Case Studies

Introduction

Orrcon Steel is playing a role to advance Australia’s renewable energy journey by contributing to Queensland’s first solar farm to incorporate Australian-made torque tube. This project demonstrates how local manufacturing can support sustainable energy initiatives and strengthen Australia’s domestic supply chain.

The Challenge

As Australia transitions to renewable energy, there’s a pressing need for infrastructure that aligns with sustainability goals while promoting and supporting local manufacturing.

Image: The Aldoga Solar Farm

The Acciona Energia Aldoga Solar Farm project in Queensland required high-quality steel torque tube components that could meet the precise standards needed for solar panels to be accurately installed. This called for a seamless integration of raw materials, advanced manufacturing, and precision engineering.

About Aldoga:

• Location: Near Gladstone, Queensland
• Capacity: 380MW
• Annual CO2 Emissions Avoided: 934,000 tonnes
• Unique Feature: First large-scale solar project in Queensland to incorporate Australian-made steel torque tube.

Image: Lester – Orrcon Steel National Marketing and Innovation Manager at Aldoga Solar Farm

The Solution

Orrcon Steel rose to the challenge by leveraging its extensive manufacturing capabilities and partnerships:

1.  Sourcing Australian-Made Materials: The journey began with Australian-mined iron ore, processed into steel coil at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks.

2.  Advanced Manufacturing: Orrcon Steel shaped the steel coil into torque tubes, critical components for solar farms, at its Salisbury, Brisbane-based mill.

3.  Post Processing: Then at the Orrcon Steel Northgate facility, through its partnership with Baojia Engineering, these torque tubes underwent further processing to meet exacting standards, which enables accurate solar panel mounting.

4.  Local Delivery: These Australian-made steel tubes are delivered to the Aldoga Solar Farm, where they are mounted onto brackets, ready for the solar panels to be installed by the Acciona Energia team.

5.  Cutting-edge Integration: With an efficient supply chain utilising advanced tracking systems from Nextracker, this project identifies large-scale renewable initiatives can incorporate local manufacturing capabilities.

Image: Orrcon Steel Northgate

Key Partners:

ACCIONA Energia: The investor behind the Aldoga Solar Farm, along with Nextracker were committed to support the Australian-made initiative incorporating local suppliers.

Orrcon Steel: Crafting Australian-made steel tubes for use in the Aldoga Solar Farm

Baojia Engineering: Providing precision-engineered finished torque tube to optimise speed of erection on site. 

Nextracker: Integrating cutting-edge tracking systems to deliver high performance energy outcomes from the site. 

Orrcon Steel invested in its operations, including manufacturing and warehouse operations, demonstrating its ability to deliver value locally.

Key Achievements

• Supporting Local Supply Chains: By partnering with Nextracker, Baojia, and Acciona, Orrcon Steel helped establish a reliable, scalable local supply chain for renewable energy steel torque tube components.
• Showcasing Sovereign Capability: The project highlighted Australia’s ability to deliver high-quality, locally produced materials.

Conclusion

This project marks a milestone for Orrcon Steel, showcasing its dedication to sustainability through innovation and a strong commitment to local manufacturing.

By delivering high-quality Australian-made steel, Orrcon Steel has contributed to the success of a key Queensland renewable energy project. This case study exemplifies the importance of collaboration and benefits of utilising an extensive local supply chain that can drive meaningful progress toward a sustainable future

Over the last 19 years GM Poles and Orrcon Steel have formed a partnership that has delivered some of Australia’s most exciting lighting projects. 

GM Poles specialises in designing and fabricating steel columns for use in lighting, signage, communication and surveillance.

As a Transport and Main Roads (TMR) supplier, it is critical to GM Poles that they not only have steel that complies to Australian Standards but there must be full traceability on all material supplied. With a strong focus on compliance to Australian Standards, GM Poles hold engineering registration for every state and territory of Australia so that they can provide engineering certification for all of their projects.

GM poles bring some of the best sporting contests under lights right across Australia.

