Briefcase: Business Snippets from around South Australia
In this week’s Briefcase, city tower reopens after major renovation and local wines reach international markets. Plus the latest business events.
- 30 Pirie Street reopens post-reno
- Petratherm raises $8 million for further titanium exploration
- Saab expands with latest defence capability hub
- Merger strives to strengthen family and community services industry
- Construction on hydrogen pilot plant starts
- Playford Alive land development is sold out
- South Australian distillery becomes gin of choice at Adelaide Oval
- Adelaide entrepreneurs launch new property app
- SA councils launch sustainable housing resource
30 Pirie Street reopens post-reno
A $30 million revitalisation of a 23-storey tower at 30 Pirie Street has been completed, after owner Quintessential acquired the landmark building for $73 million in 2022.
The building was officially opened for leasing on 13 March. The renovation included a new façade entry and forecourt, a statement lobby, fresh ground-floor amenities, and a new auditorium for presentations, workshops, and staff training sessions.
Quintessential CEO Justin Mills said the company was proud to play a role in revitalising the building, which has been predominantly Telstra’s for more than 30 years.
“We have created one of the best office destinations in Adelaide, providing tenants and their workforces with a connected and dynamic office environment,” Mills said.
Petratherm’s Muckanippie Project is located in the northern Gawler Crayton in South Australia. Photo: Petratherm
Petratherm raises $8 million for further titanium exploration
Proceeds of an $8.1 million share placement will be used for exploration drilling operations at Muckanippie, advancing metallurgical test work, and general working capital for miner Petratherm.
CEO Peter Reid said he was “extremely pleased with the strong support for the placement, which places Petratherm in a well-funded position to advance the exciting potentially world class Muckanippie Titanium HMS Project”.
“Over the past six months Petratherm has rapidly advanced the Muckanippie Project in central South Australia,” Reid said.
“In the last four weeks alone, the company has announced results of drilling which confirmed high-grade, titanium-rich Heavy Mineral Sands mineralisation extending over a 15km2 area at the Rosewood Prospect, reportedly a new style of extremely high-grade HM mineralisation within saprolitic clays at several other sites, and posted positive results from HM sizing analysis representative samples at Rosewood.”
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Saab’s new defence capability hub is located in Mawson Lakes. Photo: Saab
Saab expands with latest defence capability hub
Saab Technologies has unveiled its latest state-of-the-art Sovereign Combat Systems Collaboration Centre (SCSCC) in Mawson Lakes.
This facility will be used to contribute to strengthening Australia’s defence capabilities, and will house projects in software development, systems integration, testing and prototyping.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the centre will “bring together a skilled workforce which at its heart is building a future made in Australia”.
The opening of the SCSCC follows the Swedish company’s recent expansion into Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT.
Merger strives to strengthen family and community services industry
Baptcare (VIC, TAS, SA), Baptist Care SA and BaptistCare (NSW, ACT, WA), have merged to form BaptistCare, Australia’s third-largest integrated care and service provider.
It is anticipated that the merger will enhance service quality, while also providing greater choice, flexibility and diversity to its 38,000 customers across Australia.
Baptist Care CEO Charles Moore describes the merger as a “bold but necessary step” to bring the best outcomes to Australians who rely on not-for-profit care and service providers.
“With increasing demand for services and mounting regulatory pressures, BaptistCare is uniquely positioned to champion sustainable solutions, from aged care to affordable housing and homelessness, to retirement living,” Moore said.
A New Era for Australian Digital Payments: AmCham will host a business breakfast on March 20, 2025, which will explore the future of B2B payments.
Space – A Game-Changer for Mining, Medicine and Mankind: Join AmCham for a luncheon about how space exploration has the potential to benefit humankind on 3 April.
Official AFL Gather Round Business Lunch: Presented by the AFL and the South Australian Business Chamber, the lunch brings together the AFL industry and the wider South Australian business community on 11 April.
William Buck 2025 CFO Summit: The summit will address pressing issues facing businesses, like AI and ESG, as well as discuss the state and national economy on 14 May at the Adelaide Oval.
2025 AEDA Business Summit, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas will attend the summit and will be joined by a stellar lineup of business leaders and industry experts on 20 May at the Adelaide Oval.
Construction on hydrogen pilot plant starts
Sparc Hydrogen has commenced construction on a first-of-its-kind photocatalytic water splitting pilot plant at the University of Adelaide Roseworthy Campus.
Pilot plant commissioning is expected in mid-2025 and when built will allow the company to test different reactor designs and photocatalyst materials.
Sparc managing director Nick O’Loughlin said it was “very rewarding to see progress being made both at Roseworthy and in the factory towards delivering a globally leading facility for green hydrogen production via photocatalytic water splitting”.
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“In an environment where major challenges exist for hydrogen projects due to the high cost of power, the requirement for new solutions to unlock low-cost green hydrogen without relying on electrolysers has never been higher.”
Housing Minister Nick Champion said all allotments at the Playford Alive development are now sold out. Photo: Renewal SA
Playford Alive land development is sold out
All 282 allotments in Playford Alive’s Newton Boulevard land development have been fully sold, Housing Minister Nick Champion has announced.
Champion said the government fast-tracked the project in 2024 to “get more people into new homes faster”.
“It’s great that all allotments have been sold and work is underway to deliver these homes with the first residents expected to move in next year,” he said.
According to the government, over 60 per cent of the allotment on the 16.6ha precinct are designated affordable housing, including affordable rentals, and land allotments sold at or below the current affordable price point of $222,750.
23rd Street Distillery has been announced as the gin of choice at Adelaide Oval. Photo: Supplied
South Australian distillery becomes gin of choice at Adelaide Oval
23rd Street Distillery has been named the official gin of the Adelaide Oval, the distillery announced, bringing award-winning South Australian spirits to the state’s largest stadium.
Chris Illman, who is head of group marketing and sales at 23rd Street, described the partnership as “a proud moment” for the Renmark-based distillery.
“Adelaide Oval is more than just a sporting venue – it’s the heart of South Australian culture,” he said.
“To have 23rd Street gin served here is a celebration of our state’s spirit, both in the bottle and in the stands.”
UNIFI co-founders Michael and Loretta Cavallaro are taking on the real estate sector’s biggest players. Photo: Supplied.
Adelaide entrepreneurs launch new property app
The co-founders of UNIFI have launched a new app which aims to make buying properties off-the-plan with their solution even easier than before.
The UNIFI Property app is now available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
Co-founder Loretta Cavallaro said the app is empowering those looking to buy property off-the-plan to “make informed decisions with confidence”.
UNIFI lets prospective buyers search for off-the-plan properties on a website that only showcases brand-new builds and has features like real-time pricing.
SA councils launch sustainable housing resource
The councils of Alexandrina, Light, Mount Barker and Onkaparinga have launched a new website for residents wanting to make their homes more sustainable, climate-resilient and cheaper to run.
Homes of Tomorrow provides a range of video case studies, downloadable fact sheets, checklists, resources, links and more about making homes more sustainable by going electric, upscaling insulation, installing window glazing and changing the colour of your roof.
Onkaparinga Mayor Moira Were said “more and more people want to make their homes sustainable”.
“Homes of Tomorrow is a handy resource for anyone looking to kickstart their journey,” she said.
“It comes at an opportune time to shape sustainable development in Onkaparinga, with thousands of new homes on the way following state government land releases in Aldinga, Noarlunga, Onkaparinga Heights, Port Stanvac and Sellicks Beach.”
