Gumala wins $16m West Angelas contract

Indigenous contractor Gumala Enterprises has secured a $16 million contract at Rio Tinto’s West Angelas mine, in what is the company’s single biggest contract win in the past five years.

In a statement, Gumala said more than 20 employees and Pilbara-based subcontractors would be required for the contract, including trainee Aboriginal plant operators.

The contractor employs about 60 people and more than 30 per cent of these are indigenous, making Gumala the 13^th largest indigenous corporation in Western Australia, according to the BNIQ database.

Work at the West Angelas mine, located 110 kilometres north-west of Newman, is scheduled to commence this month and Gumala has already commenced recruiting supervisors, general hands and plant operators for the construction.

The contract win comes on top of $15 million worth of new projects the company secured via competitive tenders in 2018.

Gumala chief executive Tim Larkin said the company was continuing to build on its reputation as a strong, Pilbara-based contractor.

“Over the past 12 months we have invested heavily in improving our processes and on training and development to take our offering to a new level,” he said.

“We’ve also demonstrated through our performance that we have the experience and capabilities to meet the needs and expectations of the major miners.”

Mr Larkin said the West Angelas contract was another step forward in the company’s growth plan and would be the catalyst for further investment in new equipment and additional training.

 “The outlook for 2019 is very positive and we are well placed to take on new projects and continue to diversify,” he said.

The West Angelas contract is due for completion in November 2019.

Gumala was established in 1997 following the signing of the historic Yandi Land Use Agreement (YULA) with Rio Tinto.

It returns proceeds to the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation, which serves the Banyjima, Innawonga and Nyiyaparli people of the Pilbara region.