Mobile Trailer Laboratory Now Available in Coffey Testing – WA
Our Coffey Testing – WA team are proud to announce their progression of mobile testing through their brand-new Laboratory in a Trailer.
This trailer has been incorporated into our WA testing procedures to offer our clients a more comprehensive level of testing, ensuring flexibility around these tests, and delivering shorter turnaround times, particularly for clients located over long distances in Western Australia.
Luke Redmond, the Operations Manager for our Western Australian and South Australian regions, states, “The Laboratory Trailer concept has been 4 years in the making and is something that I have been involved with from conception of design, through to execution.”
The Laboratory in a Trailer also allows us to cut costs that are incorporated with mobilising a 6m x 3m building for an annex laboratory, especially when due to the nature of the Construction Materials Testing industry, some testing is needed for different scopes of jobs, and this lab in a van also solves the issue of provident expedient delivery of testing for smaller and shorter scope of projects.
Prior to the Laboratory in a Trailer, the Coffey Testing – WA team were being asked by their clients to undertake the following procedure, which took a lot of time and was quite costly.
Franco Harkins, General Manager for Western Australia and South Australia says, “… We were being asked by our clients to drive to site, which would be a large distance from our Base Lab for 1-3 days, collate samples, and then bring them back to our Base Facility, which was delaying the turnaround times of testing results, which added risk to the project’s failing, and adding extensive costing into these failed areas, due to not having the required results within that 24-48 hour period.
“Utilising the trailer for mobile testing allows us to address these issues and cut down turnaround time and be cost-effective.”
The Coffey Testing – WA team are proud to offer a solution that streamlines processes and cuts costs that are typically associated with traditional practices. By embracing the Laboratory in a Trailer, our team is now better equipped to meet the diverse needs of clients and deliver efficient, cost-effective solutions.
The Laboratory in a Trailer is Available at both our Coffey Testing – Perth and Port Hedland laboratories for all your remote testing needs. Get in touch today for more information.
Coffey Testing is Awarded ‘Best Construction Materials Testing Specialists’ for 2024
Coffey Testing is proud to announce that we have been named ‘Best Construction Materials Testing Specialist’ for the 8th annual APAC Insider Australian Enterprise Awards for 2024.
This is important to us as it stems back to the values and ethics that are portrayed in what it takes to be an Australian Owned business; it shows that whilst the Australian economy has faced various issues coming off the back of COVID-19 in 2020, that many Australian businesses have persevered, allowing the country to recover at a rapid speed in comparison to other countries in the world.
According to APAC Insider, “Australia’s economy generates over $4.5 trillion in output.
Today’s financial landscape is increasingly turbulent, with volatile inflation rates, stunted revenue growth, rising funding costs and regulatory issues are just a few of the challenges [that Australian businesses have faced].”
Whilst these challenges have been prominent in recent years, they have also presented challenges for businesses to look at how they can provide individualised solutions to new problems and fulfil new needs that have been created post-pandemic.
Committed to providing highly quality results in a fast turnaround, Coffey Testing has been supplying soil, concrete and aggregate testing to the Australian construction industry since 1959. Servicing the Transport Infrastructure, Mining, Energy and Defence sectors of Australia, we are committed to supporting the growth of the Australian economy.
Coffey Testing’s Australian Owned Social Responsibility Partnership also go beyond the green logo; it is a testament to the Australian economy to support job creation, economic and demographic growth, throughout contribution to a range of projects.
These include but are not limited to:
- Commitment to the contribution of local projects that lay the foundations that address population growth, such as the North Rockhampton Sewage Treatment Plant (NRSTP), whereby we were contracted on behalf of the Rockhampton Regional Council, in a collaborative effort with Haslin, and
- Our active involvement with the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics (DIPL) to conduct geotechnical testing in the remote community of Groote, Eyelandt. This testing is important as it lays out the groundworks for the development of new facilities that can be accessed and utilised by the public, such as new demountables, car parking facilities, accessibility provisions, a shaded playground, privacy fencing and service upgrades.
Having won this award highlights the amount of work that we have done in over the years to contribute to the Australian economy and maintain our legacy as being Australian Owned.
We would like to thank APAC Insider for the award and are excited to see how else we can contribute to the Australian economy in the future.
Coffey Testing’s – Port Hedland Lab Can Service Your Project’s Needs
With access to readily available resources, Coffey Testing can service the Pilbara area of Western Australia, through their Port Hedland Laboratory.
Coffey Testing, located nationwide, is committed to the Australian economy, and this is further highlighted through their Australian Owned Social Responsibility Partnership.
This certification represents our active support for not only the wellbeing of our staff, but our clients and other local businesses. It is important for the support to go both ways, as at the end of the day, this is a key driver in our nation’s economy and success.
Franco Harkins, General Manager of Coffey Testing’s Western Australian and South Australian operations, states, “Port Hedland is the gateway to the Pilbara, and this will allow us to service the whole region and be in driving distance to the South of the Kimberly region.”