From the 50 metre lighting poles at the Perth Rectangular Stadium in the West, to the 40m poles at Elwick Racecourse in Hobart, and to the 48 metre lighting poles at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns, GM Poles have Australia covered.

In 2015 GM Poles manufactured and supplied a total of 168 special stepped circular poles for the opening of Barangaroo Headland Park.

The famous stretch of landscape along the Sydney Harbour foreshore was opened to the public and has now become a popular walkway and cycleway for Sydney-siders. 

GM Poles source a combination of Orrcon Steel’s Precision Circular Pipe and Square Hollow Section, which is milled to non-standard lengths and then cut to various sizes to ensure no wastage.

Detailing Manager for GM Poles Jamie Goodrich says being able to source various sized steel is a real advantage when having such a diverse range of projects.

“As a TMR supplier we need Orrcon to roll and cut pipe to length to ensure there is no wastage.

“Without Orrcon we would be wasting >10% of the pipe,” the Detailing Manager said.

As GM Poles and Orrcon Steel continue to work closely together this is one of the many partnerships that shines a light on the diversity of the steel industry.

For more information on our products or services call 1300 677 266.

Kieren started Simtrack in 1996, producing finished products which are used by some of the top racing clubs around the world in countries such as Russia, South Africa, Malaysia, Vietnam and New Zealand.

However he recalled the most memorable order to be the one made by France Galop in 2009, one of the preeminent racing bodies in Europe.

“France Galop had a locally made barrier installed for its premier event the previous year, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Apparently a number of the starting gates failed to open, leaving some of the race favourites rooted to the spot. It was a huge embarrassment, some heads rolled, and it led the body to want to find an immediate replacement,” Keiren said.

“We decided to put ourselves out there by air freighting a small sample of horse starting gate to Paris and flew my father over to present it. Within half an hour of looking at our product, the translators were telling my father that it was definitely the standard they were after. Following further negotiations they signed off on an order which saw us producing 27 starting gates over a period of six months.”

Kieren said the process of sending a Simtrack representative to personally supervise the horse starting gate setup process has been one of the keys to success in the international market. “There’s a lot of technical know-how involved in the installation process – the gates must be set up absolutely accurately because it’s so important they open consistently. If a client has a big race coming up, we’ll aim to coordinate things so that the container arrives a week prior. We’ll then put it together, stay for the event and watch that everything goes smoothly,” he said.

Kieren credits the durability of his company’s products to an ongoing supply partnership with Orrcon Steel, from who they receive ALLGAL® RHS and ALLGAL® SHS along with Hot Dip Galvanised (HDG) pipe.

Kieren said the initial decision to go with what Orrcon Steel had to offer was a “no brainer” and very timely. “Before Orrcon came along we were getting a standard product at a reasonable price. However being an international exporter, we wanted to have something that was seen as better than the standard. Orrcon managed to find us – a feat seeing as we’re tucked away in the Adelaide Hills and generally keep to ourselves. A rep showed us what Orrcon had to offer and we liked what we saw: it was a quality product at an extremely competitive price,” he said.

“The main reason Simtrack has been around for so long is because of the quality of their product, and that’s something we work hard to maintain for them. Before us they were buying from a merchant, who tend to offer different brands from a variety of suppliers. Brands can often differ – whether it be the shape, processing characteristics or consistency of the material,” said Orrcon Steel Gillman Account Manager Chris Sargent.

“To supply Simtrack we can only use steel from BlueScope. That enables us to ensure the product is consistent and always meets the exact needs of the customer.”

“Orrcon products have a high amount of resistance against degradation and corrosion, which is conducive to the manufacturing of our starting gates and rail systems. Our barriers are well built and designed to last a lifetime. We’re not one of those businesses that have the ideology: ‘Let’s make a product that’s going to be useless in 10 years so we can sneak another sale in.’ We aim to make gates and rails that are going to last for at least 30 or even 40 years,” said Kieren.

“ALLGAL® is galvanised on both the outside and inside, so it has that extra protection which is important – especially after the manufacturing process.”

Simtrack also benefits from the overall reliability of Orrcon Steel’s stock and the genuine support they receive. The value-added services also help them provide a better quality service to overseas contractors.

