This week ARA team members including CEO Caroline Wilkie and General Manager Supply Chain, Contractors & Diversity Natalie Currey, had the privilege of attending several member visits across the Newcastle region, including Swietelsky Australia, Gemco, OneRail, Comsteel, UGL, Downer, Progress Rail, Hunter Valley Coal Coordination and Keolis Downer Newcastle Light Rail Operations and Maintenance.

First stop was Swietelsky Australia, hosted by Managing Director Anne Modderno. Anne, Kyle Mathieson, Ben Rogers and Ben Senior provided a briefing on the work Swietelsky Rail are undertaking in Australia and potential future work. The team was taken on a tour of Swietelsky facilities and saw their tamping machines and ballast cleaning machine. We also learnt more about the extensive work Anne and the team are doing in regards to safety and diversity.

Gemco hosted us at their Rutherford site, where they showcased a broad range of skills and capabilities. The team was fortunate enough to speak to several team members on their positive experience working for Gemco and within the rail industry and discuss what they saw for the future of local manufacturing in Australia.

Ben Cribb from One Rail provided deeper insights into the work of One Rail in the Hunter Valley. Ben showed us around their facility and provided insight into the way One Rail operated in the Hunter network with the Hunter Valley Coal Chain Coordinator. The team also discussed the current status of the rollingstock fleet and plans for the future.

Gregor Dalziel hosted ARA team members at ComSteel’s Waratah facility and learnt more about the current work of ComSteel. The team discussed the current market outlook and different projects currently underway in the industry. The ARA shared key updates on our program of work and discussed various ways in which the ARA could support ComSteel.

On Tuesday, following the launch of UGL’s Evolution locomotives (see separate article), the ARA visited both Downer and Progress Rail’s maintenance facilities at Cardiff and viewed their wheel set, bogie, bearing, gear box and traction overhauls and repairs for passenger and freight respectively.

On Wednesday representatives of the ARA visited the offices of the Hunter Valley Coal Chain Coordinator. The Hunter Valley coal chain is the largest and most complex in the world, with the world’s largest coal export port. It is industry-funded and independent, servicing 20 member organisations, in terms of coordination and oversight of the whole supply chain to improve efficiencies. It provides an incredible case study of incentivised cooperation across the network.

The ARA team representatives then headed to UGL for a site tour, which has a 125-year history, of building locomotives, wagons, as well as passenger rollingstock, and maintenance and overhaul. UGL has a strong partnership with hundreds of local suppliers, with its bogies manufactured in Broadmeadow used in 18 countries across the world.

The ARA’s Caroline Wilkie also visited the Keolis Downer team at Newcastle Light Rail and the High Speed Rail Authority.

The ARA also visited both Downer and Progress Rail’s maintenance facilities at Cardiff and viewed their wheel set, bogie, bearing, gear box and traction overhauls and repairs for passenger and freight respectively.

The ARA would like to thank all members who hosted us, we look forward to visiting more members in the near future.