Laing O'Rourke secures project win in Western Australia

Laing O’Rourke has been awarded a key contract by the CBH Group in Western Australia to deliver the Cranbrook Rail Outloading Project.

The project is one of 11 rail siding projects at CBH sites, funded in partnership with the Western Australian and Federal governments under the Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements (ASCI) Program.

The contract will be delivered by Laing O’Rourke’s Rail Operations business, which offers capabilities spanning all rail and civil construction disciplines. 

Construction is scheduled to begin in April with a multidisciplinary scope involving rail, earthworks, drainage, structures, mechanical and electrical works. The team will construct a new rail siding alongside construction of a complex new grain handling facility. 

Laing O’Rourke’s Delivery Director Paul Milne said “Laing O’Rourke is pleased to be working with the CBH Group to improve the outloading capabilities of Western Australia’s grain supply chain. Rail infrastructure is a key economic enabler, and I’m confident our capabilities are a good match for CBH and this important project.”

Sam Gliddon, Chief Project Delivery Officer, CBH Group said, “We are pleased to welcome Laing O’Rourke onboard as our head contractor at Cranbrook.

“The CBH Cranbrook Rail Outloading Project is part of a pipeline of rail projects which will enable CBH to move grain more efficiently to port, especially in the first half of the calendar year, maximising the value to WA growers today, and future generations,” he said. 

At Cranbrook, the existing rail siding will be more than doubled, extended from 995 metres to 2,000 metres in length, as well as the realignment of 395 metres of the existing rail siding. The rail siding extension will be complemented with a new 6,600 tonne fixed rail loading facility. 

“It currently takes more than seven hours to load 60 wagons at Cranbrook, which includes multiple shunts that disrupt the mainline and impact level crossings. Once complete, a 60-wagon train will be able to be loaded in around four hours at Cranbrook– free of level crossings and without disrupting the mainline,” said Sam.

Laing O’Rourke’s Rail Operations Business Leader, Mark Fletcher said “We’re excited about our new relationship with the CBH Group. Our team is already mobilising, and we look forward to commencing on site in the weeks to come.

“Laing O’Rourke’s Rail Operations business has more than 500 staff and a fleet of specialist plant and equipment, supported by industry-leading project management systems. We are looking forward to putting this to good use for the CBH Group now and into the future,” said Mark.