Winning a multimillion dollar contract on Sydney’s WestConnex project is helping position ResourceCo Material Solutions as a leader in material transportation, supply and disposal.
As one of Australia’s fastest growing cities, Sydney’s population continues to increase exponentially year on year.
Greater Sydney grew at an average annual rate of 1.68 per cent in 2015-16, grouped with Brisbane and Melbourne as the country’s fastest growing capital cities, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Over the same period, the figure equates to an increase of 82,797 people to reach a population of 5,005,358.
As the nation’s largest city continues its rapid growth, congested roads and increased peak periods emerge as a problem to be rectified. According to the Australian Government Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, congestion cost the Sydney economy $6 billion in 2015. This accounts for travel time costs when compared against free flow speeds.
The NSW Government has responded to this in part through its $16.8 billion WestConnex project, which addresses the problem with a range of public transport and road upgrades, including the linking of the M4-M5, the new Parramatta Light Rail and the Bus Priority Program.
Integrated resource recovery business ResourceCo is one Australian firm taking part in WestConnex, Australia’s largest infrastructure project. The company’s Material Solutions subsidiary was last year contracted for the disposal of WestConnex tunnel spoil, shale and sandstone for the new M5 and M4 East.
CPB Contractors Dragados Samsung joint venture (CPBDS-JV), the head contractor delivering the WestConnex M5 project, contracted ResourceCo as a subcontractor on the multimillion dollar project. ResourceCo will play a role in processing around eight million tonnes of spoil estimated to be generated on the project.
The company’s successful foray in the Sydney market was not without its challenges, but bold decisions helped it further cement its reputation, says the company’s CEO, Steve Harrison.
Steve says that when the conversation began in September last year, early discussions with CPBDS-JV were positive.
“We were requested by CPBDS-JV to submit a tender based on our past performance in South Australia and Victoria, having worked on a range of major infrastructure projects,” he says.
“We indicated that we would be using leading edge equipment to complete the spoil removal, all the while ensuring ResourceCo would comply with strict safety standards enforced by Roads and Maritime Services.”
The key factor behind winning the contract some months later, Steve says, was the company’s key strategic relationships. He says ResourceCo established supply arrangements supporting a $12.5 million investment in 30 Performance-Based-Standards (PBS) Quad vehicles. These include 10 Mack trucks and 20 Scania vehicles, which allow the company to move materials with fewer vehicles on the road. The PBS vehicles are capable of carrying 38 tonnes of materials per load and depending on performance assessments, may move in excess of three million tonnes of material over the lifetime of the project.
“By adding an extra six tonnes to a payload per trip, it reduces the number of truck movements required and is another positive risk management strategy for the project,” Steve adds.
ResourceCo Material Solutions moves sandstone and shale from the M5 to a range of other projects, including land rehabilitation right through to road construction and residential development.
While the company’s experience has put it in good stead, John Jagos, ResourceCo Material Solutions State Manager, notes that it was challenging to develop a business in a new state.
“We had to invest the time in getting to know the various contractors in the market and establish new relationships,” John says.
He says that some of the challenges in entering the Sydney market was making the company’s presence known in an established sector.
“While some material management protocols are different to that of Victoria or South Australia, our strategy is consistent. We provide our customers with the best material supply or disposal solutions in the market, and support that with a quality transport service,” John says.
CEO Steve Harrison adds that he is optimistic about ResourceCo’s future in the Sydney market.
“We’re seeing the Sydney market as a real growth opportunity. We have made a significant investment in the market and we look forward to supporting the growing demands generated by the NSW Government’s infrastructure spending.
“The success of this brand is our people. We have a great deal of experience in earthmoving transport, supply and disposal services.
“We are an agile business capable of moving swiftly with the market and we are governed by a board of directors, which ensures accountability. The company delivers on what we say, we’re true to ourselves, and our customers can trust us to deliver for them.”
FAST FACT:
Approaching its fourth anniversary, ResourceCo Material Solutions draws on more than 30 years in earthmoving experience, helping to dispose of waste soils and associated materials in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. The ResourceCo subsidiary runs an EPA-licenced fleet of more than 40 PBS Quads, with access to in excess of 1000 subcontractor vehicles to help dispose of concrete, bricks and asphalt, sand, virgin excavated natural material, excavated natural material and contaminated soils. The company says it aims to tackle any size project at any stage, whether it’s a major infrastructure project, delivering quarry products or filling a future greenfield development.
ResourceCo has also provided cartage and disposal solutions for large volumes of various contaminated soils such as general solid waste, general solid waste with asbestos, restricted waste and some hazardous waste.