By Hamish Heard
WILLIAMSTOWN shipbuilder Tenix has assured 1000 local workers that their jobs will be safe after the company is sold to the highest bidder.
The owners of the company, the Salteri family, announced plans to sell just days before signing a $500 million Australian Navy deal that would employ a further 500 people at the Williamstown dockyard two weeks ago.
Tenix corporate affairs manager Matthew Abbott said the sale was likely to generate even more jobs.
“Our Williamstown dockyard is extremely busy and it’s going to get a lot busier over the next five to seven years, irrespective of any changes to the ownership structure,” Mr Abbott said.
He said the likelihood that a global company would take over Tenix meant more opportunities for local workers.
“This is actually really good news for the men and women and families in and around the Williamstown area,” Mr Abbott said.
He said it was “highly unlikely” Tenix’s Williamstown dockyard would close to allow a new foreign owner to consolidate its operations.
“The facilities in Williamstown are world-class and anyone who will buy them buys a ready-made footprint on the Australian market,” Mr Abbott said.
“Anyone who buys the company will have a huge demand for talented people and our people are world class.”
He said a company review had found a change of ownership structure would give the company access to new capital, research and development opportunities and distribution networks.
Britain’s BAE Systems and United States defence technology contractors Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have been reported as likely bidders on Tenix stock worth up to $1 billion.
“Being part of an international company would be very good news for workers as it would open them up to new career streams and a whole new range of opportunities,” Mr Abbott said.
Tenix managing director Greg Hayes said plenty of companies had been eyeing Tenix stock.
“Considerable interest has been shown by multiple parties in participating in the growth of Tenix’s defence and infrastructure businesses and it is expected this interest will result in a positive outcome,” Mr Hayes said. “The time is right for us to evaluate the ownership structure of our defence and infrastructure businesses to position them for continued success.”
