Stellar Marine Talent Pool Expands
The southern hemisphere’s most comprehensive and awarded marine facility, Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard (GCCM) has added to its distinguished talent pool and onsite capabilities with the prized addition and expansion of multiple new and existing marine refit and repair businesses.
The landmark 17.5-hectare facility plays home to the largest concentration of marine trades in Australia and provides a seamless destination for maintenance, refit and repair of vessels of every shape and size – from jet-ski’s and tinnies through to 70+ metres superyachts. There are currently over 90 on-site businesses employing in excess of 700 marine contractors, many of whom are leading marine service providers in their respective fields.
Norman R Wright & Sons, All Marine Repairs, ASG Motorsports, Boats International, Neptune Oceanic, Workshop 28, and Wise Boatbuilding are the latest additions to the growing GCCM marine trades pipeline of talent while existing tenants, Lumark and O’Neill Shipwrights have expanded their footprint in the burgeoning GCCM shipyard.
Workshop 28 is renowned for their marine architectural joinery and high-end interiors while Norman R Wright & Sons is arguably the oldest privately-owned boat builder and designer in Australia having built over 1000 custom vessels over the past 110 years. Wise Boatbuilding is a team of boat builders and craftsmen capable of repair, restoration or refit services for all manner of vessels from commercial ferries through to superyachts or vintage wooden boats.
GCCM CEO Trenton Gay says his shipyard, which this year has celebrated its 20th anniversary, prides itself on curating and nurturing the very best marine talent all in one location to get boats swiftly back on the water, on time and on budget.
“Names like Workshop 28, Norman R Wright and Wise Boatbuilding have exemplary reputations within our industry and are a welcome addition to our comprehensive GCCM portfolio of best practice marine trade businesses that have been carefully handpicked over the past two decades,” Mr Gay said.
“GCCM plays an important role in growing the future stars of the Australian marine industry. We are always looking for the right mix of expertise and innovation along with the next generation of talent and newcomers who we think have what it takes to make it to the top of their game and provide the highest level of workmanship to our clients,” he said.
“The team members and onsite contractors operating at GCCM are simply the best of the best – many have worked around the globe crewing and refitting yachts or working in leading shipyards in the UK, Europe and USA and now bring their expertise to GCCM.” Ben Duemmer of Workshop 28 says the move to GCCM was an easy decision that ticked all the boxes.
“Our goal has always been to expand our business and GCCM provides us with an opportunity to be aligned with all the industry leaders and best in the game marine trades there are in Australia,” Mr Duemmer said.
“GCCM is second to none when it comes to facilities, service, professionalism but most importantly, the Gay family’s longevity and experience within the industry,” he said. “We’re very much looking forward to the exposure that being a part of the GCCM family offers our business.”
The two existing GCCM tenancy expansions include marine fabricators, Lumark who have expanded their footprint into larger permanent factory space including additional Superyacht sheds for projects and O’Neill Shipwrights who have grown exponentially since moving to GCCM and are have relocated into one of GCCM’s newly completed showroom and refit factory spaces.
Aside from attracting quality trades to the site, GCCM has continued to invest in their Stage I site since opening doors in 2000. Recent improvements to the site and services include new high bay undercover work areas with an 18-metre clearance. It increases the options for all weather hardstand areas for their customers.
GCCM is set to double in size when its $108 million stage 2 development is complete on an adjacent 20-hectare site. The second stage – which is currently in planning and approval stage – will see GCCM occupy 37.5 hectares within the Gold Coast’s 250-hectare marine precinct, more than doubling the size of the existing facility.
For more information on the packages available at GCCM or their new undercover work bays, contact the team on (0)7 5502 5888 or email info@gccm.com.au.
