Logistics giant Toll has announced its total spending in Western Australia has topped $140 million following a string of significant infrastructure investments.

 

Toll says the boom in spending in state is aimed at servicing the growing mining and energy sector, with demand for its traditional services still accounting for a significant amount of the spend.

 

The company’s WA spending includes:

 

  • a $54m express road freight terminal at Hazelmere that opened this year;
  • a $47m interstate rail freight forwarding terminal in Kewdale due to open early 2013;
  • a $30m from-scratch transport hub for Toll Group businesses in Gap Ridge, Karratha due to open mid-2013; and
  • a $12m freight terminal upgrade for in Kununurra that opened this year.

 

 

Toll Group Business Development Manager Western Australia Jason Holmes said although the combined expenditure for the four sites is more than $140 million, the real contribution to the economy comes in the form of local job creation, and their flow-on economic effect.

 

“The fully integrated transport hub we’re building in Karratha will create around 40 jobs based in Karratha, not fly-in fly-out,” Mr Holmes said.

 

“But that’s just the beginning. We plan to increase that number further as we grow our operations and other Toll businesses start operating out of the site later next year.”

 

Mr Holmes said a continued focus on strategic development opportunities will see more major developments announced later in the year to help Toll increase its share of the resource and energy sector and help Toll’s integrated organic growth program across its businesse.