Seven Group opens new $40m WesTrac facility

Seven Group Holdings has opened a new WesTrac heavy machinery facility in Western Sydney to support the city’s future infrastructure boom.

Seven Group subsidiary WesTrac – one of the largest Caterpillar machinery dealers in the world – has opened its new construction machinery and maintenance centre in Casula, NSW.

It was officially opened on Thursday by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Seven Group Holdings chairman Kerry Stokes.

The 24,000-square-metre site is located between the M5 and M7 motorways, close to major proposed and ongoing construction projects.

The site itself was built by AMP Capital at Casula’s Crossroad Logistics Centre.

MP Capital managing director, office and industrial, Luke Briscoe, said: “We are thrilled to welcome our new customer WesTrac to what is an exceptional purpose-built facility in what has now become a leading example of a logistic centre community.”

SGH chief executive Ryan Stokes told Fairfax Media his company sees enormous growth potential in the business’ industrial subsidiaries WesTrac and Coates Hire.

He said the move to Casula, from its former hub in Parramatta, puts WesTrac – the official Caterpillar dealer for NSW and Western Australia – right in the heart of future development.

“Casula lays in the middle of the new centre, the heart, of Sydney,” Mr Stokes said.

“This is an investment in Western Sydney and the development of the city. It is really well located for future growth.

“We definitely see an increase in demand coming through today and going forward.”

Mr Stokes said the centre would also provide a number of local jobs, and provide around $200 million to the local economy.

He said the new location was in the middle of major infrastructure developments such as WestConnex, the Sydney Metro and Light Rail projects, the Badgerys Creek airport, as well as Western Sydney road projects.

Mr Stokes said the facility would be supporting some of the largest bulk earthmoving operations in Australia.

However, the facility will not be used to support mining, with SGH’s Tomago, Hunter Valley centre focused on the resources industry. SGH’s Coates Hire business will also remain at its current Moorebank, NSW facility

Westrac NSW and ACT chief executive Greg Graham said NSW was on a major growth track.

“This investment is a reflection of our confidence in both the current activity levels and future outlook for the construction and resource sectors in NSW. We see a resurgent construction sector and improved commodity prices underpinning strong growth in the NSW economy for several years to come,” Mr Graham said.

“Casula’s location also provides WesTrac with an enviable position central to infrastructure construction activities in the western Sydney growth corridor and the site is well positioned for our 150 staff members to take advantage of the local services and activities.”

Seven Group shares were up 1.5 per cent in trading to $20.78.