Perth Heavy engineering company Civmec, which recently started targeting work in defence, has said other contractors have been unimpressed by their entry to the sector.

The West Australian reports that CEO Pat Tallon told a Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA function that rival bidders for work didn’t want Civmec “cutting their grass”.

“Several have tried to distract us from doing this, The West Australian reports him as saying.

“We have been discouraged more than encouraged and ‘This wasn’t the right space’ for us to be in.”

Civmec has traditionally been a resources fabrication business

The company announced in February that it acquired shipbuilder Forgacs for $21 million, and is also pushing for contracts on the Offshore Patrol Vessel program.

It has also teamed up with German shipbuilder TKMS to build parts of a demonstration submarine pressure hull, which went on display in December.

SOURCE: Manufacturers Monthly