“They always have stock on hand to meet our requirements and the local rep is readily available should we need any help or advice,” said Kieren.

“Orrcon Steel has assisted us in the past with looking at different painting methods, surface preparation, material data. If an overseas contractor wants to know the specifics about a batch of steel – the batch lot, where it came from – our Orrcon Steel Account Manager will be able to provide all that kind of information for us very quickly and efficiently. That way we’re not delaying the contract.”

Simtrack’s supply partnership with Orrcon Steel is one that has allowed the manufacturer to be a leader in the global racing market as a maker of premium quality, long-lasting equipment.

Customer: Simtrack
Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Orrcon Steel Products: ALLGAL® RHS, ALLGAL® SHS and pipe

RHS and tube from Orrcon Steel is used to manufacture the frames, arms and various other parts of the air seeders and cultivators, with the steel quality for the air seeders in particular being critical as they operate under high load.

Simplicity Australia Production Manager Ben Paech said, “The relationship with Orrcon Steel is very much a partnership, bringing Australian quality and innovation to the world market. We have spent decades developing our products to the highest standards so it is crucial that quality and traceability are also at the highest levels, and that’s what we get when dealing with Orrcon Steel."

“It’s comforting to know when we buy from Orrcon Steel we have traceability through the tube production process, right back to the original steel coils from the BlueScope plant. That’s hard to find with many steel suppliers in the Australian market, particularly those offering imported products,” said Mr. Paech.

“Orrcon Steel is a one-stop shop for Simplicity – we cut, drill and deburr the tube to precise tolerances in preparation for zinc plating which end up in the construction of their world-famous air seeders and cultivators,” said Orrcon Steel Toowoomba Account Manager Mr Sonny Reid.

Simplicity relies on key Australian suppliers like Orrcon Steel, forming partnerships to compete in an international market place. “We are often confronted with short lead times combined with prime planting conditions and the last thing our customers want is late delivery, so we need suppliers like Orrcon Steel that understand this and are willing to go the extra mile to help us achieve our deadlines.”

“Also current and future steel requirements are stocked close to our factory and are constantly monitored to guarantee uninterrupted supply as the demand changes,” said Mr. Paech.

Customer: Simplicity Australia
Location: Dalby, Queensland
Orrcon Steel Products: RHS and tube

Thermic Lances come in 12mm, 16mm and 19mm diameter semi-bright mild steel tube packed with mixed metal wires where pure oxygen is passed through the pipe, while the end of the pipe is ignited with a high temperature source like an oxy-acetylene torch. They are capable of cutting through ferrous and non-ferrous metals, refractory materials and concrete or rock structures. A variety of applications include:

• Cutting large metal castings or frozen metal spills.
• Cutting mixed or laminated materials.
• Removing plugs, seized pins and hard-facing material from Earthmoving Equipment.
• Concrete cancer repair.
• Aiding in rescues during collapsed buildings or train derailments.
• Removal of old refractory material & cleaning/de-slagging of furnaces.
• Cutting large objects for scrap in demolition and renovation.

The iron in the steel burns in the oxygen coming down the pipe to produce enormous heat, with temperatures at the centre of the combustion zone reaching around 4,000 degrees Celsius, greater than the melting point of any known substance.

With the growing demand for the lances, Brett now exports to New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East, with the business continuing to grow its domestic market opportunities.

Orrcon Steel Account Manager Greg McCann, said the partnership between his company and the Australian Thermic Lance Company has developed and matured over the years.

“We’ve built our partnership to a level where our steel quality, premium fabrication services, accurate inventory forecasting enabling appropriate stock holdings and prompt deliveries means we are now the sole supplier of steel used in the thermic lances made by the Australian Thermic Lance Company.” “We are basically a one-stop shop for them - we roll, cut, de-burr and weld the steel to very precise and exacting tolerances. Our team then ensures that we promptly deliver product as they need it, therefore limiting their storage and holding costs,” said McCann.

Brett Gill, Australian Thermic Lance Company Managing Director said when it comes to the quality of their steel tubes, there are no comparisons to Orrcon Steel.

