BlueScope Distribution & Austal Partnership: Innovating the game changers Some readers may not be up-to-date on the world’s largest aluminium ship builder. And may not realise that we are referring to a highly successful Australian organisation with corporate headquarters in Henderson, Western Australia. In fact, the company in question is none other than Austal Australia. It is a company that has more than 5000 employees and three Australian Service Centres as well as shipyards not only in WA but also in the Philippines, Vietnam and Alabama in the US. Austal commenced operations some 33 years ago with a vision to build high quality commercial vessels for the international market. And what they have achieved is nothing less than amazing. Today, as a global shipbuilder and defence prime contractor, Austal is recognised as a world leader in the design and construction of customised commercial and defence vessels. Many of the world’s leading ferry operators, navies and defence forces are valued Austal clients. For Australia, Austal is the defence prime contractor and maritime technology partner of choice. The company designs, constructs and supports revolutionary defence and commercial vessels for the world’s leading operators. Austal and BlueScope Distribution working together The Business Development Manager for BlueScope Distribution, Damien Corich, outlines the contribution BlueScope Distribution made on two recent projects. “We were presented with a mammoth challenge of providing a distribution model for Austal that included product innovation, improved capabilities, costing efficiencies, vendor managed inventory and performance measures across multiple continents,” explains Damien. BlueScope Distribution provided a single source of supply for steel and aluminium (5083/5383 aluminium plate, 5383 aluminium extrusion and 350 grade structural steel); also offering 5383 DNV marine grade product innovation and design. All aluminium plate products and extrusions were supplied both in 5383 grade DNV certified sourced from three aluminium mills with completed custom die design, covered by technical and engineering support. With the added support of local warehousing and vendor managed inventory. A strategic distribution model was developed incorporating the following key deliverables: • Completed direct mill deliveries to Philippines & Vietnam shipyards • Acquired DNV class certification for new innovative aluminium grade 5383 plate and extrusion in region • Custom engineered die design and casting • Provided specialised containerisation with open tops to maximize loads and meet unloading capabilities at the shipyards • Shipped materials from multiple ports Working across two continents in four countries, BlueScope Distribution’s export capabilities kept up with supply and demand by shipping containers full of aluminium to multiple ports.The export team managed all marine international insurance covers and also managed all custom clearances and live vessel tracking. Airfreighting aluminium samples for approval and weld qualifications provided the assurance Austal required. Next Page Next Page 20 Case Study – Austal