Welcome to our second edition of Around the Sites for the year. It’s been a busy few months across the business, with plenty of solid progress and teamwork continuing across our projects.
In Port Hedland, the CD4 team has been deep into preparation work ahead of the major shutdowns later in the year. New office locations and laydown areas are now in place to support pre‑assembly, good progress has been made on the crane pad and piling, and our 1600-tonne Rubino crane is on site ready to be built for the heavy lifts ahead in June.
At Jimblebar, the TLO team has done a great job clawing back schedule time after clearing rock and identifying loose material for the remaining excavations in the vault. The Melchor crew have made great progress delivering the civil works for the project, one of the largest concrete packages they have been awarded.
I’d like to acknowledge the work Paige Griffiths has done on this project, having managed it from inception through some challenging phases. Paige has now moved into a new role within our Heavy Lift business, and we know she’ll continue to make a strong impact. Paige has handed the baton to Mick Turner, who has commenced as Project Director, and I’m confident he’ll keep supporting the team and driving the project forward.
Inteforge continues to perform strongly, securing new orders in the Coal Seam Gas sector and winning a pipe spooling package for a major gold development in Nicaragua. Activity remains high across China and Vietnam, supported by a consistent workforce of more than 1,000 tradespeople across the region.
It’s also been a busy period for deliveries. The BHP TLO Project has received its first priority steelwork on site, with the second major shipment now loaded and en-route to Port Hedland. A high level of pre‑assembly has been completed in China to reduce on‑site risk, improve safety and support schedule certainty, and this outcome reflects the strong teamwork between our fabrication, project and client teams.
Rio Tinto’s BS1 project has achieved its first major delivery under an accelerated programme, with further shipments of steelwork arriving and departing China this month. May will also see the final delivery for CLAHDO, multiple consignments for Origin Energy, several smaller packages for our M&IS team in the east and PNG, and the remaining pipe rack modules and structural steel for Eneabba shipping from Vietnam.
As always, safety, quality and delivery remain paramount. Staying focused, supporting one another and working closely with our suppliers are key to keeping things moving and addressing issues early.
We’re seeing solid tendering activity across the business, with several opportunities in the pipeline and some nearing award. There’s a lot of work happening behind the scenes, and I appreciate the effort that continues to go into positioning us well for what’s ahead.
With our recent strategy sessions now wrapped up, we’re working to finalise a plan that will help guide the path forward for the business unit. It’s been a valuable process, and I’m looking forward to sharing more as the plan is rolled out.
Among all the activity, it’s important to recognise the moments that speak directly to our culture. Our Tinny Time awards highlight the importance of this, with David O’Brien from the CD4 Project recognised as our EC divisional winner for March. Dave’s approach to keeping people informed, checking in across site and supporting his teammates is a strong example of the inclusive, respectful culture we all play a role in creating. Well done Dave!
Finally, I recently attended the launch of our latest Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) on the banks of the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River), a genuinely meaningful experience filled with culture and connection. Our new Stretch RAP builds on the progress we’ve already made and is about embedding reconciliation in a way that’s authentic and lasting. I encourage everyone to take the time to engage with the plan, understand what it means, and reflect on how your everyday actions can help bring it to life over the years ahead.
Thanks again for the effort, teamwork and professionalism you bring every day. I’m looking forward to what the rest of the year has in store.
Until next time,
Russell