As Account Manager at Fyshwick’s Specfast branch, Nick Worthe spends a lot of his time liaising with engineering and construction businesses in the local area. In doing so, he assists them to navigate supply and demand of key products, identifying direct solutions to everyday and unique challenges.
Whether it’s related to mechanical services, sourcing componentry, or more complex problem-solving, his team is focused on creating a streamlined availability of parts for their clients.
“For me, it’s about seeking out and making the most of new opportunities for industrial business in the region,” he says. “Modern fabrication and engineering bring greater efficiency and faster outcomes, but also introduce new challenges that require critical thinking and a proactiveness. This role allows me to puzzle things out and validate a new approach where improvements can be made.”
Donning their name in 1959 as the go-to fastener experts, Specfast now caters to a more far-reaching portfolio of strategically distributed plastics, hardware, consumables and technical service. Trusted by players in the mining, transport, defence and infrastructure fields, they are increasingly present in major development initiatives as a one-stop-shop for critical materials.
This has been exemplified over the last few years during a major hospital upgrade in Canberra, where a new 40,000 square metre facility will meet the demands of the city’s growing population. Construction of this building will ensure more operating rooms, treatment spaces and intensive care beds, and has already created hundreds of new jobs and upskilling opportunities for local workers.
“It’s a vital undertaking that we’re proud to be quite involved in at multiple stages of the process,” says Nick. “We’re working with contractors and services to ensure the smooth installation of metalworks, air conditioning, and electrical fitouts. For one particular steel business, we’ve gone the extra mile to get their product specified with locally produced construction chemicals, which is a more cost effective and higher performing solution.”
Nick has been working alongside this team for about three and a half years, helping them carve a higher standard for advanced industrial process in New South Wales and beyond. But their history with Specfast goes back much longer, he says, as a trusted legacy supplier with a point of difference.
“Their day-to-day operations deal with the fabrication and installation of small steel frames right through to commercial infrastructure and larger residential projects,” Nick explains. “They have been quite involved with getting this hospital project underway, and our support with standardising and ensuring availability of product has been greatly appreciated on their end.”
The success of this product switch has given them the confidence to make multiple upgrades to Specfast supplied units, which in turn allows the supplier to hold the right componentry for them on an ongoing basis.
Importantly, Specfast’s far-reaching branch footprint as part of Motion Australia has led to an increase in stock availability, allowing them to prioritise locally made product. This has flow-on effects that bolster the local economy and mitigate risks associated with import lead times. Additionally, it has allowed them to focus on the introduction of other componentry like plastics, or hosing assemblies from other Motion Australia businesses like Advanced Industrial Products (AIP).
“We’d like to demonstrate that we’re more than just a fastener company – our footprint and catalogue is constantly expanding, and our knowledge around different types of products can shine through when people are aware of that,” Nick resolves. “As our customer base grows, our capacity to expand our range of products will grow with it, so we’re eager to assist with all applications, big or small.”
