australasian BUSINESS COVERAGE ISSUE
18
BOlStERING BAUxItE IN QUEENSlANd
RIo TInTo AmRUn
QANtAS tO fly dIRECt fROm PERth tO lONdON 1
BUILDING THE PLATFORM OF CUTTING EDGE MOBILITY
Bombardier Transportation, a global leader in rail technology, offers the broadest portfolio in the rail industry that covers the full spectrum of rail solutions from the manufacture of passenger rail vehicles, to the provision of complete rail transportation systems & system integration, signalling, propulsion & control technology, asset management and through life support with local engineering and manufacturing. Bombardier Transportation, a division of Bombardier Inc, has an installed base of over 100,000 vehicles worldwide and with over 60 systems in operation around the globe; Bombardier is highly proven to deliver turnkey transportation systems.
www.bombardier.com
Bombardier Transportation is highly active & thrives in the areas of: đƫ Passenger Rolling Stock đƫ Railway Signalling Equipment & Installation đƫ Turnkey Transportation Systems đƫ Propulsion & Train Control đƫ Bogies đƫ Asset Management
Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.
Some of our current high profile projects in Australia include but are not limited to: đƫ Melbourne E Class Trams đƫ Adelaide A-City EMU Trains đƫ Adelaide DMU & EMU Fleet Maintenance đƫ Adelaide Light Rail Vehicle (Trams) đƫ VLocity DMU Trains đƫ V/Line Fleet Maintenance đƫ Queensland Next Generation Rollingstock (QNGR) đƫ Gold Coast Rapid Transit System đƫ Perth “B” Series Trains đƫ Perth A & B Series Fleet Maintenance
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ABOUT ZTE
As one of the world’s top providers of telecommunications equipment, network solutions and mobile devices, ZTE is committed to technology innovation to keep the company at the forefront of the global ICT industry, delivering superior products, solutions and services to clients in more than 160 countries, generating value for shareholders and business partners.
DYNAMIC ORGANIZATION To create a higher-performance operational structure optimized for the evolving industry landscape, ZTE reorganized into three primary business groups and divisions: Operator Solutions, Mobile Devices and Enterprise Business. The new corporate structure will sharpen the company’s strategic focus and channel increased investment to grow the three primary operations.
Headquarter Office No. 55, Hi-tech Road South, ShenZhen, P.R.China Postcode 518057 Tel +86-755-26770000
EdItOR’S NOtES CONtRIBUtORS PUBlIShER Oliver Moy okm@aubusinesscoverage.com
EdItOR Michelle Meehan +61 438 325 303
RESEARCh dIRECtOR Simon Webb simon.webb@aubusinesscoverage.com
Adam Williams adamw@aubusinesscoverage.com
Abi Abagun abi.abagun@aubusinesscoverage.com
dESIGN Sam Wood sam.wood@aubusinesscoverage.com
ACCOUNtS Charlie Daniels
W
elcome to Issue 18 of Australasian Business Coverage. Mining has been a mainstay of the Australian industrial landscape for more than 200 years. The country’s energy-rich coal seams and valuable deposits of substances such as iron ore and diamonds have helped create one of the most important sectors in our economy. In this edition, we take a closer look at the resources industry by profiling one of its biggest players – Rio Tinto Australia. A mining giant with more than 30 operating sites and processing plants across the country, the British-Australian multinational has been leading the way in mining for more than a century. Of course the industry is about more than just the miners, with a vast range of suppliers making up an essential part of the process. Among these is Jetcrete, whose commitment to quality, safety and innovation has cemented its position as Australia’s largest specialised shotcrete contractor. This issue also takes a look at some major movers in the transport industry, from the everchanging face of Australia’s single biggest airport in Sydney to the transformation taking place in the Darling Downs region of southern Queensland with the development of the $1.6 billion Toowoomba Second Range Crossing. Urban mobility is on the agenda as we profile Schindler Lifts, the family-owned business with global grandeur transporting one billion people around the world each day, while we also take a look at the award-winning products being bottled by another famous family-run company, McWilliam’s Wines.
charlie.daniels@aubusinesscoverage.com
Cheers. Michelle Meehan Editor
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SydNEy AIRPORt
CONtENtS
28 NEWS
COmPANy REPORtS
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16 Rio Tinto 28 Jetcrete 36 Nexus 44 Sydney Airport 54 Schindler Lifts 64 McWilliams Wines
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QANtAS tO fly dIRECt fROm PERth tO lONdON
Q
antas is set to add to its list of aviation firsts, with the national carrier confirming it will operate non-stop flights from Perth to London using the 787-9 Dreamliner. The 14,498 kilometre service will be the first regular passenger service to directly link Australia with Europe when it begins in March 2018. Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the history-making route would be a watershed for travel, tourism and trade. “When Qantas created the Kangaroo Route to London in 1947, it took four days and nine stops. Now it will take just 17 hours from Perth non-stop.
