Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/65232
Komatsu Opens Multi-million Dollar Facility in Brisbane Komatsu Australia has opened Signifi cantly, the Wacol site and commissioned its new, state- of-the-art regional headquarters at Wacol, southwest of Brisbane. Total project expenditure in TRENDS AND TIDBITS excess of $55 million has been injected into the local economy, with up to 400 workers employed during the construction phase that was completed in March 2012. Th e facility will act as a one- stop shop for Queensland custom- ers, with the sale, service, assembly and remanufactur- ing of mining and construc- tion equipment taking place on site. Th e site also features Komatsu's Condition Monitoring Services' oil- testing labora- tories. More than 150 permanent employment opportunities have been created with the establishment of the Komatsu Wacol site. Th e operational hub will also house Komatsu Australia's mining division head offi ce and service customers through a world-class mechanical component remanu- facturing centre. Komatsu says the Wacol site has 40 percent more capacity and will assemble up to 70 "ultra- class" mining dump trucks each year, with the facility strategically located and built to better service customers in the rapidly-expand- ing Queensland resource sector. IDA UNIVERSAL May-June 2012 "Komatsu made the decision to invest in this Queensland site, enhancing our capability to meet the growing needs of custom- ers in the Australian market- place. We have a very positive outlook for the local resource and construction markets, and have made the development of Wacol as a customer service facility a key infrastructure priority for Komatsu. In fact, the Komatsu Wacol facility is our largest ever investment in Australia." Taylor says Komatsu was guided by a corporate commit- ment to the sustainable develop- hemisphere. It has been specifi - cally designed so that it is fully enclosed, preventing the release of harmful paint toxins into the atmosphere. Rainwater harvest- ing, energy-effi cient lighting, temperature-controlling insula- tion and a bio-retention basin are all featured on site. Construction of the Wacol facility has taken more than 16 months, with offi cial work com- mencing at the end of October 2010. www.qbr.com.au/news, April 12, 2012 Trends continued on page 25 23 will play an integral role in the employment of up to 100 new trades-based apprentices by Kom- atsu over the next 12 months. Managing Director of Komatsu Australia, Sean Taylor, pictured at the opening with Queensland Treasurer Tim Nich- olls, says the Wacol facility is the company's single biggest invest- ment in Australia to date. ment of industry, and the Wacol site has been designed with a number of advanced, environ- mentally-friendly features. Th e site has six main buildings across 61,000 square metres of land. Th e environmentally-friendly paint shop can easily accommo- date two Komatsu 930E (290- tonne payload) mining dump trucks, and is the largest spray booth of its type in the southern