Archive, Industry News

Remondis and Jai-Mec form indigenous joint venture

Red Earth Industrial Services to start in waste collection in Cape York

 

Waste management firm Remondis Australia and Queensland heavy vehicle services company Jai-Mec Rural Contracting have created an indigenous-focused joint venture servicing the Cape York region.

Red Earth Industrial Services intends to bolster local industrial services and stimulate employment in the region, with the 50-50 partnership’s core activity starting as twice-weekly domestic waste collections from nearly 3,500 residents in Weipa, Napranum and Mapoon.

This has previously been handled by Remondis on behalf of the Weipa Town Authority and Mapoon and Napranum Aboriginal Shire Councils.

Jai-Mec has overseen maintenance of Remondis’ local 20-vehicle fleet in recent years.

Under the new arrangement, Remondis has transferred domestic waste collection responsibilities to the Red Earth Industrial Services joint-venture, and handed over two trucks to the new business.

The longer-term goal for Red Earth Industrial Services, run by senior representatives from both Remondis and Jai-Mec, is to grow into a diversified industrial business offering a variety of additional services across the Cape York Peninsula.


More on the indigenous-focused Waste to Wages campaign, here


“The formation of Red Earth Industrial Services is a unique economic and employment opportunity for the Cape York region,” Remondis senior project manager Andrew Crichton says.

“By initiating the joint venture, Remondis has effectively established the region’s first locally owned waste management company.

“We’ve also planted a seed intended to result in the new company gradually expanding to provide a range of local industrial services and jobs.

“Given how remote we are and given how costly it can be relying on support from distant centres such as Cairns, the importance of establishing local services can’t be understated.”

Torres Strait Islander descendent, diesel mechanic and Weipa local Sandra Kirk, who owns and runs Jai-Mec with husband Jai Christie, says indigenous employment would be foremost in mind under the Red Earth Industrial Services structure.

“We’ve got a big opportunity to create new jobs and we’ll be looking at opportunities for local indigenous people wherever possible,” Kirk says.

“Creating and keeping jobs in local communities is so important, given how remote we are.

“The sky could be the limit in terms of business growth as time progresses.”

 

Previous ArticleNext Article
Send this to a friend