“This is a game-changing route flown by a game-changing aircraft. Australians have never had a direct link to Europe before, so the opportunities this opens up are huge. “It’s great news for travellers because it will make it easier to get to London. It’s great news for Western Australia because it will bring jobs and tourism. And it’s great news for the nation, because it will bring us closer to one of our biggest trade partners and sources of visitors.” Mr Joyce said passenger comfort on the long flight was a key consideration. “When we designed the interior of our 787s, we wanted to make sure passengers would be comfortable on the extended
NEWS missions the aircraft was capable of. “That’s why we have features in our Economy seats that other airlines reserve for Premium Economy. Our Business Suite has been nicknamed ‘mini First class’ by many of our frequent flyers. And we’re redesigning our on-board service to help reduce jetlag,” he added. The enhanced Qantas cabin design is in addition to the comfort factors that Boeing built in to the Dreamliner – improved air quality, lower cabin noise and technology to reduce turbulence. Mr Joyce said the direct route is expected to appeal to travellers on the East Coast as well as West Australians, helping to deliver a tourism boost. “A direct flight makes travelling to Australia a much more attractive proposition to millions of people. We expect many travellers from Europe will start their time in Australia with a visit to Perth before going on to see other parts of the country. “Our modelling shows that people from the East Coast as well as South Australia
would fly domestically to Perth to connect to our non-stop London service. Some will take the opportunity to break their journey, whether it’s for business meetings in Perth, to holiday or to visit family.” The new flight will operate through Qantas’ existing domestic terminals (T3/4), which will be upgraded to accommodate international flights. The airline’s current international services from Perth (to Singapore and to Auckland) will also move to this terminal, helping to simplify the journey for thousands of people every year. Qantas will move its operations to an expanded Terminal 1 at Perth Airport by 2025, pending a commercial agreement. “We’ll be looking at the timing of our domestic flights through Perth to offer the best connections we can to our international flights, particularly given they will all be under the one roof,” added Mr Joyce. “I’d like to acknowledge the support of the West Australian Government and Perth Airport in helping make this service a reality.”
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ddG tO CONStRUCt lARGESt GAS fACIlIty IN WEStERN AUStRAlIA
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BP Development Group (DDG), has announced that it will build the largest gas storage facility in Western Australia. Expected to be operational by June 2017, the estimated total cost of construction is $69m. DDG Chief Executive Officer Stuart Johnston said “The Tubridgi gas storage facility will benefit producers and customers alike who may require storage capacity to bank unused gas, smooth production profiles or to store gas to cover planned production outages. DDG has an outstanding reputation as a safe and reliable developer, owner and operator of critical gas infrastructure, and we look forward to ensuring these standards are continued on this project.” Mr. Johnston went on to say “In
developing the project to this stage we are very pleased with the support we received from the traditional owners, the Thalanyji people and local landowners. Support from Government agencies, particularly DMP, has also enabled DDG to quickly progress to a final investment decision.” CPM Chief Executive Officer Chen Zeng said “This decision shows how our investment in Sino Iron continues to underpin the development of critical infrastructure for Western Australia. This is a win-win result. A reliable, cost-effective energy supply is very important for our project. The Tubridgi storage facility will greatly assist us in managing our operational requirements for energy over the long term. We’re looking forward to working closely with DDG for many years to come.”
NEWS
mONAdElPhOUS SECURES WAtER INfRAStRUCtURE CONtRACtS
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ngineering company Monadelphous has secured additional work across a broad range of industries, including two major awards in the water infrastructure market. The combined value of this work is approximately $200 million. The Company has been awarded a contract for the design and construction of a major upgrade to Unitywater’s Kawana Sewage Treatment Plant, on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Monadelphous’ design solution incorporates innovative process technology that improves the effectiveness of the plant and reduces the size of the site’s physical footprint. The upgrade includes the installation of new concrete structures, pipework and mechanical and electrical equipment and the refurbishment of existing equipment.
Work is scheduled for completion in December 2018. In addition, Monadelphous’ existing Network and Facility Renewals Program contract with Sydney Water Corporation has been expanded to include the provision of mechanical, electrical and civil services for water and waste water treatment facilities, pumping stations, pipelines, reservoirs, chemical dosing facilities and odour control facilities. The appointment reinforces Monadelphous’ relationship with Sydney Water Corporation in the delivery of critical water and waste water infrastructure to the greater Sydney region. The contract which has been in operation since July 2013, continues until June 2018 and contains a two year extension option.
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VIRGIN AUStRAlIA tO lAUNCh NEW SERVICES tO lA ANd ABU dhABI
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irgin Australia will launch services from Melbourne to Los Angeles and Perth to Abu Dhabi in 2017, increasing competition and choice for Australian travellers. On 4 April 2017, Virgin Australia will introduce five services each week between Melbourne and Los Angeles using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. On 9 June 2017, Virgin Australia will introduce three services each week between Perth and Abu Dhabi using Airbus A330-200 aircraft. Virgin Australia Group CEO John Borghetti said: “The United States is a key market for Virgin Australia and this
enables us to service Los Angeles from the three biggest gateways in Australia – Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. “In partnership with Delta Air Lines, we will soon offer 25 services each week from Australia to Los Angeles and remain the only trans-Pacific alliance to offer Business Class guests lie flat beds with direct aisle access on all services. “Our A330 aircraft will be deployed on a long-haul international route for the first time on flights between Perth and Abu Dhabi, which increases the number of services offered on the route from seven to 10 per week through our alliance with Etihad Airways.”
NEWS
GEORGIOU WIN $61m dEfENCE hOUSING CONtRACt
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eorgiou Group has been selected as the Preferred Tenderer for the Defence Housing Australia’s (DHA) mixed-use residential development, valued at $61 million. Situated in Fremantle’s up and coming east end precinct, DHA’s Liv Apartments project will transform a run-down former car yard site into an attractive, modern, mixed-use development, adding diversity and character to the local area. The development will feature 166 apartments and approximately 1,300sqm of commercial space as well as landscaped courtyards and public open spaces. The apartments will house Department of Defence families stationed in WA, with the balance of apartments available for sale to
private owners and investors. Chief Executive Officer John Georgiou said the company was pleased to be appointed preferred tenderer after successfully delivering the forward works package on the development earlier this year. “A key focus of our growth strategy in Australia, and Western Australia in particular, is to build our reputation as a quality builder while strengthening on our relationships with key clients such as Defence Housing Australia,” he explained. “Construction will commence this week and we look forward to delivering this iconic project in Fremantle and adding to our portfolio of quality, mixed-use developments.”
