How big is the resources economy behind Perth's industrial businesses?
Very big, and concentrated. Western Australia's Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration reported mineral and petroleum sales of $220 billion in 2024-25, with iron ore alone worth $122 billion on near-record output of 864 million tonnes. For a Perth engineering, fabrication, hire or labour business, the question is rarely whether it depends on that economy, only how closely and through which customers.
Commodities do not move together. Iron ore, gold, lithium, nickel and gas have each had their own timetable of booms and cutbacks, so a contractor's commodity mix matters as much as its client list. We read revenue by commodity as well as by customer, and we look at the years together before deciding which level of earnings is maintainable. Our mining services guide sets out how contracts and plant are treated generally.
What did the nickel shutdown teach WA suppliers?
On 11 July 2024 BHP announced it would temporarily suspend its Western Australia Nickel operations from October 2024, including the Kwinana nickel refinery, the Kalgoorlie nickel smelter and the Mt Keith and Leinster operations, citing oversupply in the global nickel market. BHP said it would review the decision by February 2027.
For contractors that serviced those sites, the lesson was sharp: a framework agreement with a major is not a guarantee of work. When we value a Perth contractor, we look at revenue by operator, by site and by commodity, and ask what would happen if the largest of each stopped for a year. Our article on customer concentration explains how that risk is priced.
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Kwinana, Henderson and the Western Trade Coast
The Western Trade Coast covers 3,900 hectares between Munster and Rockingham and includes the Kwinana Industrial Area, the Rockingham Industry Zone, the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson and Latitude 32. The WA Government describes the Australian Marine Complex as one of only two naval shipbuilding locations in Australia.
Defence work there is growing, but in stages. In April 2026 the Australian Government signed contracts for the first three upgraded Mogami class general purpose frigates, to be built in Japan, and said future ships would be built in Western Australia, subject to consolidation of the Henderson Defence Precinct. For a Perth fabricator or electrical contractor hoping to supply that work, we value contracts in hand and treat the future build as an opportunity, not a forecast. Further out again, Westport expects a new container port at Kwinana to be operational by the late 2030s.
Kewdale and the freight hub
The City of Belmont describes Kewdale as one of Perth's most established industrial locations, home to many transport, logistics and manufacturing businesses, and says the Kewdale Freight Terminal turns over about 330,000 container units a year. Transport, postal and warehousing is the top employing industry in Belmont.
Transport businesses often carry significant fleet finance. We separate that debt from the business value, check how much of the fleet is near replacement, and make sure the earnings we capitalise can fund the prime movers and trailers the business needs to keep its contracts. See transport and logistics valuations.
Servicing Perth and Western Australia
The work runs on documents and calls with a suitably qualified business valuer at Valuation Group rather than visits to a Perth office, so a workshop in Karratha, Port Hedland, Kalgoorlie or Bunbury is valued exactly the way one in Kewdale is. Our hours are Mon to Fri, 9am to 5:30pm AEST, which is 7am to 3:30pm in Perth. Methods are on how we value.
Industries we value in Perth
How we value it, and what it costs
Smaller industrial business
Annual turnover under $2 million
From $1,495 + GST
Report in 2 business days
Established industrial business
Annual turnover $2 million to $10 million
From $2,495 + GST
Report in 3 business days
Complex industrial business
Annual turnover over $10 million, or a complex structure
From $3,495 + GST
Delivery agreed before we start
Independent expert and complex matters
Disputes, litigation support, complex groups and highly specialised matters
Quoted individually
Delivery agreed before we start
We confirm the fee in writing before we start. No hourly billing. Delivery time starts once payment and all required information have been received. How our fees work
Questions from Perth business owners
We are based in Perth but all our work is in the Pilbara. Does that matter?
Only in what it tells us about risk. We look at the operators, sites and commodities behind the revenue, the cost of moving crews and plant, and whether the business could redeploy if one site closed.
Is a master services agreement with a major worth a lot?
It is worth what flows through it. An agreement sets rates and terms but rarely commits volume, so we value the work history, the term left and the termination rights rather than the agreement itself.
Can you use an existing plant and equipment valuation?
Yes. A formal plant and machinery valuation is a separate discipline, done by a plant and machinery valuer, and where you have a recent one we can use it as an input. Owning valuable plant does not automatically add its full value to the business. See plant and equipment in a valuation.
How long will it take?
2 business days for a smaller business and 3 business days for an established one. Delivery time starts once payment and all required information have been received. Larger and complex matters have a timetable agreed at the start. If you have a deadline, tell us and we will tell you on the call whether we can meet it.
Do you need to visit our Kwinana workshop?
Rarely. A plant register, recent photos and a call with the workshop manager answer most questions. If the plant genuinely needs to be seen, we say so when scoping and agree the visit and its cost before it happens.
Sources
- WA Government: Statistics Digest reveals Western Australia's strong resources sector (2024-25)
- BHP ASX release (11 July 2024): Western Australia Nickel to temporarily suspend operations
- WA Government: Western Trade Coast
- Minister for Defence (18 April 2026): Australia locks in delivery of our first three general purpose frigates
- Westport: Transition and timing
- City of Belmont: Key industries