Woden Contractors

BUILDING VITAL PROJECTS ACROSS AUSTRALIA’S FEDERAL TERRITORY

C O M M I T T E D TO INFRASTRUCTU

Bowen Place Crossing

A

s a privately owned civil construction company, Woden Contractors (Wodens) was established in 1958 by the Fryer family.

The company experienced rapid growth while constructing general community projects, including many of Canberra’s early bowling greens, tennis courts, and earthworks contracts.

By 1959, the workforce had expanded to 30, and during that time, 2 | APAC Outlook Issue 66

the company won its first government contract – a 12-lot subdivision off Schlich Street in the inner suburb of Yarralumla.

“Over the past 66 years, Wodens has successfully undertaken hundreds of contracts for all facets of civil infrastructure. Indeed, in the last 15 years, we have become a leader in complex road and bridge projects,” opens Managing Director, Ben Helmers.

In 2019, Helmers and the previous

Managing Director, Peter Middleton, purchased the company from the Fryer family using a management buyout process. Today, Wodens employs over 100 staff, some of whom have worked with the company for over three decades, as well as many key subcontractors and suppliers.

Operating in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and New South Wales (NSW), the company continues to spearhead the industry at mid-tier

WODEN CONTRACTORS CONSTRUCTION

CIVIL RE

Ben Helmers, Managing Director of Woden Contractors, discusses the company’s history and how it has shaped Australia’s infrastructure with enthusiasm, experience, and excellence Writer: Rachel Carr | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

level with an enviable reputation for high-quality workmanship.

“We have delivered projects to several large private developers and a diverse government client base for many years,” Helmers informs us.

Furthermore, Wodens has been recognised at state and national award ceremonies, and recently received the National Business Excellence Award for Large Civil Construction Company of the Year.

CONSTRUCTING A COMPANY CULTURE With such a long and illustrious history, Wodens has seen plenty of changes in the construction industry.

“The projects have become larger over time, and brownfield infrastructure construction is almost standard nowadays. However, Wodens has always been an early adopter of new technologies; an excellent example was when we introduced GPS to

our operations over 20 years ago,” Helmers reveals.

The company has invested heavily in the technology ever since, whilst it has also grown by introducing safety, quality, and environmental management systems.

“We look forward to enhancing our sustainability by investigating and investing in new technologies.

“Moreover, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality work which APAC Outlook Issue 66 | 3

WODEN CONTRACTORS CONSTRUCTION

future generations can enjoy. We continuously seek ways to improve the business and the experience of everyone we deal with,” enlightens Helmers.

Alongside adhering to standards to improve life at Wodens for staff, clients, and the community, the company culture is underpinned by a positive attitude.

“When faced with a challenge, our team efficiently overcomes it. With that kind of mentality, it means we don’t heavily rely on subcontractors.”

This mindset is made possible by formal and on-the-job training for the workforce, a crucial differentiation for Wodens as the industry has shifted towards subcontracting.

“We genuinely believe in producing world-class work, and we can achieve this with high-quality materials while paying close attention to detail,” Helmers notes.

All this, combined with effective project management, has established Wodens’ strong reputation as a trusted industry leader.

WODENS’ ONGOING PROJECTS

• Block grading • An amphitheatre and other

The company is currently working on several segments of the Denman Prospect North Estate and the Gundaroo Drive Duplication project.

Denman Prospect North Estate involves constructing four large subdivision stages of nearly 200 residential blocks. The Wodens team is working closely with the client to provide a successful outcome for all parties. Measuring almost 600,000 cubic metres (m ), the project includes 3

earthworks with: • Drill and blast operations • Trenching • Hydraulics

miscellaneous concrete structures The Gundaroo Drive Duplication project is a major arterial road upgrade of 3.2 kilometres (km) of the existing William Slim Drive within the ACT. This is technically challenging as it involves constructing a bridge over Ginninderra Creek and demolishing the existing bridge.

The project’s scope includes significant pavement works under heavy traffic, a box girder underpass, and the reinforced earth wall installation.

Over the past five years, Wodens has also successfully completed two prior stages of upgrading Gundaroo

• Gross pollutant traps

Drive. These projects included

• A retention basin

several bridges, large structures,

• Flexible pavements

laying over 27,000 tonnes of heavy-

• Kerbing

duty asphalt pavement, major

• Footpaths • Line marking • Signage

Northbourne Avenue Pavement Rehabilitation

• Retaining walls

intersection upgrades, complex traffic and pedestrian management, and hydraulics.