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fONtERRA’S EdENdAlE PlANt REOPENS AhEAd Of SChEdUlE m
ilk is now flowing through Fonterra’s ED4 milk powder dryer at Edendale, with the plant reopening ahead of schedule following the recent collapse of one of the site’s raw milk silos. Re-commissioning of the plant has gone smoothly, with around five million litres of milk processed through the
dryer over the past 48 hours. Robert Spurway, Chief Operating Officer Global Operations, says a lot of work has gone into getting ED4 – Southland’s biggest dryer – back online following the silo collapse. “We’ve engaged a strong team of third party experts and engineers to work alongside us throughout the clean-up
NEWS and investigation. That has allowed us to get the dryer back up and running as quickly as possible while also giving us further assurances that our site is a safe place for our people to work,” says Mr Spurway. “While it has been a challenging time for those on site and for our local farmers, the spirit and collaboration the team and the community have shown over recent weeks has been encouraging.” Fonterra continues to work with its contractors and Worksafe New Zealand to fully understand the issues that led to the silo collapse. At the same time, Fonterra has undertaken proactive inspections of silos of a similar age and design across the country to ensure this cannot happen again. With ED4 resuming normal operation, the project team will have the
opportunity to begin gathering new data that will help them understand the particular pressures experienced by silos at Edendale. “Silos face different pressures depending on a wide range of factors, such as ground vibration, wind and exposure to the elements,” says Mr Spurway. “As we bring the site back up to full capacity, we will take the opportunity to monitor and gather further information from our silos that will help make all Fonterra sites safer places to work, including taking real-time data from several silos to give us more visibility on loading strains,” he says. Fonterra is now focused on bringing the second of its two impacted assets – its milk protein concentrate plant – back online and expects to have work finalised in late November.
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RIO tINt
Producing metals and minerals that are essential to global development
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ou’d be forgiven for being surprised that the Rio Tinto Group is a British-Australian multinational. It’s name is not derived from either culture, but does reflect its multinational nature. In fact, the company’s roots date back to 1873, when a consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river in the southwestern city of Huelva in Spain from the countries government. Fast forward more than 140 years on, and the Group is headquartered in London, with a management office in Melbourne, Australia. Rio Tinto specialises in producing many commodities, and also has operations in refining, particularly for refining bauxite and iron ore. RIO TINTO IN AUSTRALIA Rio Tinto has been part of Australian life for over a century. More than 200,000 Australians are shareholders in the
mINING Group, while half of the company’s global assets are based there. The company produces iron ore, coal, bauxite, alumina, aluminium, uranium, diamonds and salt from more than 30 operating sites and processing plants around the country. It has offices in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. Rio Tinto Coal Australia is one of the country’s leading mining organisations with a highly successful record in developing and managing world-class coal operations. It produces both thermal and coking coal from five operations including the Hunter Valley in New South Wales and Queensland’s Bowen Basin for international export. In Queensland, the company operates the Hail Creek and Kestrel mines. In New South Wales, Rio Tinto Coal Australia manages Coal & Allied’s operations at Mount Thorley Warkworth. IRON ORE Rio Tinto’s Pilbara operations in the west of the country include a world-class, integrated network of 15 iron ore mines, four port facilities, a 1,700 kilometre rail network and related infrastructure. These are specifically designed to respond rapidly to changes in demand and are supported by an Operations Centre in Perth. “We’re expanding our operations in the Pilbara to epic proportions while introducing next generation technologies to deliver greater efficiency, lower production costs and improved health, safety and environmental performance,” says Rio Tinto. HIsmelt is Rio Tinto’s patented technology that is short for
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mINING
high-intensity smelting. It is the world’s first commercial direct smelting process. It produces premium quality pig iron directly from iron ore. The technology brings many advantages to the steelmaking industry, such as lower operating costs, lower capital intensity, lower environmental impact, and greater raw material and operational flexibility. The Iron Ore operations are led by Andrew Harding, who was appointed Chief executive, Iron Ore in 2013. Mr Harding joined Rio Tinto in 1992 and spent seven years in Rio Tinto Iron Ore. He has also held a range of positions in Technology & Innovation, Energy and Aluminium and was President and Chief executive officer of Kennecott Utah Copper. Prior to his current role, Andrew spent three years as Chief
executive, Copper, where he was responsible for a range of mines and projects including the development of the worldclass Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia. MINES Since 1983, Rio Tinto has operated the Argyle diamond mine in the remote East Kimberley region of Western Australia. Since then it has become the world’s largest supplier of natural coloured diamonds, one of the world’s largest producers of rough diamonds, producing more than 800 million carats of rough diamonds. Located in the hot, dry climate of northern Western Australia, Dampier Salt is a joint venture between Rio Tinto (68 per cent), Marubeni Corporation (22 per cent) and Sojitz (10 per cent), Dampier Salt Limited (DSL). Uranium has been mined at Ranger mine for over 30 years.