“We’ve had a range of quality issues with our previous steel supplier, however we are totally satisfied with the material we buy from Orrcon Steel,” said Gill.

Greg said of Orrcon Steel’s manufacturing process “We have a high focus on Quality Assurance to ensure a quality weld seam occurs on every lance”.

Brett agreed “Quality is paramount for both our companies and end users, which is why we trust Orrcon Steel with the fabrication, and especially with the weld joins of the steel lance seams”.

“If you look at the mission-critical applications where our thermic lances are used, it’s the quality of the steel that has made our lances world renowned for their safety, and this quality assurance we constantly get from Orrcon Steel.”

Customer: Australian Thermic Lance Company
Location: Western Sydney, NSW
Orrcon Steel Products: Semi-Bright Mild Steel Tube

Now, thanks to Orrcon Steel and its revolutionary pre-coated MAXI-TUBE®, the only thing rusty at the Port Elliot Bowling Club are some of its members’ bowling skills.

Orrcon Steel supplied the bowling club with 75sqx4mm, 125x75x5mm, 150x50x5mm, all in 8m lengths and equating to approximately 1000kg in total of MAXI-TUBE®.

Port Elliot and the surrounding regions are infamous for being some of the most corrosive coastal environments in Australia, and are a huge challenge for coated steel products. For this reason, the region is specially mentioned in AS2312 under the atmospheric corrosiveness category section.

According to Orrcon Steel National Sales and Marketing Manager, Distribution, Lester Kirkwood, “The corrosion resistant alloy coating of MAXITUBE® is comprised of zinc, aluminium, and magnesium, it has good galvanic protection in aggressive environments and is compliant to AS1397. It provides very good paint and powder coat adhesion with a high quality surface finish.”

The additional paint coating on the welded connections and over the entire steel section of the Port Elliott Bowling Club structure provides further protection, while also acting as an architectural feature. “When it comes to building infrastructure, remote housing and shade structures in semi and severe marine aggressive environments, the galvanic protection, aesthetics and long term durability of MAXI-TUBE®’s ZM275 coating provides a well-balanced solution,” said Kirkwood.

Project: Port Elliot Bowling Club
Location: Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia
Orrcon Steel Products: MAXI-TUBE® - 75sqx4mm, 125x75x5mm and 150x50x5mm Completed August 2014

Project construction company Jupiter Steel’s Director/General Manager, Mr. Russell Lang, said “The railway stations are our major project at the moment, and plenty of Orrcon Steel’s Hollow Sections are being used to make them look superb.”

Elements of the four stations incorporating Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections include the lift shafts, columns, roof framing and covered walkways.

Designers and architects typically specify steel hollow sections in construction projects, as they offer a more architectural and contemporary appearance. Over 50 tonnes of rectangular, square and circular hollow sections have been used in each of the rail line’s stations.

Mr. Lang said “We enjoy working with Orrcon Steel because we can get nextday and sometimes even same-day delivery, and not only are they competitive on price, but have a product range and alternative lengths in a range which suits our fabrication requirements.”

The Perth-Mandurah railway – and in particular the stations and covered walkways – is a prime example of Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections facilitating smarter construction.

Project: Perth-Mandurah Railway
Customer: Public Transport Authority WA State Government
Building Contractor: RailLink Joint Venture
Design: Team Maunsell-Sinclair Knight Merz
Fabricator: JupiterSteel Fabricators
Orrcon Steel Products: Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections including: RHS 200x100 x 6.0 & 250x150x5.0/6.0; SHS 150x150x6.0, 200x200x6.0/9.0, 250x250x6.0/9.0; CHS 273.1x4.8, 323.9x9.5

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266

To meet the architect’s specific design requirement for long spanning curves, the project needed a range of structural pipe sizes up to 323mm OD in single lengths to 23 metres, capable of being cold bent.

Orrcon Steel rolled around 150 of the main arch tubes in lengths of between 7 and 23 metres which were transported by road and rail to Brisbane for curving and hot dip galvanising.

