Iron Bridge Trenching for Bundu Contracting

September 2022

From a chance telephone inquiry last month regarding the potential sale of our trenching rock saws, we have now been engaged with a fleet of rock saws of various makes and sizes. Our Purchasing and Logistics Manager, Nathan, successfully negotiated a hire arrangement following a yard visit by the client. Our new client, Bundu Contracting, is carrying out extensive trenching activities for the installation of the slurry and return water pipelines that will carry product to and from the Iron Bridge minesite in the Pilbara to the Port Hedland load out facility area. The route covers some 150km from the site to the port.

From reports received from site, our TRS1475 machine is amongst the largest most powerful and well maintained on the site, thanks to our workshop team. This machine was recently reconfigured following a redesign by our since retired General Manager of Engineering, Bruce Shaw.

To increase the face pressure of the ground engaging tools (teeth), the boom was cut down by approximately one metre to produce a shorter and steeper angle of attack for the working face. The boom was also filled with bore mill tailings for increased mass and therefore, downward force. This increased efficiency allows for greater production and less fuel burn. The new design also allows for the section of the boom that was cut out, to be bolted back into place should the machine be required for a deeper trench, up to 3.5m depth. The modifications were also carried out in-house by Adam P. in our welding and fabrication facility, and supervised by our workshop manager, Murray P.

Our trenching rock saw operator for this project is Sean M. For this project, maintenance normally carried out by our workshop is being done by our client. Sean commenced with DM Civil in 2008 and is usually one of two operators on our trencher and our most experienced operator on this machine. Sean’s knowledge of the machine’s capabilities and maintenance requirements ensures that our clients know that they are in good hands and can count on reliable service. Likewise, our workshop manager, Murray P., is also assured that Sean has the company interests in mind with his performance on the machine and his ability to manage the client. A full suite of spare drives, pumps and other parts are in our on-site custom sea container for fast changeover if required.

DM Civil has an action in our company Objectives and Targets framework to engage with Indigenous owned companies by either employing those firms as a subcontractor or by working under them with DM Civil being the subcontractor. This is not a new initiative for DM Civil. We have been seeking engagement of Indigenous staff and Indigenous owned companies for well over 10 years, well before the current contractual engagement requirements of our major clients. In addition to Bundu Contracting, our collaboration with

Indigenous owned companies include Kamilaroi Group, where we were the subcontractor with our low loader and truck hire, Benang Energy where we were their subcontractor and then invited them as our subcontract labour hire, and very recently, Boodja Services labour hire.

In keeping with our equal opportunity policy and Indigenous employment opportunities, DM Civil has always maintained a permanent staff representation of at least 4% and now, including our recent collaboration with Boodja Services, over 14% Indigenous staff levels. In our earlier years, our levels of between 4% and 6% Indigenous employment were not targeted opportunities, but simply open employment. This is a strong indicator that our company culture is open to equal opportunity. In terms of retention strategies, 3 of our indigenous workforce are enrolled in Civil Construction Apprenticeships.

We look forward to further contract works with Bundu Contracting on the current FMG Iron Bridge project and any future projects where they may require additional resources, possibly including our TRS1300 Super trencher to work alongside our TRS1475.