Civiltest Pty Ltd Geotechnical Consultants has been in business for approximately 25 years, and employs a range of dedicated staff across their ofďŹ ces and NATA accredited Laboratories. The company provides civil engineering testing services for both small and large civil engineering projects.
Civiltest Pty Ltd, 10 Latham Street, Mornington 3931 VIC T (03) 5975 6644 F (03) 5975 9589 www.civiltest.com.au
mINING
It is operated under the name Energy Resources of Australia Ltd and is the country’s largest continually-operating uranium mine. It is one of only three mines in the world to have produced in excess of 100,000 tonnes of uranium oxide. TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION Rio Tinto recognises the ever-increasing role technology has to play in the mining and minerals industry. “Improvements in technology can change the way that we look at mineral deposits, make our operations safer, help us manage costs and respond to environmental imperatives,” it states. That’s why it established the Technology & Innovation (T&I) group, which is dedicated to creating sustainable value and competitive advantage by making improvements to the way the Rio Tinto operates. Employing more than 600 people, T&I partners with
the business and external partners to provide technical insights into how Rio Tinto runs its operations and delivers its projects. “To help us achieve our goals, we’re also working with some of the best minds in the world of academia, through partnerships with leading institutions such as the University of Sydney and Imperial College London,” says the Group, Rio Tinto also works hard to come up with ways to improve environmental performance through more efficient ways of mining and processing. Part of this involves looking to create new, more highly-specialised, career options for its members of staff. For 8 years, the Mine of the Future programme has been running with the sole aim of changing the face of mining with step change improvements in productivity and efficiency. Rio Tinto is in the process of rolling out a number of technological advancements across its operations to meet the three key themes of the programme:
mINING
• Autonomy – to achieve massive efficiency in surface bulk mining • Recovery – to increase efficiency by sorting waste before it gets to process plants • Tunnelling – to access deep orebodies faster SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT “Focusing on sustainable development means we constantly challenge ourselves to do better, in every aspect of our business,” says Chief Executive Sam Walsh. “While social, environmental and economic issues present challenges to Rio Tinto, we prefer to see them as source of opportunity and new value.” Protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of employees, contractors, customers and host communities is of utmost importance to Rio Tinto. It works hard to minimise its impact on the environment, and ensure communities benefit from the value generated by its operations and will continue to do so.
JEtCREt
Australia’s largest specialised shotcrete contractor
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reputation in business takes time to develop – but once earned, it can be the making, or the breaking, of an enterprise. So when you predominantly operate in an industry as specialised as Australia’s underground metalliferous mining sector, you want the reputation that sticks to be a good one. During the past 37 years Jetcrete’s commitment to quality, safety and innovation has seen its reputation develop handin-hand with its client base, transforming the business into Australia’s largest specialised shotcrete contractor in operation today. IN THE BEGINNING Jetcrete’s core business involves the provision of fibrecrete – or, in layman’s terms, sprayed concrete – as the key ground support element for underground mining excavations. But the company began life as a small Sydney-based operation, established in 1979 to spray concrete swimming pools and small embankments for residential purposes. Over the years the company expanded into civil contracts before it began undertaking underground mining work for the Byrnecut Group in 1994. The West Australian-based company cemented this relationship further when a financial investment saw Jetcrete taken into the Group’s fold, with mining work soon becoming the backbone of the shotcreting business. In the early 2000s Jetcrete transferred its head office to Kalgoorlie, where Byrnecut was already based, before both later moved their headquarters to Perth. MINING FOCUS With its head office in Western Australia and an east-coast
mINING operation set up in the North Queensland mining centre of Mt Isa in 2002, Jetcrete has established long-term relationships with mines right across Australia. This includes the company’s single longest running contract at Mt Isa Copper (16 years) and an ongoing stint at Telfer Mine, a gold and copper operation in the East Pilbara region of Western Australia where the company began working 12 years ago. Jetcrete has also just signed a new four-year deal with the Granny Smith Gold Mine in Western Australia, building on its 11-year history with the site. Jetcrete General Manager Marcus Properzi said the lengthy nature of many of these contracts was testament not only to the company’s hard-earned reputation, but also the skills and dedication of its 240 workers. “Underground mining is such a small industry, your name is everything in this industry,” he said. “We are a market leader in what I see as a small part of a
small industry, being underground metalliferous mining, so I do see our reputation as being key. “The personal relationships that we maintain at a site level and at a commercial level have been key to our success.” Among those managing these relationships are Jetcrete’s western and eastern Operations Managers, Paul Ferguson (Mt Isa) and Scott Johnston (Perth). SAFETY AND QUALITY KEY TO SUCCESS Of course, the company’s proven commitment to safety and quality has also been a critical element in its success. Mr Properzi said Jetcrete’s Safety, Environment, Quality and Training Manager Matt White has ensured the company’s safety, environmental and training systems are at “the forefront of the industry” while also “integrating our quality systems into everything we do in business”. Jetcrete’s systems hold ISO 9001, 14001, 18001 and AS/ NZS 4801 accreditations. The company invests time and money into upskilling its workers in a variety of ways and even has two training simulators that travel between their various sites to ensure every employee’s skills meet the required mark. “We practice what we preach and it is critical to our ongoing success that we do have safety and quality as our key drivers,” Mr Properzi said. INNOVATION IN INDUSTRY Safety and quality are also at the core of the company’s commitment to research and development, which has seen it involved in developing or introducing most of the modern technologies used for shotcreting in Australian mining today.