Orrcon Steel’s ability to produce these precise and extreme lengths resulted in minimum waste, reduced fabrication and transport costs and an overall reduction in construction time.

The 65mm NB pipe used to cross brace the structure was manufactured at Orrcon Steel’s Brisbane Structural Mill. Once the busway was constructed, a special mesh was fitted to protect traffic and passengers from wayward golf balls from the neighbouring Victoria Park Golf Club.

Utilising Orrcon Steel’s Smart Steel Hollow Section thinking, the Brisbane Inner Northern Busway Section 5B successfully accomodates the public transport needs of the area, combining both functionality and visual appeal.

Project: Inner Northern Busway Section 5B
Contractor: Clough-Seymour Whyte Joint Venture
Architect: Hassell
Structural Engineer: KBR
Fabricators: Pipe Curving: Rollpress Fabrication: Gay Constructions Bracing Steelwork: Skyline Steel Fabrication
Orrcon Steel Products: Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections: Pipe sized 65mm NB to 323mm OD

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266

According to Port of Brisbane Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jeff Coleman, the new wharf, which is valued at approximately $54 million, would extend the current wharf line by a further 372 metres. This will increase the port’s capacity to manage growth in the number and size of ships berthing in Brisbane.

The length and container carrying capacity of container ships is increasing worldwide. A growing number of vessels call into Brisbane that are more than 270 metres in length and carrying over 4,000 standard-sized containers.

Mr Coleman said Orrcon Steel was chosen to supply the pipe for the wharf’s pile supports because of “its past experience with supply contracts for similar products and components, its quality systems, its financial security and price. Orrcon Steel proved to be very competitive.”

Orrcon Steel supplied 1,050 x 12mm, 1,200 x 16mm and 900 x 12mm spiral welded steel pipe up to 18.5 metres long with driving shoes fitted, and shipped them directly to a designated site in the new wharf area.

The pipe was spliced and welded into 45m lengths prior to being driven deep into the earth by a 14 tonne hydraulic piling hammer. The new wharf was completed in 2009.

Project: Port of Brisbane Wharf 10
Customer: Port of Brisbane Corporation
Civil Engineer: Worley Parsons
Piling Fabricator: Starlight Engineering
Piling Contractor: Albem Operations
Orrcon Steel Products: Spiral Welded Steel Pipe 1,050x12mm 1,200x16mm 900x12mm

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266

With over 800 tonnes of pipe and RHS, the centre demonstrates how architects are increasingly incorporating steel hollow sections in lieu of traditional hot rolled steel members and concrete to enhance the design of major construction projects.

The reconstruction saw the existing Aquatic Centre extended with a new covered outdoor Olympic sized swimming pool, permanently roofed grandstand for 3,000 spectators and additional temporary roofs which are capable of attachment. Extensive use of Orrcon Steel’s Smart Steel Hollow Sections distinctly enhances the elegance and practicality of the centre’s design.

Samaras Structural Engineers, who were responsible for the main structural steelwork, fabricated the steel elements at their Adelaide factory. Once fabrication was complete, over one hundred semi-trailers were used to transport the sections to the site in Melbourne.

Samaras’ General Manager, George M. Samaras said,“Orrcon Steel understands our needs well and is always eager to help meet our fabrication challenges. For example, the Aquatic Centre’s design required several uncommon pipe sizes which are difficult to get off the shelf, however Orrcon Steel rolled them especially for us in time to meet our tight fabrication schedule.”

Project: Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre
Developer: Department of Victorian Communities
Building Contractor: John Holland Group
Architects: Peddle Thorp Architects
Structural Engineers: Connell Wagner
Fabricator & Erector: Samaras Structural Engineers
Orrcon Steel Products: Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections: Pipe sized 88.9mm OD to 610mm OD

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266

Alfasi Steel Constructions, who specialise in the construction of high profile and complex architectural steel structures, worked together with Orrcon Steel on this iconic Australian sporting venue.

