Accelerating the Building Industry

It’s a mammoth mission which requires 150 staff every day, specialist design work and a unique production line – and a Toowoomba company is making this happen.

Hutchinson Builders is assembling the 264 modular facilities which will be form part of the new Queensland Regional Accomodation Centre in Wellcamp.

This quarantine facility is being built as part of the joint agreement between the Queensland Government and land owner Wagner Corporation.

Hutchinson Builders’ Project Manager Gavin Taylor said it’s been a huge undertaking but one he’s incredibly proud of.

“Currently we are delivering four modules every day, and when you break that back to a 10-hour day we’re delivering a finished module every 2.5 hours.”

“One module is essentially a little house so it’s pretty crazy when you think that residential house can take 20 or 30 weeks to build,” said Mr Taylor.

The fast turnaround time has been made possible by a clever manufacturing style system in Hutchinson Builders’ shed in Harristown.

The build process has been broken down into seven stages with the modular facilities put on tracks and wheeled through each trade station.

Hutchinson Builders’ Team Leader Sean Lees said he’s amazed at what the local industry has been able to accomplish.

“As builders almost everything we ever construct is stationary so re-thinking that by looking at it through a manufacturing lens has been pretty interesting.”

“It’s certainly a unique project and it is very cool to be a part of this,” said Mr Lees.

Once complete, quality checked and furnished, the modular facilities are trucked to Wellcamp every morning to be handed over to Wagner Corporation.

Contracts Administrator at Hutchinson Builders, Rian Cherry said it’s been all hands-on deck to make the process possible.

“It was a challenge at the start of the project, we rang every carpenter within a 50-kilometre radius of Toowoomba to draw from the local employment pool.”

“Typically, Monday to Friday we have approximately 150 people on site give or take a few, so it’s certainly a busy site,” said Mr Cherry.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) General Manager of Energy and Infrastructure Lance MacManus said the economic benefits of this facility are enormous.

“I’m thrilled to see a local company providing employment and the chance to upskill workers.”

“Hutchinson Builders increased activity has also allowed the establishment of the modular industry to support further projects and Australian manufacturing for a product that’s in demand across the country,” said Mr MacManus.

Mr Taylor agreed that the project has expanded skillsets and changed the perception of what is possible.

“As an office our capacity has increased significantly and our reluctancy to say ‘no that’s impossible’ has almost vanished – anything is possible now,” said Mr Taylor.