mINING This has included overhead wet shotcrete, hydro-scaling and even the design of the first shotcreting machine in an Australian mine, which they created by attaching a shotcrete nozzle to the boom of an underground drill. Jetcrete was also the first company in Australia to move away from the more “risky” use of surface cement trucks to implement a complete fleet of underground-specific agitators. Ongoing collaboration with fleet supplier Normet over the years has seen the two companies refine and introduce suspension into the vehicles, with increased health and safety benefits. “There was a lot of risk involved in (the use of surface
agitators) so we moved to the underground agitators completely … and it’s been a huge improvement in terms of safety for us, in terms of our critical risks,” Mr Properzi said. “We have gradually improved these units over the years with Normet. Initially they didn’t have suspension in them, which was an ongoing issue in terms of operator comfort but by the end of this year we will have changed out the last of our 50-odd agitators. “It was an extremely large undertaking but we believe it’s going to pay dividends in the long run, particularly in terms of the safety and comfort of our operators.” Minimising risk was also at the heart of another of Jetcrete’s innovations – the remote shaft lining system – which has eliminated the need for workers to enter the shaft during the shotcreting process. A desire to maximise quality and cost efficiency has recently seen the introduction of a 3D scanner to more accurately calculate and measure the thickness of the shotcrete being applied, while Jetcrete continues to work with many of its suppliers to refine everything from the fibre used within the shotcrete to the chemical make-up of the concrete mixes. Many of the technological advancements implemented by Jetcrete over the years have resulted in increased development rates for clients through faster excavation cycles, improved early strength support and increased bonding between the fibrecrete and the substrate surface. “I believe we are very innovative, it’s been key to our growth historically,” Mr Properzi said. “We’ve had plenty of innovations that have fallen by the wayside, we don’t always get it right but we don’t die wondering, we’re definitely willing to try something new and we’re continually pushing new technologies.”
NExUS
Australia’s landmark road proje
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he Toowoomba Second Range Crossing (TSRC) in Queensland is the largest Australian Government funding commitment to a single road project in Queensland’s history. At a cost of $1.6 billion, the project is a 43km road bypass route to the north of Toowoomba. It is being built to connect the Warrego Highway at Helidon Spa in the east to the Gore Highway at Athol in the west via Charlton. The route is designed to increase freight efficiencies and significantly improve driver safety and community amenity by removing heavy vehicles from Toowoomba’s CBD. This safer, faster and more efficient route for connecting freight to major ports and markets, cuts out 18 sets of traffic lights, vehicles go around north of Toowoomba rather than through it.Travel time for heavy commercial vehicles will be reduced by up to 40 minutes. The project will also deliver enhanced liveability in the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley areas. It is jointly funded
tRANSPORt by the Australian and Queensland Governments on an 80:20 funding split arrangement. Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss’s words encapsulate the significance of this project. “It will give the city back to the people, rather than having to share it with large numbers of trucks making their way through the city on journeys to other parts of the country,” he said. “That one of the major streets of a city of this size has been used as the major transport route is clearly an unsatisfactory situation from a social and economic perspective.” BENEFITS OF THE TSRC The benefits of the TSRC are wide ranging. It is estimated to bring in $2.4 billion over 30 years of economic and productivity gain for business and industry to Toowoomba. Construction began in late 2015 and is expected to take three years using a Public Private Partnership delivery model.
Under this model, the State Government will provide upfront government funding contributions during the construction stage of the project and ongoing service payments over the 25 year operation and maintenance stage, which will be dependent on performance. When complete, the TSRC will be a toll road, with the structure and tariff rates to be set after consultation with industries and the community in 2018. NExUS INFRASTRUCTURE In order to deliver a project that would suit every need, an extensive evaluation process considering financial, technical, commercial and legal criteria was undertaken when choosing who would be awarded the tender. Nexus is a consortium of global leaders in road
tRANSPORt construction and public infrastructure, combined with Queensland based resources with a successful track record of local project delivery. The proposed solution for the highway is detailed below: • Four lanes (two lanes each way) from Warrego Highway East Interchange at Helidon to • Warrego Highway West at Charlton • Grade-separated interchanges at Warrego Highway West, Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road and Gore Highway • Grade-separated connections to Mort Street and Boundary Street • A 30m-deep cutting at the top of the Toowoomba Range as an alternative to the tunnel solution as detailed in the reference design
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• An 800m-long viaduct built over the existing Queensland Rail rail line, connecting the Lockyer Valley and the Toowoomba Range escarpment • Continuity of the New England Highway through a new bridge over the cutting. An important factor was that the Nexus design incorporated the open cut solution as opposed to a tunnel, which although part of the original design did not allow for the passage of some dangerous goods and over-dimensional heavy vehicles. The proposed open cut solution in Nexus’ provides a better outcome.
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tRANSPORt A ‘greAter connection’ Improving liveability in the region is just one important factor of the TSRC. For the government, it was paramount that regional economic development would be a consideration. This includes employment and supply chain opportunities for local companies as well as training and skills development. During the three year Design and Construction Phase, Nexus Infrastructure are committed to sourcing local suppliers and sub-contractors from the greater Toowoomba region, which includes the Lockyer Valley, Southern Downs, Western Downs, South Burnett, Goondiwindi and Mara. Keeping the community informed of every step of the project has also been a priority. To this end, Nexus have cooperated with stakeholder groups, landholders, businesses and government authorities as the project progresses. Although a labour intensive process, reducing the impact on the local environment is an important consideration. Minimising pollution of land, air and water, minimising the occurrence of offensive noise and continuously improving environmental performance. For the local area, the project has been a longtime in the pipeline and now just 18 months or so from completion residents and business alike can look forward to the road opening. “We are determined that it is a good project, and a wellmanaged one, that the community will be proud of,” adds Mr Truss. “This is a project that has been dreamed of for decades, and has been promised for 40 or 50 years, but at last is being delivered.”