WODEN CONTRACTORS CONSTRUCTION

SIGNIFICANT SCHEMES Having been recently awarded Stage 1B of the Monaro Highway Upgrade Package, an AUD$80 million design and construction project, Wodens’ enthusiasm is palpable as the task has been on its radar for several years.

“Our team has put significant effort into securing this job, which is expected to be completed over the next two years. There will also be several more stages of the Monaro Highway Upgrade Package, which will be very exciting to tender and construct,” confirms Helmers.

The Monaro Highway Upgrade Stage 1B project involves constructing approximately 2.3km of dual carriageway, upgrading existing carriageways, a building a 196 metre (m) concrete girder bridge.

This also includes replacing a bridge over Dog Trap Creek, adjusting local roads, and undertaking associated infrastructure upgrades.

“We have some exciting work

Denman Prospect North

in hand, and the Monaro Highway Upgrade Package is a landmark project for us; we will make an additional effort to ensure it is delivered on time for the community,” he assures us.

The company is passionate about the civil engineering industry and believes in the strong foundations it established in the early years. With this in mind, Wodens will continue to build upon what it has already created.

“We are also targeting the William Hovell Drive Duplication project

located on the western side of Canberra this year. This is a significant infrastructure project for the ACT government, which involves upgrading and duplicating 4.5km of the drive.

“Additionally, it will include the construction of a 7km, 3m-wide asphalt off-road shared path, and nine architecturally designed retaining walls, ensuring works remain within the road reserve and limit impacts on sensitive environmental areas,” Helmers details.

APAC Outlook Issue 66 | 5

APAC Outlook: How do you value your staff and contribute towards their career development?

Ben Helmers, Managing Director: “Wodens has an outstanding track record of retaining staff for long periods. Therefore, it is not uncommon for an employee to have been with Wodens for a decade or more. In fact, 20 percent of our staff have been with the company for over 10 years, another 10 percent for over 20 years, and another four percent for over 30 years.

“Retention is a leading indicator of the success of Wodens’ people and culture. We are well regarded in the industry for providing meaningful, stable employment where staff needs and aspirations are regarded in everyday decision-making.

“We truly believe in our people and provide formal and on-the-job training in any area related to the business. We have regular performance and development reviews with all staff, outlining the short and long-term goals and actions for staff members and the company. All of our staff are also incentivised by bonuses and rewards.”

A COMMENDABLE COLLECTION Highlights in Wodens’ portfolio include the Kings Avenue Bridge in Canberra, which was completed in 2011 and is seen by the National Capital Authority as the most significant infrastructure project since the construction of the new Parliament House.

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This is quite an accolade for the company, as the bridge, located at the Kings Avenue/Parkes Way roundabout, carries the most traffic of any intersection in the city.

“The architectural design was based on the new Parliament House, and as a result, the curved surfaces added another degree of difficulty to this

extremely complex project,” recalls Helmers.

Another key project completed by Wodens was the Molonglo Link Bridge and associated trunk sewer, which represents a high point in the company’s history.

“Built in partnership with Civil Bridge & Wharf (CBW), the 243m bridge is the

WODEN CONTRACTORS CONSTRUCTION

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point of a sewer and laying towards the upstream direction posed survey and construction control issues in achieving the grades and tolerances required by the client.

The unconventional technique resulted in an outstanding finished structure quality, with no visible cracking on the bridge.

Wodens also worked on the Bowen Place Crossing, constructing two bridges across Bowen Drive between the National Gallery and Kings Avenue Bridge, to enable pedestrians and cyclists to use the path around the lake to avoid conflict with a difficult road.

“As with all projects within the Parliamentary Triangle precinct, the architectural finishes were of the highest quality. This included curved bridge parapets constructed with specially-made steel forms, weathered steel retaining walls, precast concrete panel retaining walls with panels made in Brisbane, and high-quality exposed aggregate concrete path finishes,” Helmers concludes.

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longest and highest ever constructed in the ACT. At 30m above the Molonglo River, it posed significant engineering challenges, such as construction and environmental management in a sensitive area,” Helmers says proudly.

The associated 2,992m of trunk sewer, with depths of 5.5m and ranging in diameter from 300 millimetres

(mm) to 600mm, was laid to a minimum grade of 0.4 percent. One of the requirements was the separate construction on each side of the bridge, with the infill section attached before each 35m section of the box girder was launched.

Varying from the traditional approach of commencing at the low

Tel: 02 6297 7077 office@wodens.com.au

www.wodens.com.au

APAC Outlook Issue 66 | 7

WODEN CONTRACTORS Tel: 02 6297 7077 office@wodens.com.au www.wodens.com.au

PRODUCED BY APAC OUTLOOK MAGAZINE