Two Parkes-based companies have been awarded contracts to supply ballast and capping for the first stage of Inland Rail, totalling about $7 million.
Calvani Crushing has been awarded a $4.8 million contract to supply more than 150,000 tonnes of ballast and 75,000 tonnes of capping to the Parkes to Narromine section of the project.
Ausrock Quarries has been awarded a $2.1 million contract to supply more than 45,000 tonnes of ballast and 45,000 tonnes of capping to this first stage of the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail.
Calvani Crushing Managing Director John Calvani praised Inland Rail for its strong focus on local industry participation.
“The Inland Rail contract is the biggest we’ve been awarded and it’s an advantage for everyone to source these products locally. It’s allowed us to create new jobs and it provides a good income for these people. It’s also a saving for Inland Rail as it doesn’t have transport product over long distances,” Mr. Calvani said.
Ausrock Quarries Director Simon Shannon said the benefits of Inland Rail were generating a lot of optimism locally.
“We’ve been an ARTC supplier for five years, but this large Inland Rail contract means that we have been able to employ an extra eight people, which delivers many local flow-on effects,” Mr. Shannon said.
About 3.6 million tonnes of ballast and 3.4 million tonnes of capping will be required for the 1,700km length of Inland Rail, which will provide further opportunities for quarries in regional areas along the rail alignment.
Inland Rail CEO Richard Wankmuller said the first track for the rail project will be laid later this year between Parkes and Narromine and there is now a steady stream of supply contracts bringing jobs and opportunities to various parts of Australia.
“Inland Rail is securing jobs in regional Australia and our cities. We now have ballast and capping supplied from Parkes, concrete sleepers from Mittagong, steel track from Whyalla; and there are many other significant contracts to be awarded,” Mr. Wankmuller said.
“This is just the beginning job-wise. Inland Rail is gathering momentum each day and is delivering on its great potential. It’s expected to deliver 16,000 new jobs at peak construction and an average of 700 additional jobs a year over the entire programme.”
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