Parramatta. Pack & Send represents Australia

Australian freight and packaging company, Pack & Send, which opened its first store, in August 1993, in the Parramatta CBD, is a finalist in the International Franchisor of the Year 2008 Award. Each year the Franchising and Licensing Association (Singapore) invites a single nomination from each of the 36 member countries of the World Franchise Council. The Franchise Council of Australia nominated Pack & Send as a stand-out franchise to represent Australia. The company has expanded to a network of over 80 stores across Australia and signed master franchise agreements in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Greystanes. German fund buys property

The German pension fund, Deka Immobilien Investment, has purchased the 7.3-hectare M4 Greystanes Industrial Park, for $53.5 million, from Stockland, which has developed a 36,220-square-metre warehouse on the site for Australia Post unit, State Warehousing Distribution Services, and a 2358-square-metre forensic laboratory for NSW Police, according to The Australian Financial Review.

Parramatta. NRMA relocates in the CBD

Around 900 workers have moved into the new 10-storey building on the corner of Smith and Macquarie streets, in the Parramatta CBD, to occupy all the space available. The majority of the workers are from NRMA Insurance, with colleagues from sister companies including CGU and Swann Insurance. The NRMA relocated from The Octagon in the Parramatta CBD.

St Marys. $250 million project underway

Construction is now underway of the $250 million Replacement Flows Project, at St Marys, which would produce up to 50 million litres of high-quality recycled water each day by 2010. The recycled water would be used to replace water currently released from Warragamba Dam for environmental flows. The construction phase will take about 18 months, with workforce numbers peaking at about 240. When complete, the scheme would be one of the largest recycled water schemes in Australia.

Holroyd. $13m upgrade of substation

The NSW Government has announced a $13 million upgrade to the Holroyd Zone Substation, which would ensure continued reliability of electricity and benefit to businesses and residents. NSW Energy Minister, Ian Macdonald, said Integral Energy’s investment would see the replacement of vital electrical infrastructure at the zone substation, located at the corner of Centenary and Old Prospect roads, Wentworthville. The zone substation was built in the mid-1950’s and was one of many projects being undertaken by Integral Energy over the next several years to replace these “baby-boomer” assets to meet growing demand.

Hoxton Park. $14m centre nearing completion

Construction on Integral Energy’s $14 million state-of-the-art apprentice training centre at Hoxton Park has reached an important milestone with the roof installed on the building. The centre is due to commence operation next January, in line with the next intake of apprentices. The purpose-built centre is expected to be one of the most advanced training facilities for electrical workers in Australia. Integral Energy is looking to recruit 300 apprentices over the next five years to help deliver a planned $2.9 billion capital investment to ensure a safe and reliable electricity supply to residents and businesses across Western Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Illawarra and Southern Highlands.

Hawkesbury. Relocation of Capital Works HQ

The UWS Capital Works and Facilities team has relocated its headquarters to the Hawkesbury campus, bringing together 130 staff to oversee the maintenance of the university's some 550 teaching and administration buildings across all its campuses, its multi-million dollar research facilities, as well as its 1836 hectares of land.