Plenary wins Melbourne Markets asset management contract

Published 24 December 2013

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA – Plenary Group’s project delivery arm, Plenary Asset Management, has won the contract to provide asset management services to the current Melbourne Wholesale Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Market in West Melbourne and its soon-to-be new home at Epping.

This success follows the Queensland Government’s announcement last week that the Plenary Schools consortium will deliver, finance, maintain and provide facilities management services for a package of 10 schools commencing in 2014.

Under the contract awarded by the Melbourne Market Authority, Plenary Asset Management will commence service delivery at the existing West Melbourne facility from early 2014.

Plenary will transition the supply of its services when the market relocates to Epping and will provide services there until 2018.

Plenary Asset Management Director, Glenn Hay, said the Melbourne Markets project will see Plenary transfer its extensive expertise in delivering and managing complex public private partnership (PPP) projects to a non-PPP environment.

“We saw an opportunity with this project to apply our considerable experience in transition and change management to a more traditional asset management role, but in an equally unique government environment,” Mr Hay said.

“We look forward to partnering with the Melbourne Market Authority and the Market community to ensure a continuity of services at the existing West Melbourne market and a smooth transition into their new home.”

Plenary’s scope of service for the Melbourne Markets project includes the management of various hard and soft asset management services including; building maintenance, security, cleaning and waste, grounds maintenance and help desk services.

Plenary Asset Management has partnered with Charter Security for the provision of market operations and customer service.  Plenary enjoys a strong working relationship with Charter on a number of public private partnership projects.

CEO of the Melbourne Market Authority Mark Maskiell said: “We look forward to working with Plenary and drawing on their expertise to provide quality services to the market community both at West Melbourne and as we transition to the new site at Epping.”

Plenary Asset Management has commenced the mobilisation of its markets team to ensure it’s ready to hit the ground running in supporting the Melbourne Market Authority.

The Plenary team has delivered and manages a diverse portfolio of significant infrastructure projects across Australia including:

• the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, currently under construction in Parkville, Melbourne;
• the Melbourne Convention Centre Development and the South Wharf Promenade food and beverage precinct;
• Single Living accommodation for Defence personnel on 17 bases across mainland Australia;
• AgriBio, Centre for Agribiosciences at Bundoora;
• the Casey Community Hospital at Berwick;
• the Barwon Water Biosolids Treatment Plant at Barwon Heads; and
• the South Australian Regional Police and Courts Project where Plenary is the asset manager and provider of direct facilities management services. 

Plenary Asset Management will continue to identify appropriate new opportunities to add value and provide a strategic approach to asset management projects with government partners.  

The Melbourne Wholesale Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Market is the central trading and distribution centre for Victoria’s fresh produce industry. The Victorian Government is relocating the Market and its community of tenants and users to a new and modern facility being built on a 133 hectare site at Epping, north of the CBD. Click here for more information on the Markets.

Executive Director, Communications
+61 3 8888 7754
+61 418 530 806
chris.whitefield@plenary.com