Alex Ocean

Alex Ocean founded Purple Engineering, the Australian company behind Pipe Stand Australia, and leads its technical sales. He is a civil engineer with more than 25 years in construction and engineering, and has been a member of Engineers Australia (MIEAust) since 2010.

The business grew out of what Alex saw on Western Australian oil and gas projects: work stalling while contractors waited 8 to 14 weeks for pipeline equipment to arrive from overseas. In 2013 he started Purple Engineering to hold critical equipment in stock locally so crews could keep working. Pipeline equipment is still at the heart of the business, and Pipe Stand Australia now supplies pipe stands, pipeline rollers, turning rolls, welding positioners and other pipe welding equipment to projects across the country.

Alex knows the site end of the job first hand. In Western Australia he worked as a civil engineer with Piletech and the Saipem / Leighton joint venture, and his project work includes the foundations for RAC Arena in Perth and the Albany Entertainment Centre, and the subsea foundations for the jetty at Barrow Island.

A third-generation entrepreneur, Alex launched his first technology venture at 17. He completed a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at the University of Semnan in 2000 and ran his own civil and road construction company before moving to Australia.

Today he leads technical sales alongside CEO Sanoj Chathuranga, with a focus on long-term relationships with customers and with the manufacturers behind the range. He is a committed learner who reads between 50 and 100 books a year.