Austrade media release
11 October 2010
From airport canopies to stadium roofs, an Australian design and construction company has the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi well covered.
MakMax Australia has installed a unique, lightweight tensile roof for the revamped Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the 60,000-seat venue for the Games’ opening and closing ceremonies and main athletic events.
MakMax, trading as Taiyo Membrane India, was awarded the contract to supply and install the A$13 million roof, which at 54,000sqm, is the largest of its kind in Asia. The installation was completed in June this year.
The crowning achievement in the stadium's rebirth is the distinctive fabric and cable net roof, which was designed on the principles of a bicycle wheel by a German engineering firm.
MakMax also installed an innovative lightweight cable truss roof at the Siri Fort Aquatic complex.
Operating in India since 2005, Taiyo Membrane has won major contracts for three airports - Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi international airports - along with Ranchi Stadium, the company’s first large stadia project in India.
Richard MacDonald, President of MakMax’s India operations, says the company’s local presence and previous work in India - Mumbai Airport in particular - proved to be the catalyst for winning the Nehru Stadium contract.
“Mumbai Airport was an iconic project. People could see for themselves what we could achieve in India, and how well suited our products are to the local environment,” Mr MacDonald said.
“Our canopies use a durable but lightweight fabric that can deflect 80 per cent of sunlight. This, combined with drainage systems installed into the steelwork for siphoning massive quantities of water, means our roofs are perfect for India’s hot and unpredictable climate,” he said.
Mr MacDonald said understanding the idiosyncrasies of Indian culture and the importance of relationships to business deals is part of achieving success in India. “We found that face to face meetings and establishing relationships with both government and private business networks is vital,” he said.
“Austrade held valuable networking functions where we met all senior and key government and private representatives involved in the Commonwealth Games. These were generally held in a very informal and relaxing environment suited to the local business culture.
“Austrade also often worked as a sounding board for us, providing a second opinion on strategy. They provided guidance and help to craft a winning approach,” Mr MacDonald said.
A total of 47 Australian companies are delivering on contracts worth over $83 million for the Commonwealth Games. These companies are providing a range of services such as pyrotechnics, design of Games venues, IT consultancy, logistics and coordination of the Queens Baton Relay, security and broadcasting.
There is an opportunity for further growth, with India preparing for other major sporting events like the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and the 2011 Formula One.
Business Club Australia is the Australian Government’s official business networking program at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. It is a platform for boosting business connections against the backdrop of the Games.
Manager, Ashley White said, “Similar businesses can engage with each other and leverage this to create positive business opportunities.
“Since its inception at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Business Club Australia has helped generate A$1.7 billion in international business outcomes for Australia,” Mr White said.
Twenty-two events will be held over the 11 days of competition.
The introduction of Australian suppliers to international games and events has combined the efforts of Austrade, Industry Capability Network (ICN) and the Australian International Sporting Events Secretariat (AISES). This initiative has the support of the Australian Government’s Supplier Access to Major Projects (SAMP) program and the state governments of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
Available for interview:
Mr Ashley White, Manager, Business Club Australia, Austrade
Mr Richard MacDonald, President, Taiyo Membrane India
ENDS
Media contact
Purnima Ganapathy, Communications Manager, Business Club Australia
Phone: +91 88266 19052
Purnima.Ganapathy@austrade.gov.au
For further news and information from the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) visit www.austrade.gov.au/mediacentre.
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