Pilbara project continues long association

Western Australian fabrication and construction specialist Pacific Industrial Company (PIC) is marking its 40th anniversary this year by continuing to supply key components to major resource projects.

PIC, founded in 1969 by Erasmo Mosole who was later joined by his sons, Marco and Sandro, has supplied many major resource projects in WA over the past 30 years.

PIC is involved in all aspects of steel fabrication and construction from shop fabricated items through to major construction projects requiring: engineering, procurement, fabrication, installation, commissioning and related electrical, instrumentation and civil works.

Its latest contribution to the growth of Australia's resources sector involved the fabrication of 12 heavy rail bridges using approximately 6,000 tonnes of Grade 350 and 350Z XLERPLATE® steel.

The bridges with 124 spans at 22 metres per span, and weighing 31 tonnes each, were fabricated at PIC's Naval Base warehouse, explained George Petley, Business Development Manager, PIC.

PIC carried out the rail bridge work for Calibre Engenium, one of the largest specialist railway engineering and project management companies in Australia, for a project currently underway in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

A continuous supply chain

The Pilbara rail network comprises 1,300 kilometres of track – roughly the length of New Zealand.

Trains that utilise the line are approximately 2.4 kilometres long hauling up to 234 cars, each with a load capacity of more than 100 tonnes of iron ore. A fully loaded train can weigh up to 29,500 tonnes and can take almost two kilometres to come to a stop.

The project involves more than 270 kilometres of rail duplication works. The new rail bridges will allow trains to keep moving instead of previously stopping to pass each other. It is the most significant upgrade to this rail network since it was built 38 years ago.

"The fabrication of the bridges is a result of considerable concerted effort and co-ordination of local industry expertise to bring the project to fruition on time and on budget," George said. "And this includes the use of XLERPLATE® steel from BlueScope Steel," he added.

Fabrication commenced in January 2009 with the last delivery to Pilbara lay-down areas in October 2009.

"Once complete the spans are transported by semi-trailer to several lay-down areas in the Norwest; one at Newman and one at Port Hedland. The spans will then be distributed along the right-of-way once the bridges are established."

Co-ordinating the delivery logistics is essential. "If we transported the spans directly to the sites they'd be in the way of earthmoving and civil works and the odd local flood," George said.

Advocating Australian manufacturing capabilities

George is very passionate about promoting the capabilities of local manufacturing. "Australian manufacturers have the knowledge, skills and expertise to fabricate and supply products for large projects to a world-class standard. By working in conjunction with each other, companies do not have to look offshore," he said.

It's the same for steel George added, "XLERPLATE® steel is a quality product. It's great to work with and you know what you're going to get, where imported product can vary.

"Being able to secure XLERPLATE® steel supply was crucial for the success of this project. If we had to order steel from overseas we may not have been able to ensure quantities and delivery as there are many variables with imports.

"Dealing with BlueScope Steel is easy, they're local and we can alter orders and delivery as we need to with a simple phone call. Their backup and customer service support is excellent," he said.

Geting to the nuts and bolts

In addition to the spans, PIC in association with leading structural steel fabrication company Park Engineering, fabricated 248 welded beams 1400 millimetre deep, 102,000 welded studs and 6,000 lineal metres of handrail, 4,000 square metres of walkway grating, 148 trestle headstocks, and 148 trestles with a shipping weight of 2,000 tonnes.

There were also 3,224 ballast retention brackets, 3,472 ballast retention plates made from 6 millimetre XLERPLATE® steel, 296 trestle legs 800 millimetre in diameter were rolled and welded in 32 millimetre XLERPLATE® steel and 18,000 sets of bolts, nuts and washers.