Victoria’s largest precast concrete manufacturing facility, located in Benalla, will play a crucial role in building North East Link.
The major contract will secure regional jobs and boost the local economy with Benalla business LS Precast, to make more than 44,000 concrete segments for the 6.5km North East Link Tunnels.
The massive manufacturing facility has already supplied 49,000 concrete products for the West Gate Tunnel Project, including 28,000 segments to line the twin West Gate Tunnels.
With tunnelling now complete on the West Gate Tunnel Project and all concrete pieces produced, the Benalla facility will bring its skills and expertise to help build the twin tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen.
Production of segments for the North East Link Tunnels is now underway and will continue until late 2025, creating employment for 90 regional workers when around 360 segments a week are expected to be made and transported to Watsonia ahead of tunnelling next year.
It’s part of a huge amount of work underway to get ready for North East Link tunnelling. The first pieces of North East Link’s massive Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) are being built overseas, while in Watsonia workers are busy with construction of the project’s TBM launch box.
North East Link is a significant employer for Victoria, with more than 4800 workers already on the project, including 215 apprentices, trainees and cadets. Over the life of the project, North East Link will create 10,000 local jobs for Victorians.
The North East Link Tunnels has a commitment to using local material and workers for 91.7% of construction activities – meaning there will be huge local economic opportunities throughout the supply chain beyond the project’s direct jobs. The project is continuing to speak to suppliers – including in regional Victoria – to secure the range of products required for tunnelling.