Townsville Bulletin

Pipeline jobs flowing

- TONY RAGGATT tony. raggatt@ news. com. au

PIPE maker RPC Technologi­es is rolling out the jobs for Townsville’s Haughton Pipeline Duplicatio­n Project in readiness for a start to work later this month.

The Australian manufactur­er of glass reinforced polyester pipe is a partner with Iplex Australia which won the tender to supply the pipe for the water supply project.

It is the advertisin­g across Queensland for around 20 “local tradespeop­le”, the first of about 50 advanced manufactur­ing jobs expected to be created in Townsville.

An RPC spokeswoma­n said they had received a great response. She said the company had also leased facilities on Ingham Rd for its operations and would begin a fit- out next week to start work on the pipeline project in late October.

“We will need to be fully operationa­l fairly quickly so we are advertisin­g for the full quota at present,” she said.

The company is advertisin­g on Seek for a forklift operator/ rigger/ yard hand to manage and move large diameter piping, a quality control/ safety officer, pipe fitters to set out and fit large diameter pipe spools, fibreglass laminators to apply fibreglass material for joints on large diameter pipes.

General labourers and an office clerk are also sought.

Iplex will supply the pipe, made by RPC at its Lonsdale plant in Adelaide, for the 36.5km pipeline, while GRP fittings will be manufactur­ed in Townsville by cutting the pipe into segments for bends, Tjoints and other segments.

Iplex is also reopening its polyethyle­ne plant in Townsville, employing another 20 people, to supply polyethyle­ne pipe of up to 1m diameter to the mining and civil constructi­on markets.

More jobs are being created in logistics and transport.

Acting Mayor Les Walker said the Iplex contract ensured up to 50 advanced manufactur­ing jobs would be based in the city.

“The fixtures and fittings for the pipeline will be made locally here and that means jobs for locals,” Cr Walker said.

“The contract to build the pipes for our pipeline will secure more than 50 direct and indirect jobs for Townsville.

“Local jobs keep flowing and we can expect even more to be created when Iplex restarts its manufactur­ing operation early next year.”

Cr Walker said the pipeline was the council’s most important infrastruc­ture project and a crucial plank in its three- point water security solution of the pipeline, recycled water re- use system and Community Water Transition Support Package

The State Government has committed $ 225 million to water security in Townsville.

 ?? BRIGHT SMILE: Jenna Woodward, 26, of Ontario, Canada, during a stay at Rambutan hostel. Picture: SCOTT RADFORD— CHISHOLM ??
BRIGHT SMILE: Jenna Woodward, 26, of Ontario, Canada, during a stay at Rambutan hostel. Picture: SCOTT RADFORD— CHISHOLM
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