21/5/03 Bradken


Rail Deal Boost to Bradken


News - Rail deal boost to Bradken. By MIGUEL HOLLAND. 21 May 2003 The Newcastle Herald NEWCASTLE-based Bradken Rail has signed a $70million deal to build 600 iron ore wagons for Western Australia. The manufacturing engineers have the three-contract deal with the Pilbara Rail Company. Pilbara Rail will use the wagons to carry iron ore from the Hamersley and Robe River mines, in the state's north-west, to port. Bradken Rail executive general manager Steve Burraston said the deal had created 30 jobs at the company's Waratah and Hamilton South offices. "I believe they've put on about 15 of those already," Mr Burraston said. Bradken's Newcastle workers have managed and engineered the wagons and will build sub components such as the centre sills that run along the wagon base. The first batch of wagons is taking shape at Bradken's Ipswich plant with wheels and axles from Comsteel in Newcastle. Mr Burraston said the Pilbara contracts were Bradken's second-largest deal and would maintain about 450 workers in Newcastle and Queensland. "The other significant thing is 28 wagons a week," he said. "No one else in Australia has been able to get anywhere near that, so the build rate is quite enormous." Bradken's biggest contract has been its $115million deal to supply Queensland Rail with bogies and wagon draw gear. Mr Burraston was hopeful the Pilbara contracts would be extended.

The Newcastle Herald