Demand for mining accommodation continues to grow

Australia’s largest off-site building company, Ausco Modular, is in the midst of a construction boom as a result of three current or recent mine accommodation projects.

The company is in the final stages of building a 160-bed accommodation village for Iluka’s Jacinth-Ambrosia mine in South Australia’s Eucla Basin.

This project comes hard on the heels of a 50-bed village for Geodynamics Ltd, which was delivered in December last year.

It also follows the official opening of Ausco’s revolutionary 250-room ‘Kingfisher Stayover Village’ in Karratha, Western Australia. The Karratha village was opened in January by the state’s Minister for Regional Development, Brendon Grylls.

Ausco Modular managing director Paul Bailey said the completion of three major mine accommodation projects in such quick succession showed demand for the company’s products and services remained strong despite the global downturn.

The diverse nature of the three projects also underlined one of Ausco’s greatest strengths – its ability to provide precisely the right building and finance solution for a client’s particular requirements.

“One of our South Australian clients wanted to hire their village rather than tie up their capital in accommodation, while the other one preferred to purchase their village outright,” Mr Bailey said.

“In Karratha, by contrast, the demand was for high-quality casual and short-term accommodation to support the mining industry.

“Ausco’s position as Australia’s leading modular builder, coupled with our 12,000-strong fleet of hire buildings, meant we were able to service the individual needs of all three locations.

“This flexibility is now more important than ever, as mine operators look to make operational savings and boost their efficiency where ever they can.”

Ausco’s building solutions include construction-only projects, site installation, or the company’s “turn-key” service covering the entire construction process from planning through to final fit-out.

This range of options allows Ausco Modular clients to exercise a high degree of control over the amount of time and money they invest in their building projects.

Mr Bailey said although some parts of the mining industry were feeling the effects of the global downturn, Ausco was continuing to thrive because it had a wide range of interests in other areas.

 “Over the last five years, Ausco Modular has spread its activities across a range of industries, including education, construction, government and the commercial sector. We now have nine manufacturing centres across Australia, servicing every part of the country.

“This means that we have the diversity and the strength to stand with the mining industry through any difficult times.

“And when global demand picks up again and the mining industry needs an innovative and productive business partner, Ausco Modular will be here to help.”