:56

russel jarvis (rusty) as we know him 

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i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers

Cold Feet's picture

Posts: 120

Date Joined: 04/08/15

Yeah, that and a TA or Peggy.

Fri, 2015-09-25 11:36

 Big $$, no reponsibility and paperwork bullshit..

 

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 Cheers,

Cold Feet 

 

Cruise Control's picture

Posts: 970

Date Joined: 03/11/10

I'm in a large transport

Fri, 2015-09-25 12:15

I'm in a large transport Company and its pretty much doom and gloom. Business has been in decline since the Resources sector started to cut back. Clients coming in everyday asking for cost reductions and I am talking about 20% plus price cuts. We are tendering prices less than we put in 3 years ago just to retain business.

Transport has never made more than $0.07 cents in the dollar, so its almost impossible to give them what they want. Inevitably, the cost reductions come from reduced levels of service and a lock down on cost increases, that includes wage and salaries with some jobs unfortunately being lost.

It will pick up again, probably within 12 - 18 months but at the moment we are doing it real tough.

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3757

Date Joined: 14/10/12

I am in O&G procurement.

Fri, 2015-09-25 12:20

I am in O&G procurement. After three months of begging for work (yes, i actually begged) after redundancy from a Driller, I am now working for a FPSO operator, with a 30% pay cut.

Looking forward to the market coming back...

 

 

 

grantarctic1's picture

Posts: 2546

Date Joined: 03/03/11

From Jan 14

Fri, 2015-09-25 13:24

From Jan 2014 to Nov that year I had very little work come through the door. With wages, rent , work cover, insurance etc the bills mounted up to over 100k very quickly.
I got to within 1 to 2 weeks of having to shut the doors for good.
In Dec 2014 the jobs started coming in with a vengeance and being one of the few fabricators left in the area ( many businesses closed down ) quite a few new clients have ended up at my work shop.
I have been flat out since then and last month finally got all of my debts settled.
Small business in this country is continually over looked by the government, yet the country relies on them when the mining goes to shit.
Good to hear you are getting back on track Andy, I know the stress can be heart breaking at times, all the best for the future . Cheers Grant

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 Thank Grant and a nod to you

Fri, 2015-09-25 13:40

 Thank Grant and a nod to you for thinking of me back then, as I said finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel I hope. 

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Love the West!

Madmerv's picture

Posts: 672

Date Joined: 24/01/15

Doing it hard

Fri, 2015-09-25 15:38

 Got made redundant in April from the drilling side of O&G. With a world wide reduction of approx 50% in working rigs all the major companies have stopped hiring external and only picking up workers from their current workforce.

For the first time since i was a teen i'm thinking of a couriers job or the rock and roll. Things are still getting worse overseas with several of my mates looking at redundancy in the next month or two.

Only up side is mid week fishing has been fantastic..  Lol

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 Sometimes when the water is quiet, you can hear the fish laughing at you !

Posts: 790

Date Joined: 25/05/12

flat out ATM in our game

Fri, 2015-09-25 19:21

flat out ATM in our game .....last month I worked days And nights   For 10 weeks straight, 7 days a week  averaging 60plus hours a week not including hour and a half drive to  and from Mandurah for 3 of them weeks,  I'm struggling to find workers ATM  and jobs keep coming in getting snowed under,

hanging for a fish so bad, watching all you guys going out slaying fish is only thing thats keeps me sane 

 

Bryce Day's picture

Posts: 812

Date Joined: 01/06/15

 Wheatstone offshore is going

Fri, 2015-09-25 19:23

 Wheatstone offshore is going good with another 6 months of hook-up in it then onto commissioning. But probly all will jump to index offshore

Posts: 619

Date Joined: 18/04/08

Marine Biologist

Fri, 2015-09-25 20:05

On Inpex's great "Ichthys deep"... helped them find the mother of all finds using the rig "Ocean Bounty" I was supposed to be following the whole history of that hole.......but...got burnt

 

Posts: 5739

Date Joined: 18/01/12

 work on the boats came to a

Fri, 2015-09-25 21:14

 work on the boats came to a sudden stop around xmas, 4 months off, my vessel for the last 3 years sent to Asia.

Took a step back to a lower rank for 3 swings and just got the call a couple of days back to go to a bigger boat (54 meters) in my previous rank.
Downside is going back to work a week earlier and canning a full family (7) Abrolhos trip planned for end of school holidays, but shit happens.

Fighting the governement now about the Shipping Reform Legislation, which if allowed thru, will result in loss of jobs for 93% of Aussie seafarers and a total of only about 90 jobs Australia wide.

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

epic restos and marine's picture

Posts: 226

Date Joined: 22/06/15

haven't had a day off in

Sat, 2015-09-26 06:35

haven't had a day off in three and a half months keeping up with work loads

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Dale's picture

Posts: 7930

Date Joined: 13/09/05

Sat, 2015-09-26 09:33

 Rio are going to get busy soon with the new Silver Grass mine, that's going to be huge. Will be a big construction happening.

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"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."

Mr Wolf

 

 

flangies's picture

Posts: 2540

Date Joined: 11/05/08

 Been trying to get into O&G

Sat, 2015-09-26 10:50

 Been trying to get into O&G field services for about three months now since graduation. After about 30 jobs I've applied for I've only heard back from two. Fingers crossed on this field specialists position open at baker Hughes, otherwise zip. 

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3757

Date Joined: 14/10/12

I applied for around 70 via

Thu, 2015-10-01 07:35

I applied for around 70 via seek, 30 or so via other means (linkedin, O&G job search, Rigzone ect.), and then there were the random door knocks, phone calls and emails.

I managed  four interviews over a three month period, applying for jobs which were a significant step back (like the one I have now).