Benefits of accessibility to the Pilbara region
The Port Hedland Laboratory services the Mid-West, Gascoyne, Pilbara, and Kimberley regions of Western Australia. Initially starting out as an annex Laboratory in February 2023, it then transitioned into a branch in April of the same year. It acts as the Regional Hub, that provides equipment and staffing to these regional operations. The Port Hedland lab has the housing for 3 technicians, 2 of which are currently residential, and can provide local testing services 7 days a week, without the need of Coffey Testing Perth needing to fly staff in and out.
Harkins adds, “We realised that our footprint of permanent testing facilities was limited to the Perth metropolitan area, and with us having several remote annex facilities in Pilbara, it was essential for us to open a remote base testing facility to provide not only support for our remote annex labs, but also provide testing services to local clients, mining and resource areas.”
The Port Hedland laboratory allows Coffey Testing to be readily available to assist with projects that will nurture the growth of the rural Western Australian population. Pilbara is known to many as the Resource Hub, and having this locality allows us to readily supply our services within a high turnaround time, whilst also reducing mobilisation time and any additional costs that surround that.
“We don’t need to rely on FIFO staff, and have a full suite of aggregate testing, including Los Angelos Abrasion testing, that no other competing remote lab can provide.
Alongside this, our staff are very experienced and qualified, and have over 100 years of collective experience between them, bringing our clients peace of mind when it comes to their projects,” Harkins says.
Our long-standing relationships with clients and the impact
Over the past 12 months, the Port Hedland team have worked with client Austral Construction, on a range of projects that further support the Pilbara region. These include the Yeerabiddy Rail Siding Project, BHP Rail Renewals and MAC Access Road.
Austral Construction was founded in 1979 and quickly became one of Australia’s leading marine piling and civil construction companies. Since then, Austral has steadily grown and expanded their services across the mining, civil and marine sectors. Their mission is to deliver safe, sustainable, and high-quality projects and services, which uphold their core values and the ‘Austral Construction’ legacy.
Thomas Crocker, a Senior Project Manager for Austral Construction, states that the company came across Coffey Testing when needing a contractor that was reliable, flexible, and aligned with the businesses’ core values.
“With a large percentage of our work located between Newman and Port Hedland, having a locally based Geotechnical partner with the ability to mobilise on short notice allows us the flexibility to meet our client’s ever-changing requirements.
Things can move quickly when working on these projects, so Austral and our partners need to be nimble enough to respond with a of minimum fuss. Coffey [Testing] does this with aplomb.”
Crocker also talks about the importance of working with like-minded partners, as these teams can create the most successful projects when working towards a common goal. He also highly talks about Coffey Testing and our ability to be reactive whilst still maintaining our professionalism, day-in, day-out.
“There is an understanding that while the original plan may change, we must remain agile, and ensure that quality and safety are always at the forefront of completing any project.
Austral Construction has built a solid foundation on completing high quality projects, and Coffey Testing possesses the same eye for detail.”
Crocker also talks about how there is plenty of opportunity for growth in the region of Port Hedland, and how the ongoing works that the Austral and Coffey Testing teams are a part of, make all the difference when it comes to accessibility to accommodation, and resources for workers and families alike.
He says, “Engaging with contractors with the same ethos of quality and safety that Austral do is vital to things running smoothly. Coffey Testing have been key to this on several projects to date.”
Adding, “Having ongoing works in the region is great for the local community, as it provides opportunities for families to relocate to the local area, rather than solely relying on FIFO workers. While the resources sector can be a fickle beast at times, we have confidence that the future is bright and that there will be a strong work bank to draw from for many years to come.”
Port Hedland is Proudly Supported by Coffey Testing
To conclude, Port Hedland is the gateway to Pilbara, which acts as the Resource Hub to the Port Hedland region of Western Australia. Our Coffey Testing team is actively available to pursue any projects through their attention to detail and high-quality testing services that yield results that last. If you are after construction materials testing and advice that is bound to make an impact to your project and create an ongoing relationship for future projects, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Port Hedland team today.
Coffey Testing Opens NEW Cairns Laboratory to Service Far Northern Queensland
Coffey Testing’s new laboratory located in Cairns, is now fully NATA accredited and operational.
The laboratory will be able to service the areas of Far Northern Queensland such as Burketown and Weipa in the west down to Townsville in the south and already doing some work on Yam Island and in the Torres Strait in the North.
Our Coffey Testing team can facilitate testing such as soil, aggregate and concrete testing for a range of projects within the renewable, mining, subdivision sectors, as well as projects announced by local councils, such as road, bridge and culvert works.
Northern Queensland General Manager Sam Hill states, “Opening our Cairns laboratory has been a great win for both our staff and our clients. Far North Queensland is a beautiful part of the state, and we are looking forward to taking more projects in this area.
The decision to establish a presence in Cairns underscores Coffey Testing’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our clients, as the demand for our services in Cairns has been evident for some time. Our new laboratory not only enhances our operational capabilities but also enables us to extend our services seamlessly to remote regions.”
Our team in Northern Queensland are keen to continue to contribute to the growing Northern Queensland region, through education, information, and providing construction and support to local communities.