SydN
Flying h
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o some generations, travelling Down Under would have been considered a pipe dream. Today, it is more possible than ever before to access the planet’s largest island. In fact, Australia’s biggest airport, Sydney Airport was used by almost 40 million passengers across 45 airlines in 2015. Operating both domestic and international travel, it offers direct services from Sydney to 28 countries and greets 40% of all international passengers in Australia. Regarded as one of the most vibrant cities in the world, Sydney and its Airport act as a gateway to the country. Forming an essential part of Australia’s economy, Sydney Airport recognises that facilitating trade and travel efficiently is vital to the nation’s prosperity. Situated just 8KM from Sydney’s central business
tRANSPORt district, the Airport is well placed for convenient transport to the city by both road and rail. As well as the biggest airport in the country, Sydney Airport is one of the oldest continually operating airports in the world. Introducing regular air services between Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide in the mid-1920s, Sydney Airport was initially controlled by the Australian Government. By 1965, the International Terminal construction had commenced and Sydney Airport was eventually privatised by the Australian Government in 2002. With a vision to deliver a world class airport experience, Sydney Airport is one of the most important transport infrastructures in the country. Its growth not only benefits Sydney but also New South Wales and Australia as a
whole. A major employer in the region, the airport makes a significant contribution to the economy by generating $30.8 billion in economic activity annually. Equivalent to 6.4% of the New South Wales economy, its operations translate into more than 52,890 direct jobs and results in 258,000 jobs in freight and tourism for the people of Sydney. TERMINALS TAKING OFF With three passenger terminals, Sydney Airport offers international and domestic flights that allow up to 40 million passengers to travel every year. Terminal 1, an International Terminal, handles more than 12 million passengers annually
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tRANSPORt from overseas. With Australia being the sixth largest country in the world, domestic common users make up a huge number of passengers for Sydney Airport too. Terminals 2 and 3 service such domestic routes with regional airlines including Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Regional Express and many more are based at Terminal 2. Currently, Terminal 3 is operated by Qantas Airline and used for both Qantas domestic and Qauntaslink regional flights. With an additional seven cargo terminals controlled by five cargo terminal operators, approximately 80% of freight is carried in the holds of passenger aircraft with the remainder transported in dedicated freight aircraft. Handling around 517,000 tonnes of air freight annually, 408,000 of which is international air freight, Sydney Airport manages more than half of the total aircraft freight in Australia. GOING PLACES In recent years, a number of improvements and changes have been made to the airport; from Terminal 3’s ownership agreements with Quantas Airline to new retail stores and improved car parking. As always, it is the passengers who remain a priority for Sydney Airport as is evident in its dedication to offer continuous superior service. As with industries across the globe, technology is changing the way consumers behave and what they expect from a service provider. Air travel is no exception and Sydney Airport is innovating to ensure it continues to advance. Modernising the way its passengers engage, Sydney Airport has used technology to improve the passenger experience in ways that would have once been considered unachievable. With 63 self-service check-in kiosks at T1,
including 26 wireless kiosks, customers receive operational flexibility and convenience. Other innovations include automated bag drops and being the first airport in Australia to install outbound SmartGates in partnership with the Government. These 23 new SmartGates have significantly improved passenger processing time by making the outbound border clearance procedure up to 32% faster. Such improvements have enabled Sydney Airport to streamline the customer journey and make travel easier and quicker than ever. In order to analyse queue wait times, resource planning and optimisation, Sydney Airport has implemented a new system in outbound security to measure performance. It continues to use such data to manage demand and deploy staff accordingly to key areas in the terminal; this has resulted in better responsiveness and productivity during busy periods. With its digital strategy acting as a key performance indicator of its passenger’s satisfaction, Sydney Airport is able to explore ways of improving customer service through centralising, managing and sharing its data across the organisation. In the first partnership of its kind for an international airport, Sydney Airport is collaborating with the world’s largest travel site, TripAdvisor, to provide tailored destination content for travellers at the airport. This has made information available to its customers such as online destination guides and reviews, digital gate signage and a hotel booking widget. Recognising the demand for internet access, Sydney Airport has upgraded its free Wi-Fi service, increasing its speed and efficiency and helping passengers to easily and quickly access airport information throughout their
tRANSPORt journey. In addition, it has improved the in-terminal digital platform with enhanced Wi-Fi and engaging information such as news, retail offers, competitions and flight details delivered to passengers on digital screens and devices. Sydney Airport has also installed dynamic wayfinding e-directories to help passengers make their way through the terminal. These improvements will enable 5.2 million free Wi-Fi sessions at T1 and T2. Embracing the technological era, Sydney Airport also welcomes 450,000+ visits to its website every month, engages with 100,000+ followers on its social media platforms and enjoyed 78,000 app downloads last year.
