How Weldlok® combined expertise and elbow grease to aid the Matagarup Bridge development

A striking new addition to the Perth skyline, Matagarup Bridge spans 370 metres and links the CBD with the revamped Optus Stadium over the meandering Swan River. The sports precinct around the venue is Perth’s most up-and-coming area, with the Matagarup build the last step in connecting this recreation hub to the heart of the city.

Matagarup Bridge is designed to replicate the look of a pair of swans or a Wagyl Serpent (an Indigenous Australian dreamtime creature), embracing the European and Indigenous history of the surrounding areas. This suburban development integrates a vital pedestrian link between the city and the stadium while also adding an eye-catching tourist feature. It improves the surrounding infrastructure and broad appeal of East Perth.

Building on past partnership successes

The scale and importance of the project is obvious. So when Civmec, a premier engineering servicing company and member of the Swan River Bridge Alliance, needed fabricated steel products and infrastructural expertise, Weldlok® from NEPEAN Building & Infrastructure was their first thought.

”We’re involved in about 90 per cent of Civmec’s building projects and have close relationships with project managers and the administrative team. This partnership meant we were their first choice when it came to supplying steel grating products for the Matagarup Bridge project,” says Matthew Woroszczuk, business development manager for Weldlok®’s Western Australia branch.

”We’d already completed a significant contract with Civmec to supply Weldlok® steel grating for numerous applications in their work on the Optus Stadium nearby. This included drainage grates and galvanised steel grating for the turf replacement system used for switching between the cricket pitch and other sporting surfaces. We also supplied BallTube® handrails for the rooftop access walkways.”

The rooftop access stairways required Weldlok® steel grating and BallTube® handrail systems.

“Civmec has purchased well over $1 million worth of our steel fabricated products and were thrilled with the results. So they knew they wanted us for the Matagarup bridge build too.”

The challenge: all hands on deck to deliver within timeframes

Civmec joined the Swan River Bridge Alliance late on in the build. As such, operators and project managers had mission-critical deadlines for erecting all the bridge trusses and supplying the steel grating needed for access stairways in order to keep the project on schedule. The project details meant steel treads needed to be manufactured to precise specifications, which Weldlok® had available off-the-shelf, ready for immediate use.

”We were very aware of the time pressures surrounding this project – but that didn’t put us off even slightly. Sometimes you just have to knuckle down and get the job done, whatever that requires,” says Matthew. ”We worked around the clock and pulled out all the stops in order to get the Weldlok® grating to Civmec within their project timeframes.”

This dedication is nothing unusual, and is something of a mantra for the business, ”We had extra staff on call, people volunteering to come in on Saturdays or stay late. I came in a couple of weekends myself to help with the final treatments and other little details before delivery. But that’s what the staff are like here – not afraid of rolling up our sleeves and only resting once the job is done.”

The solution: working hard and working smart

This tremendous work ethic and the extra resources devoted to the Matagarup Bridge project meant that Weldlok® was highly thought of by the time it came down to delivery.

”Civmec and other members of the Alliance had nothing but nice things to say about us, which was great. A high level of customer service is core to everything we do, and it was excellent that our attention to detail was noted and appreciated,” Matthew says. ”Our customers were so pleased, in fact, that they actually started to reassign project work to us from competitors. We took this as a huge mark of respect and an excellent pay off for our hard work.”

Hundreds of steel treads were required to finish the build.

Producing the steel treads necessary for the construction project wasn’t rocket science – Weldlok® had a number of fabricated off-the-shelf solutions that fit the bill. Where the business really stood apart from other product suppliers was in the attention to detail. A little extra thought and effort goes a long way, according to Matthew.

don’t just want to be seen as product suppliers for infrastructure projects – we want to be thought of as experts, thought leaders,” says Matthew.

”It was only a little touch, but we ensured the grating was galvanised and then appropriately powder-coated to improve the resilience of the fabricated steel. We also stayed that little bit longer every night to ensure each tread checked and packed into the appropriate boxes. This saved site project managers a great deal of time on the other side when unpacking, as the Weldlok® steel grating was already sorted.”

”We’re glad this effort paid off with what’s an amazing piece of infrastructure for the local area, and are very pleased we managed to successfully meet every project outcome.”

For more information on the Weldlok® product range, or to speak to an expert about solutions for your next infrastructure project, contact the Weldlok® team today.

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