ODE Materials is expanding its dredging operations beyond the private sector in Australia.
ODE Materials, a relative newcomer to the industry, was one of a handful of companies shortlisted after an expression of interest process with Transport NSW (Maritime).
The tender is primarily for a road-transportable dredge that Transport NSW (Maritime) will use at several locations across the state for coastal remediation and rehabilitation.
The company is competing against some well-regarded dredging manufacturers that have been established for decades.
While at the time of writing, the outcome of the tender is unknown, ODE Materials co-founder Simone O’Dowd said being part of the process was a major achievement.
“For our company to have been approached is significant,” she told Quarry.
“Designing a dredge for government use means the standard of compliance is much higher than a dredge used in a private sector setting.
“That alone is a significant indication of the recognition of our work so far and a significant compliment for us.”
The GC21 tender allows the parties involved in some cases to discuss and negotiate the terms.
While ODE Materials is confident it could supply a cutter-suction dredge within the tender’s guidelines, it also believes it could show a dredge that requires less maintenance and less power for the same production rate, which would be more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
“It will be interesting to see whether we are selected and whether we can discuss with the government about using our technology rather than a traditional cutter suction dredge,” Simone said.
“It would lead to a reduction in operating costs and a reduction in most costs.
“If we were selected, it would be a massive milestone. To be the chosen or selected supplier for NSW Transport (Maritime) would put us on the map.”
ODE Materials has primarily earned its reputation by supplying dredge technology and producing construction materials. Some of Australia’s largest construction material providers use its sand, which has been used to create roads and buildings.
It has taken a long journey to get to this position, but now that the foundations of the business have been laid, ODE Materials is not content to rest on its laurels. To do this, Simone and fellow co-founder Brendan O’Dowd are thankful it has a series of quality suppliers that support its vision.
“You have to have the courage to not step back and not be overwhelmed. As part of that, you must take your key suppliers on the journey with you,” Simone said.
“The supplier of our pumps is a small-to-medium business just like us, but they have the same culture, and they want to give things a go.”
The challenge of growing a small-to-medium (SME) business cannot be overstated. Fewer resources may require juggling a heavy workload, especially when competition for contracts is fierce. Brendan continues to run O’Dowd Engineering, which provides servicing and maintenance on “yellow machines”, as well as contract work for advanced manufacturing companies, while also being a co-founder of the expanding ODE Materials. While juggling the tender and additional work, ODE Materials is in the process of working on the ‘holy grail’ of sand management projects, according to Simone.
“Juggling all of that is part of being an SME,” Simone said.
“We’ve experienced several years of steady growth, stable income, and consistent expansion. However, 2024 was a year for us to consolidate our expertise and diversify away from a single income stream.”
“I think we achieved that successfully because we created a level of stability and financial standing from which we can now build. It’s important to have a platform like that, and it took an incredible amount of hard work.”
Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, Simone is excited about ODE Materials’ future trajectory.
“I think we’ve got three strong likelihoods in front of us. All three of them will require a significant dredge build, whether it’s the government tender or one of the other two jobs we’re looking at,” Simone said.
“We are busy, but it speaks to the fact that we’re well enough known for other parties to think it is worth working with us, and that is tremendous.” •
For more information, call Brendan on 0414 506 430.
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