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CRUISING AHEAD With a clear strategy for growth and a customer commitment focus, Sydney Airport shows no signs of slowing down. It embraces its position as the country’s largest Airport and recognises its ability to progress on the ground as much as in the air. The organisation’s impressive dedication to introducing technological advances highlights its ability to continue leading the way for air travel. With over 50 years of experience in international passenger travel, the only turbulence that Sydney Airport has to worry about is at altitude.
tRANSPORt
SChINdlER lIftS A family-owned business with global grandeur
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hey have over 1000 offices in more than 100 countries and are responsible for transporting one billion people around the world each day via elevators, escalators and moving walks. But despite their global grandeur, when it all boils down to it the Schindler group is still a family-owned business at heart. KEYS TO SUCCESS Founded in 1874 by Robert Schindler in a joint partnership for the production of lifting equipment and other machines in Lucerne, Switzerland, it has grown during the past 142 years from a local manufacturer into an international elevator and escalator business. Far from its humble origins, Schindler now employs more than 57,000 people across the globe, including 981 in the Australian arm of the group, which was founded in Melbourne in 1981. Ranked number two in the Australian “urban mobility” market in terms of turnover – with designs on first place – Schindler Lifts Australia manufactures, sells, installs, maintains, repairs and modernises lifts, escalators and moving walks, with six offices located in Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. While it is clear the original family tree has grown a few extra branches over the years, the roots upon which it draws its strength remain the same according to Schindler Lifts Australia Managing Director Rob Seakins. “There are two key things for me - one is about how we work with our people and the second one is how we service our customers,” he said.
mANUfACtURING “Employee engagement is the foundation of our business and we spend a lot of time and effort in making sure that our employees are engaged.” Just as it is within a family unit, the key for the company in forming connections with employees – and customers – is trust. And among the elements that have helped develop that is the company’s commitment to safety. “Safety has two components and the first is employee safety; making sure our employees get home safely at the end of the day,” Mr Seakins said. “That’s our first priority as an organisation. “But equally important is product safety and product safety
is about looking after the people that ride in and use our lifts, escalators and moving walks. “We transport one billion people a day globally so if we don’t get that right we won’t exist as a company. “We do a number of things over and above the regulatory requirements here to make sure that the Schindler products we install and maintain are safe for people to use. “The company is still a family-owned company, there still is a Mr Schindler and his name is on every product that we put out in the marketplace … This is the discipline he puts through the company, that employee safety and product safety are our biggest priority and will always be our biggest priority.” Effective communication has also been crucial in ensuring people - both inside and outside the company – remain
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mANUfACtURING engaged with and committed to Schindler’s products and services. “It’s not rocket science, it’s really about being proactive with our communication and being responsive as an organisation,” Mr Seakins said. “We have a person in our organisation who is dedicated to running what we call customer excellence, and this is about raising the profile of good customer interactions within the business. “We know if we have better relationships with our customers, we will retain our customers and invariably help grow our customer base.”
Schindler Lifts asked. We listened.
Siemens elevator cables are manufactured to the highest of standards to ensure maximum safety, longevity and ease of installation.
Siemens cables benefit from world-renowned engineering. All products are manufactured where rigorous process controls are combined with the highest quality of materials to guarantee a superior end product. Our cables are also the result of customer consultation. At Schindler Lifts request, Siemens designed a new Flat Travelling Cable to service Low, Mid and High Rise Elevators in just one cable. This innovation provides integration for applications to multiple devices in a single cable (e.g. swipe cards, telephone security, card readers & key pads). “It is an excellent combination comms travelling cable that we now predominantly use across our Modernisation, New Elevator and Repairs business” Tom Geister, Schindler Lifts. Siemens elevator cables are manufactured to the highest of standards to ensure maximum safety, longevity and ease of installation.
PROJECTING CONFIDENCE Each year Schindler Lifts Australia supplies around 1000 units to clients across the country for projects of all sizes. One of the biggest in recent years saw them provide 106 elevators to Lendlease for the landmark Barangaroo South development. The $6 billion waterfront project on the western edge of Sydney’s CBD aims to be the first development in Sydney that is entirely ‘climate positive’, generating at least as much energy and water as it consumes and recycling more waste than it creates. This vision meshed perfectly with Schindler’s own global commitment to sustainability and more specifically, the
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mANUfACtURING company’s A-rated energy efficient 7000 high-rise elevators being used for three office towers at the site. The elevators feature an energy-recuperation system that feeds excess power back into the building’s electricity grid. Other major projects wrapped up or in the works for Schindler Lifts Australia include the Darling Harbour Convention Centre in Sydney, two major Victorian shopping centres at Chadstone and Werribee, a major Queensland Government commercial building (1 William Street) and the Perth Children’s Hospital. While there is a commitment to quality on every job they complete, one in particular in recent years saw Schindler Lifts Australia receive a global tick of approval. Their striking installation of twin cylindrical glass “executive
express lifts” running through the atrium of Macquarie Bank’s global headquarters in Sydney was named the 2015 Elevator World Project of the Year. The award recognises innovative designs, special application or an approach that has solved a major problem or overcome a unique challenge, which in this case involved working with both the building’s Heritage listing and the need for the elevators to be not only practical but also aesthetically pleasing. TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS While Schindler has built its name and reputation based on the quality - and sometimes even beauty - of the products they install, there’s little doubt the future of the business, particularly when it comes to maintenance, will be driven by technology. Mr Seakins said Schindler was “on the cusp of some fundamental changes” that will alter the way the company engages with and services their customers. At the core of this is Schindler’s “Digitisation Strategy”, which will re-engineer their enterprise software and create a “closed loop” system that will provide real time information on breakdowns and repairs for Schindler’s customers and technicians via the Schindler Dashboard. The next step after, according to Mr Seakins, will be leveraging the “internet of things” via a partnership with GE. While he said it was very early days and the details were still under wraps, it will in essence enable Schindler to interpret the data collected from their lifts and escalators and turn it into information to allow for a more efficient use of their maintenance workforce. And as with everything at Schindler, Mr Seakins said the
mANUfACtURING success of even these technological advancements will come down to how well the company engages with its workers. “How you bring your employees along with you as you go through the technological change is absolutely mission critical,” he said. “The transformation in people is almost as big as what’s required in the transformation in technology. We have to start thinking about that, preparing the people and giving them the competencies and skills to deal with that. “For me, adapting to that change successfully will define how well this organisation does.”
