Basetec invests $9 million in Centre of Excellence at Tonsley

Basetec Services, a composite pipeline technologies company, and its affiliate NovaFast, announced earlier this month that it will invest approximately $9 million to establish facilities at Tonsley, including a Centre of Excellence in Composites Research and Development.

The state government is also contributing $1.5 million towards the centre which will expand South Australia’s capabilities in composite materials research and education, as well as helping to develop high-value manufacturing in the state.

Basetec currently manufactures and installs composite pipelines for major projects including the Santos Gladstone Liquid Natural Gas (GLNG) and Origin Energy’s Australian Pacific LNG projects in Queensland.

The proposed Centre of Excellence will allow university students to develop ‘hands on’ engineering skills with composite materials; assist local and international companies with complex composite design and engineering excellence; help engineers to select the right material for their critical processes and gain a better understanding of composite products; provide engineered solutions for industry through research and development collaborations and; provide consultancy and testing services in the areas of structure, materials, composites and computational modelling and analysis.

Managing Director of Basetec Services Charles Figallo said the Centre of Excellence will be designed for research discoveries, post-graduate education, national and international linkages and commercial outputs.

“We have existing research collaborations with the Ian Wark Research Institute and will extend that to other educational and research partners including Flinders University and TAFE SA, both of whom will be located close to us at Tonsley,” Charles said.

“Our company is looking to collaborate and innovate to grow and prosper and we see Tonsley as the ideal place to do this. We will establish our facilities at Tonsley through a Joint Venture with the China National Materials Group Corporation (Sinoma), which greatly increases the export potential for Basetec’s products and services, and has the potential for Simona to increase the scale and scope of its investment in South Australia.”