The real heart breaking thing is when you interview for a job, (At a shipbuilder in Henderson), answer all the questions, ooze ability, are happy with the wage, and you dont even make the second round. After phone calls and emails, and even a letter, i never found out why.

Got the same crap at another business in Kewdale which had a similar positive interview that went for nearly two hours (plenty of chatting, laughter initiated by those interviewing me) only to be told verbally that I was over qualified. Shortly thereafter I recieved the formal rejection letter which told that they offered it to a candidate with more experience.

3rd interview I had, I missed the job because "the other person was 10 years older"....That is a quote.

A bit of a rant, but apply for everything and anything and you may get something out of left field.

 

 

Posts: 90

Date Joined: 26/12/14

 Sounds very similar to my

Thu, 2015-10-01 08:13

 Sounds very similar to my recent experiences.

I'll also say try to steer clear of the agencies if you can help it. I was registered with 3 of the top ones and got nothing from them. They were very keen to get me in for a chat to see how they can help (all of them are in the city so parking is around $15 each time) then you hear absolutely nothing from them even if you apply for a job listed with them... Hays is especially bad. I rang and left a message twice for the recruiter to call me back and got nothing. Someone else I know has had the same experience with Hays.

The old adage of "it's not what you know it's who you know" still works.

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3757

Date Joined: 14/10/12

I got my previous job through

Thu, 2015-10-01 11:39

I got my previous job through Hays, with absoloutely no O&G experience, in 2008. The start of the GFC.

This time, there were constantly mining jobs advertised by Hays (and still are) and they wouldnt consider me due to no mining experience.

 

The job I am in now is due to 'its who you know'. Called Friday, coffee Monday, interviewed Tuesday, job offer Wednesday, started Friday.

 

 

Posts: 90

Date Joined: 26/12/14

 Dp

Thu, 2015-10-01 08:14

 Dp

Lamby's picture

Posts: 3145

Date Joined: 04/08/09

With proposed 7 yr cycle in

Thu, 2015-10-01 08:04

With proposed 7 yr cycle in mining etc. nobody is worried about Brazil's production gearing up? Supply of ore will be cheaper & of higher quality than NW I understand.

sea-kem's picture

Posts: 14833

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 My Uncle who is quite a big

Thu, 2015-10-01 18:18

 My Uncle who is quite a big nickle miner here Liam has just moved over there to set up operations for that very reason Liam.

I've just been asked to send my offsider To Barrow island for a couple of weeks to help demobilise Halliburton's operations on there. All the drilling is being shelved. Good payday for us but in the long run who knows. Luckily as I said above have picked up new clients and am booming.

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Love the West!

scottland's picture

Posts: 3031

Date Joined: 10/05/10

Barrow is weird

Thu, 2015-10-01 19:12

old boy and 560 others are i training to get set up there

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i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers

Posts: 23

Date Joined: 01/01/70

 Highest paid prison in the

Thu, 2015-10-01 19:19

 Highest paid prison in the world...

Posts: 6265

Date Joined: 26/04/14

 That it is 

Thu, 2015-10-01 19:40

 That it is 

Boydy's picture

Posts: 623

Date Joined: 26/09/12

Remained quiet so far

Thu, 2015-10-01 20:04

I've spent over 20 years with a mining OEM and watched someone I've known since I was a 15 year old boy get told they were no longer needed today along with others. This was after 30 years of service. About the 3rd round of redundancy's the business has done in the last 12 months. Done nothing wrong just not part of the business model moving forward......
Don't feel so good after telling the crew how much of a great holiday I've just had, and there're being told to wrap it up.
Not cool.

Posts: 90

Date Joined: 26/12/14

 Which OEM are you with

Thu, 2015-10-01 20:07

 Which OEM are you with Boydy?

Boydy's picture

Posts: 623

Date Joined: 26/09/12

No further comment

Thu, 2015-10-01 20:25

Against company policy, we have a long comprehensive one regarding social media of this type.
Sorry but was just making a comment, I don't have a need to put a target on myself.
Happy to remain employed at the moment.
Point was business is not great out there in the mining sector....

Posts: 90

Date Joined: 26/12/14

 No problem, I wasn't hunting

Thu, 2015-10-01 20:45

 No problem, I wasn't hunting for gossip or anything.  Just more or a personal interest. I've worked for 2 of the major mobile equipment OEMs over the last 20 years too. Hard industry at the moment and have had heard of similar stories of long termers losing their jobs. I'm sure when the availability of machines hits crisis and effects production the need to maintain equipment will increase and the maintenance cycle will start again. Capital sales will be dead for a while and probably only for new starters or current orders.

Posts: 791

Date Joined: 05/12/09

 I'm another one that is now

Wed, 2015-10-14 10:14

 I'm another one that is now unemployed from mining industry..

finally bought a boat I'm happy with and now going to lose it because we can't afford the repayments!!

looming bankruptcy, 7 kids to feed, but all is good..... Still got some Baldie fillets on ice so all is not yet lost!! Haha

Posts: 5981

Date Joined: 17/06/10

Sorry to hear that doooma

Wed, 2015-10-14 14:09

I'm seeing a lot of the same sort of thing happening to some of my mates kids and my heart goes out to them in such a position.
I hope all turns out ok for you and you get to keep the things you have worked so bloody hard to get.

Bodie's picture

Posts: 3758

Date Joined: 05/11/07

 Every month more and more

Fri, 2015-10-16 07:51

 Every month more and more work is coming in the door. Run a small IT support and consultancy business supporting the small to medium business market and you would be surpirsed howmany businesses are chasing cost savings for their IT. Small to medium businesses are feeling the pinch and needing to tigthen the belt, so been good for me picking up a few new clients in the 2nd half of this year.

 

Always chasing more clients tho!

 

Bodie