The Western Australian Government has awarded contracts to help deliver the Thornlie-Cockburn Link and Yanchep Rail Extension, as part of the METRONET project.
Australian-company InfraBuild won the contract to manufacture steel reinforcing cages for piling on the project.
Around 8500 tonnes of steel will be used for steel reinforcement, with a further contract worth $11.8 million which has now been awarded by NEWest Alliance.
About 70 people are currently employed at InfraBuild’s Forrestfield facility. Works associated with METRONET have enabled InfraBuild to employ 13 additional staff since November 2020.
A number of other local suppliers have also been awarded contracts in the project stage.
- Australian company McConnell, who will establish a dedicated facility in WA to manufacture railcar passenger seats ($15.3 million contract)
- Aerison, a WA company with fabrication facilities at Bentley and Henderson, to provide cab structures ($1.9 million contract) and battery boxes ($1.1 million contract)
- Knorr-Bremse, air-conditioning and air supply equipment ($18.7 million contract) and brake components ($27 million contract)
- Pyrotech, will be supplying floor panels ($5.3 million contract) Austbreck, will be supplying pantographs ($2 million contract)
This is in addition to contracts already awarded on the project, including an $18 million contract for Hofmann Engineering to deliver bogie frames, four cranes to be supplied by Bassendean-based Eilbeck Cranes, and a $12 million contract for Vossloh to manufacture rail switches for the Bellevue rail yard at its Kewdale facility. Vector Lifting, based in Cockburn, will also deliver bogie turntables and lifting jacks as part of a $3.8 million contract.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said the State Government is making sure there are opportunities for local businesses while building the public transport infrastructure for tomorrow.
“METRONET is the biggest ever investment in our public transport network – it will connect our suburbs and create thousands of local jobs,” he said.
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“Our new $46 million METRONET Bellevue Railcar Manufacturing Facility continues to progress rapidly, with Alstom to begin the final fit out in coming weeks.
“As our economy continues to emerge from COVID-19, it is more important than ever we continue to deliver local content on our major projects.”
WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the procurement strategy is also attracting east coast businesses to move work to WA.
“We are making sure our own workers have the skills needed to deliver this work by investing in training courses such as the Infrastructure Ready TAFE course,” she said.
“We’ve made a commitment to maximise the amount of local businesses who can to build both METRONET railcars and the other major projects taking place all across WA, and we’re delivering on that promise.”