Director of Alfasi, Mr. Gill D’Vier said, “The MCG structure involved constructing a cable-stay roof - a steel structure incorporating Orrcon Steel’s Smart Steel Hollow Sections, and held in place by large diameter cables... we were able to shop detail, fabricate and erect this steelwork to the highest standards”.

“These cable stay structures, once fully assembled on the ground, had to be craned into place with extreme accuracy. At 40 metres long and weighing up to 20 tonnes, we created a very detailed erection methodology to ensure a correct fit and maximise safety for construction staff.”

The redevelopment also included construction of new world class seating in the Northern Stand. Here too, Orrcon Steel made its mark through the timely delivery of Australian Made precision Smart Steel Hollow Sections. The new seating provides optimum comfort and visibility of the playing area for members and spectators.

Project: Melbourne Cricket Ground
Contractor: Grocon Constructions
Architects: MCG5 (Daryl Jackson Architects, Hok Sport, Tompkins Shaw & Evans, Hassell & Cox Architects)
Structural Engineers: Connell Mott MacDonald & ARUP (CMMA)
Fabricator: Alfasi Steel Constructions
Orrcon Steel Products: Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections including: RHS 65x65x2.0, 38x25x1.6; SHS 30x30x3mm to 250x250x9mm; CHS 273.1x6.4mm up to 406.4x12.7mm

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 665 757

Mr. Philip Basile, Construction Manager for Abigroup, the contractor for Stages 2 and 3 of the Expressway, said “There are not many opening bridges in Australia – although there is another in Port Adelaide that is still operating and was opened in December 1940.”

With the river bed 11 metres below the surface of the Port River, suitable piles had to be driven 20 metres into the bed to provide the foundations for the bridges to be built upon.

Orrcon Steel supplied 900mm OD spiral welded pipe 13 to 18 metres long that were end joined on site to the required lengths, before being driven into the river bed.

“Once each pipe was driven into the Hindmarsh clay river bed and filled with concrete, construction of the bridge superstructures commenced”, Mr Basile said.

As part of Orrcon Steel’s quality assurance, staff travelled to Shanghai to inspect the supplying mill and establish its ability to produce pipe on time and within Orrcon Steel’s strict guidelines and the client’s specifications.

Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections used successfully in the Port River Expressway Stages 2 & 3 foundations reflect Orrcon Steel’s commitment to the building and construction industry, and ability to meet exacting requirements in quality, production and delivery.

Project: Port River Expressway Stages 2 & 3
Contractor: Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd
Designers: Hardesty & Hanover Dare Sutton Clarke Maunsell Australia
Structural Engineers: York Civil
Fabricators: Samaras McKechnie Foundary Falk Bianco GK Structures
Orrcon Steel Products: Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections: Large Spiral Welded Pipe 900mm OD

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266

Located on the Edwin Flack Field in the Olympic Park precinct, the infrastructure provides Melbourne with a world-class sports and events arena.

Orrcon Steel’s structural hollow sections support the stadium’s innovative roof structure – a cutting edge Bioframe design with a geodesic dome roof. Supplying 1,300 tonnes of steel to Grocon for the project, products include Circular Hollow Sections 139.7 – 457 OD and also heavy walled pipe in 508 OD. The hollow sections were utilised for their aesthetic qualities as well as their strength and versatility to be fabricated into complex geometric shapes, which would have been far more difficult to achieve when utilising open sections.

Steve Dawes, Orrcon Steel Southern Region Manager - Pipelines & Infrastructure, said “When we first approached Grocon to discuss this iconic structure, it was proposed that early involvement by Orrcon Steel as a manufacturer of structural sections would increase the likelihood of delivering the construction program and achieving their goal of delivering a world class stadium. Once this approach had been agreed, we provided technical assistance and materials management activities such as the development of specifications, material optimisation, production planning, sourcing, logistics management, fabrication programming and QA documentation.”

The stadium provided the missing link in Melbourne’s sporting infrastructure for a medium size, purpose-built rectangular pitch stadium. AAMI Park boasts a capacity for over 31,000 spectators. The $268 million stadium is home to the NRL club Melbourne Storm and A-League teams Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City FC and the Super 15 Rugby franchise, the Melbourne Rebels. It also features a sports campus, including an elite training centre and office accommodation which rivals some of the world’s best sporting arenas.