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Using the expertise of six
m’S WINES
x generations to create award-winning wines
fOOd & dRINK
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owadays, Australia is known to be one of the world’s largest exporters of wine. There are more than 60 designated wine regions across every state, with most of the 160,000 hectares in the southern regions which benefit from a cooler climate. In 1857, when Samuel McWilliam arrived in Melbourne from Northern Ireland, wine making was still very new in Australia. It was 20 years later when he planted his first vines on land by the banks of the Murray River in Corowa, New South Wales. His vision to build a winery was in full swing when he retired in 1891, and later Sunnyside Vineyard was passed on to his children, John James, Thomas and Eliza Jane. Over the last 139 years the winery has spanned through generations of the family as it created vineyards in Junee and the Griffith region. From those humble beginnings, the family winery has grown from strength to strength, with each generation passing down traditions and expert knowledge to the next. As the winery has expanded, McWilliam’s vineyards in premium wine regions across New South Wales, including the Riverina, Hilltops, Tumbarumba, Canberra and Orange. The family has always wanted to be true to Samuel McWilliam’s faith in the value of the New South Wales land and climate. In this vein, it continues to lead and increase the growth of the local wine industry. The McWilliam family appreciates that the quality of the fruit is an element not to be compromised. Using the finest fruit possible has allowed the brand to develop a distinct an award-winning taste that has become one of the most favoured in Australia.
RECENT HISTORY Until the 1970s, Australian wine production consisted largely of sweet and fortified wines. As tastes changed, McWilliams adapted its approach to focus not only on specialty wines but premium table wines. Back then, pioneering wineries such as McWilliam’s prospered thanks to a huge influx of European immigrants who helped to change Australia’s attitude towards alcohol from mainly liquors and spirits to incorporate quality wines. McWilliam’s has remained a family operation and under the leadership of family members like Glen McWilliam continued to thrive throughout the second half of the 20th century. Glen was responsible for the introduction and trial of varietals previously unknown to the Griffith region. He also led the way in developing the technology that would make the harvesting and production of table wines in a hot climate, such as the Riverina, possible. The Riverina is now synonymous with botrytis style wine, but the first was McWilliam’s 1958 Pedro Sauternes. They were pioneers of the region. By 1987, Australia was exporting 5,500,000 gallons of wine around the world. The increasingly heightened demand for McWilliam’s wines has meant there has been an increased need for diversity in sourcing fruit. The company has now expanded to other wine growing regions across South-East Australia.
fOOd & dRINK tHe McWiLLiAM’S FootPrint One of the unique factors that makes McWilliam’s such an iconic brand is its wide range of wines which caters for all kinds of tastes and occasions. The brand’s New South Wales vineyards embody Australia’s varied landscape. The weather conditions, geography and soil are some of the key factors that inevitably leave their footprint across each bottle of wine. McWilliam’s other brands are Evans & Tate and Mount Pleasant, and its winemaking philosophy remains the same. “The McWilliam’s winemaking philosophy centres on the quality of fruit and this means that there must be an intimate understanding across all regions of the complex relationship that exists between the land, the climate and the winemaker,” says McWilliam’s. The brand produces grapes in five different vineyard regions: Riverina, Hilltops, Orange, Tumbarumba and Canberra. Riverina’s tropical climate produces a range of quality mainstream varietals like Shiraz and Chardonnay as well as quality dessert wines. Hilltops’ cool climate makes premium wines, while Orange is best known for a world-class Sauvignon Blanc. Tumbarumba’s unique alpine location produces premium sparkling wines, as well as cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay table wines, and Canberra is one of the most promising emerging wine regions of NSW, producing world class Shiraz and Chardonnay.
McWiLLiAM’S FUtUre After undergoing a period of restructuring the brand’s portfolio, McWilliam’s took the step of appointing Jeff McWilliam as CEO in May this year. It was around that time that McWilliam’s received confirmation of government funding to help bring their bottling operation to Griffith, with nearly 100 jobs binge created in the process. The 8,000 pallet warehouse and installation of a bottling line and centralised distribution facility in Griffith began earlier this year. McWilliam’s is one of 12 brands that are part of the Australia’s First Families of Wine initiative, which
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fOOd & dRINK represents the16 Australian regions internationally. The families came together to tell the world about the heritage of Australia’s premium wines and to share the stories behind them, and wine exports continue to perform well in US and UK markets in particular. For McWilliam’s, it has always been about making wine. It’s about having a deep love for the land, says Chief Winemaker Scott McWilliam. “We believe that the role of the winemaker is to nurture and protect the vines for the best quality grapes and the best product,” he says. It is that philosophy which McWilliam’s is set upon, and why it looks set to do so for generations to come.
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Contact PO Box 560, Terrey Hills, NSW 2084, Suite 39, 14 Narabang Way, Belrose, NSW 2085 Australia Email sales@classicoakproducts.com Phone (02) 9479 4700 Fax (02) 9986 2299 www.classicoakproducts.com
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Oliver Moy Publisher For enquiries email okm@aubusinesscoverage.com