Rail Collaboration Centre
Leading industry players in heavy haul rail will join forces under a new Pilbara Heavy Haul Rail Collaboration Centre funded by the WA Government’s Local Manufacturing Investment Fund.
The Centre, powered by CORE Innovation Hub and Foundation Partner the Australasian Rail Association (ARA), provides a platform to meet the pace of change across Australia’s heavy haul rail industry.
As the operator of the Rail Collaborate Centre (RCC), CORE Innovation Hub will facilitate an interconnected ecosystem of industry, service providers, researchers, investors, innovators, customers, and innovation labs to drive collaboration and accelerate technology outcomes.
As the peak body for rail in Australia, the ARA hopes the RCC will help to mitigate the cost and complexity of transformation for their heavy haul members, create local manufacturing opportunities to reduce supply chain risk and bring mine sites closer to achieving their zero emissions objectives.
The Centre will deliver under three key pillars of Innovation, Collaboration and Future Workforce
for heavy haul, taking guidance from the ARA’s Heavy Haul Executive Committee, representing Rio Tinto, BHP, Fortescue, Pacific National, Roy Hill, Australian Rail Track Corporation and Manildra Group.
The focus areas and value streams of the RCC have been shaped and informed by a broad base of industry stakeholders and will continue to be guided by the members of the ARA Heavy Haul Executive Committee as well as the outputs of the ARA working parties on Decarb and Skills, to ensure we continue to align with industry.
The Rail Collaboration Centre will be focused on supporting and delivering activity and capability in the Pilbara. The engagement reach, however, is national and international, to link in best practice and new opportunities, and to coordinate systems, standards and skills frameworks across rail more broadly.
In the first year of operations CORE will establish nodes of the Centre in Perth, Karratha and Newman, leveraging our existing operations there in partnership with BHP. By operating independently and with premises external to mine sites, the RCC will be a more accessible interface for Australia’s heavy haul stakeholders.
The Big Picture
The rail industry contributes around $30 billion to the Australian economy and employs more
than 165,000 workers. Rail freight, including the movement of iron ore, coal, grain, and other bulk exports is the main contributor to rapid growth over recent years and is forecast to grow by a further 41% through to 2030.
The ARA released its latest Australian Rail Market Outlook report late last year and the numbers are staggering. Over the next 15 years, $154 billion in rail construction work is expected. So, the data confirms what we already know – this is a very exciting time to be working in rail.
The ARA is working extensively with government and industry stakeholders to support a national approach to rail manufacturing, procurement and improved interoperability to support a more productive and efficient industry.
The fragmentation and lack of harmonisation in the rail sector across the country is the number one contributor to inefficiency and represents the clearest opportunity to achieve local manufacturing, economic activity and jobs in Australia if resolved.
A clear innovation and technology focus will maximise the benefits of industry investment and help realise the efficiencies being achieved through the use of innovation on projects globally.
Leaders In Innovation
Australia’s heavy haul rail industry operates some of the world’s heaviest and longest trains and are recognised as leaders in the application of new technology to stretch their assets for maximum safe performance and delivery, with pioneering technologies such as remotely located train control centres and automated, driverless heavy haul trains.
For heavy haul rail, the type and pace of change is greater than ever. There is mounting pressure on traditional infrastructure, manufacturing and supply chains. Technological advances continue to shift expectations on a number of fronts and the commitment to decarbonise operations has been made.
Heavy haul operators across Australia are sponsoring rapid technology development and innovation to achieve decarbonisation of above and below rail operations.
Supported by in-house experts and global suppliers, the results are already proving to be market leading and will likely define the path forward for colleagues internationally and general freight rail operators in years to come.
Given the alignment of objectives across operators on this pressing issue, the sector is working together to identify how these objectives could be better progressed in collaboration and achieve a higher degree of consistency to underpin the participation of local suppliers.
Powered by CORE
CORE has extensive experience in fostering innovation communities and establishing and operating world-class technology testing facilities. Our collective learnings have enabled us to develop best practice policies, procedures, and operational expertise. Our collaborative approach will enable us to bring on board partners that bolster our operational know-how with additional technical expertise in Heavy Haul rail.
In business since 2016, we currently operate a network of 3 business and innovation hubs in Adelaide, Perth and the Pilbara as well as the Development WA’s Australian Autonomous Robotics Precinct.
“We will apply the CORE methodology into building an industry-led Centre that facilitates meaningful collaboration between industry, service providers, researchers, innovators and support infrastructure to tackle grand challenges in the sector.”
Get Involved
Register to be kept informed about the progress of the Rail Collaboration Centre.