Project: AAMI Park (Melbourne Rectangular Stadium)
Client: Melbourne & Olympic Park Trust
Architect: Cox Architects
Builder: Grocon
Structural Engineering: ARUP
Engineering Services: Norman Disney and Young
Orrcon Steel Products: CHS 139.7 ~ 508 in thickness 5.4 ~ 38.1

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266

The fully electronic Westlink M7 toll road is the result of decades of planning. It connects Sydney’s west and provides an uninterrupted journey between the M2, M4 and M5 motorways. The M7 incorporates intelligent application of more than 150 tonnes of structural steel pipe manufactured by Orrcon Steel. An integral component of the motorway is the construction of a modern and functional cycleway and walking path stretching nearly 40 kilometres. Orrcon Steel Structural Steel Pipe was used in the design, fabrication and construction of the cycleway’s handrail. As part of our commitment to the project, Orrcon Steel arranged for the production of samples of the finished handrail – 76.1mm OD heavy walled pipe – for representatives of the NSW Road Transport Authority to examine prior to installation.

Fabrication subcontractor, Glenn Down of Phoenix Engineering, said “Orrcon Steel had a very positive approach to the project from the beginning, where others said no, Orrcon Steel persevered and provided solutions. Pipe for the handrail – with lengths varying from 2.34 metres to 4.46 metres – were swaged or expanded at one end allowing one section of pipe to fit snugly into the next producing a clean fit then hot-dip galvanised for longevity. The handrail components were cut, swaged, bent, welded and galvanised in Brisbane and delivered to site in Sydney ready for installation."

Orrcon Steel also provided many tonnes of 60.3mm OD and 88.9mm OD steel pipe for use as support posts for the project’s 3,000 glass noise barriers. “The pipe was specified because of its structural strength and aesthetics.”

Project: Westlink M7 Motorway
Customer: Roads and Traffic Authority NSW State Government
Contractor: Abigroup Leighton Joint Venture
Fabricators: Pipe Swaging: Radius Benders Pipe Fabricators: Phoenix Engineering
Orrcon Steel Mill: Brisbane
Orrcon Steel Products: Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections including: CHS 60.3, 76.1, 88.9mm OD

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266

Developers, Surfers Paradise Beach Resort Pty Ltd, teamed with Orrcon Steel, Sun Engineering and Sunland Constructions to design, fabricate and erect the 90 metre high visionary steel spire, which sits atop Q1’s 80 storeys. The tower is located on the southern fringe of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast and offers sweeping views south to Byron Bay and north to Brisbane.

Sun Engineering used Orrcon Steel’s Smart Steel Hollow Sections to fabricate the crown. Sun Engineering’s Managing Director, Mr. Sean McMonagle said that he knew from Orrcon Steel’s involvement in other major construction projects we had the right experience and capabilities to meet their requirements. “The tolerances we required on the curved sections provided by Orrcon Steel were, by definition, much more precise, and Orrcon Steel came through.”

An exacting and constant steel pipe and RHS supply schedule over several months was also necessary, with each part of the crown built to completion by Sun Engineering, then disassembled for a police-escorted truck delivery to the Gold Coast construction site.

The stunning Q1 crown is testament to the creative applications for Orrcon Steel’s Smart Steel Hollow Sections, and the company’s exceptional manufacturing capability and standards.

Project: Q1 Developer Surfers Paradise Beach Resort Pty Ltd
Contractor: Sunland Group Limited
Architects: Sunland Design Group Innovarchi
Structural Engineers: Whaley Consulting Group ARUP
Fabricator: Sun Engineering
Orrcon Steel Products: Orrcon Smart Steel Hollow Sections: Large Pipe & RHS

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266

Located just 15km from Adelaide’s CBD and 9km from the city’s new international airport, Techport Australia encompasses a Common User Facility for shipbuilding, and a generous commercial and supplier precinct to cater to the maritime industry.

A key supplier to the construction of the Common User Facility, Orrcon Steel’s Pipelines & Infrastructure team worked closely with McConnell Dowell/ Built Environs Joint Venture (MDBEJV) to supply tubular pipes (AS1594/ AS1163 C350) for what is Australia’s largest Shiplift Pier. The structure measures 156 metres long and 34 metres wide, with the capability to support a vessel up to an astounding 9,300 tonnes.

Emphasising the delivery of real value solutions, Orrcon Steel sourced and developed a tailored steel package in conjunction with offshore manufacturers resulting in the best overall offer to the JV. The solution included project specific, tailored coated pipes in varying lengths and wall thicknesses, conforming to stringent quality requirements and specifications. The pipes were coated in the zone subject to the aggressive marine environment further optimising Orrcon Steel’s solution.

The tailored lengths supplied for the project ranged from 30 metres to 45.1 metres, 1067mm OD, with a wall thickness of 16mm to 20mm. Orrcon Steel specified the piling pipes which were manufactured and coated in Korea and under Orrcon Steel’s technical supervision especially for the project. This project further entailed a tailored logistics solution with the arrangement of special shipping and transportation.

Numerous changes to the coating type and the piling lengths meant that many options were submitted to the JV prior to finalising the design. Working closely with its stakeholders, Orrcon Steel provided a timely and effective response during the design stage to ensure that the project remained on track.

According to Frank Cunningham – Executive Quality Manager, this project was formally awarded to Orrcon Steel in October 2007, while preliminary discussions took place well before that. He added, “The journey and process has involved the Orrcon Steel Pipelines & Infrastructure team, the Quality Department, group legal, Daeyang P & T, Miju Steel Co, Toll Logistics and myself so it has been a real Orrcon Steel / supplier team effort to get this one over the line!... not only within budget and on time but with a major focus on overall finished product quality”.

The Common User Facility will be commissioned in 2010 but much effort was put into carrying out the project from day one. This sophisticated infrastructure will play a major role in assisting ASC to construct state of the art Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD) as well as attracting other shipbuilding and repair opportunities to Techport Australia.

Project: Techport Australia, Common User Facility
Client / Piling Contractor : McConnell Dowell / Built Environs Joint Venture (MDBEJV)
Orrcon Steel Products: SSAW 1067 OD x 20 16mm Piling Pipe

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266

Orrcon Steel features heavily in Stage Three of the Hills Homemaker Centre, Australia’s largest Homemaker Centre, which opened for business in August 2007.

Development of the centre reflected the success of the first two stages, buoyed by the unprecedented growth in population, business activity and transport infrastructure in and around Sydney’s popular Hills precinct located in the city’s north west.

Developed by Ticor, Stage Three of the Hills Homemaker Centre houses major tenants such as Domayne, Toys R Us, Officeworks and NSW’s first Clive Anthony’s store, along with another 40 stores in 25,000 square metres of space.

Almost 100 tonnes of structural steel using Orrcon Steel RHS in a range of sizes and gauges were fabricated and installed to act as the supporting framework for the centre’s external panel cladding.

The centre’s main entrance also contains an unusual steel architectural feature consisting of eight 13 metre high, free standing decorative posts manufactured from Orrcon Steel RHS.

Steel fabricator, Proline Steel, based in Padstow on the outskirts of Sydney, carried out a large component of the centre’s structural steel work.

“Our companies have a terrific relationship to the extent that we almost always contact Orrcon Steel first when we require steel hollow section products” says Eddie Younes of Proline Steel.

All the steel hollow sections products supplied by Orrcon Steel for the centre were manufactured in Australia to meet AS1163.

Project: Hills Homemaker Centre - Stage Three
Developer: Ticor Developments
Contractor: St Hilliers
Architect: The Buchan Group
Structural Engineers: Henry & Hymas
Steel Fabricator: Proline Steel
Orrcon Steel Products: Orrcon Steel Smart Steel Hollow Sections including: RHS 75x50x4.0 up to 250x150x6.0mm SHS 65x65x4.0 up to 150x150x9.0mm

For more information give Orrcon Steel a call on 1300 677 266