9453 Nilsen Revie · Nilsen Review November 2006 03 Nilsen’s new look Nine decades after it was...

reviewISSUE 16, NOVEMBER 2006

1916–2006 NILSEN 90 YEARS

NILSEN EXCELLENCE

When putting pen to paper for this editionof the Nilsen Review, the first thoughtthat struck me was how incredibly quicklytime passes; it has been 18 months sincethe last issue.

Those 18 months have seen acontinuation of our investment in training,both technical and non-technical, withpartners such as MBS and AIM. We haveexpanded TEGG from one state to four(and, very shortly, five) – see oppositepage. We believe these ongoingcommitments will create greater value to all our stakeholders, customers,employees, suppliers and partners.

We have also been making significantchanges to our brand image, with moreconsistent logos and as of October ourname, with the removal of the word“Electric”. This change better reflects ourcurrent business, since the work we dofor our clients is far broader today thanjust electrical.

We are continuing to encourage ourbusiness to solve customer issues bybeing innovative in the products andservices we offer; TEGG and our NilsenVoltage Indicators are just two examples.

As always, there are many articlesthroughout the Review that give aninsight into the cross section of projectswe have been involved in recently, as wellas the diversity of customers andlocations.

I extend my thanks to all who have givenus the opportunity to continueshowcasing our skills across the country.We appreciate your custom and lookforward to the opportunity to work withyou in the future.

Last, but by no means least, I would liketo acknowledge the support of twostakeholder groups: the employees of theNilsen Group, and the company'sshareholders. As with any fourthgeneration company of 90 plus years, theownership, interests and passions do notalways align. The support of employeesand shareholders helped Nilsen realiseanother change: consolidation ofownership to one single point. Thanksparticularly go to Oliver John Nilsen forhis support of this transition.

Enjoy the rest of the Review, and I wouldwelcome any feedback you may haveregarding any of the articles that follow.

Mark NilsenMANAGING DIRECTOR

From the Managing Director

our reviewIn Review

02 Nilsen Review ❖ November 2006

A meltdown in one of the electroboostkilns at ACI Industries' South Australianglass smelter was cause for alarm as themolten liquid – bubbling at severalthousand degrees Celsius – brokethrough barriers and cascaded across thefloor of the facility.

Electrical damage from such an event isconsiderable, with cabling, controls,instrumentation, switchboards, controlboxes and anything else in the liquid'spath facing certain destruction.Emergency response crews were quick to contain the damage but, with a fullcleanup requiring a month-long cooldown and at least three months toresume operations, it was essential thatthe system be brought back online beforethe contents of the kiln had cooled andsolidified.

Nilsen's South Australian operationquickly organised an emergencyresponse, with up to 24 employeesworking two shifts for nearly two weeksto rebuild the electrical infrastructure andget the plant back online so it couldresume operations before the meltedglass cooled.

Pulling off this recovery effort requiredstrong teamwork and quick action on thepart of the responding Nilsen staff.Because it is in ACI's interest to rewireand fire up the kiln again as fast as theycan, Nilsen's suppliers had to gettogether quickly and instantly acquire thematerials they needed. Staff had to relyon drawings produced from previouswiring jobs, and worked around the clock to help get the site operationalagain in time.

Keeping ahead of the glass

❖ Nilsen Update. Page 3

❖ Awards. Pages 4-5

❖ Nilsen NationwideOur major project withColes Myer. Pages 6-7

❖ Victoria UpdateHigh-tech installations in theGarden State with AustralianSynchronton, RACV City Club,Cabot's, Dandenong Hospital, theCommonwealth Games, andHolden. Pages 8-11

❖ NSW UpdateNilsen's projects for Woolworths,Bradfield Plaza, and CSIROCorporate Park. Pages 12-13

❖ SA UpdatePort River Expressway, AdelaideAirport, the RAAF, and City CentralTower. Pages 14-16

❖ WA UpdateRoyal Perth Hospital, PresbyterianLadies' College, Boral MidlandBrick, Water Corporation of Western Australia, Comet BayCollege, and WA Police. Pages 17-19

Our website will alwaysbe a work in progress.Check it out atwww.nilsen.com.au.

Cover Photo: David Brauewww.braue.com

Nilsen Review ❖ November 2006 03

Nilsen’s new lookNine decades after it was founded, Nilsen continues to grow andexpand due to the success of our enthusiastic and highly skilledpeople. This has driven strong success across our divisions, and helpedturn Nilsen into one of Australia's strongest brands in its industry.

To reflect our strong position, Nilsen is undergoing a major brandingexercise that will extend to every aspect of the business. Working inconsultation with managers, employees and designers across thecountry, we are building a consistent image for our vehicles, officesand correspondence that will convey the strengths of Nilsen past, andthe promise of Nilsen future.

Twice a year, our ongoingapprenticeship programexpands the team withseveral young individualswho are seeking to becomequalified electricians. In July,Nilsen Victoria welcomedfour apprentices.

In South Australia andWestern Australia, Nilsenalso welcomed apprenticesinto the EngineeringServices and Switchboardsparts of the business. All willbe working hard alongsideNilsen experts to expandtheir skills, and we wishthem the best of luck intheir chosen careers.

Our latest bright sparksTo ensure we're keeping up with customerrequirements, Nilsen is constantly bringingfresh talent into our team.

Nilsen's newest Victorian apprentices (Left to Right): Lyndon Cunningham,Aaron Gatt, Matthew Miceli, and Rob Vocale.

It's the world's mostrespected standardfor assetmaintenance, and we

are proud to point out that Nilsen is theonly company in Australia capable ofproviding fully certified TEGG staff andservices.

If you're not up to date on TEGG, here'sthe lowdown: founded in 1992 by TEGGCorporation in the United States, TEGGmandates standard methodologies forpreventative asset maintenance. Keepingour TEGG certification means that our

technicians have to undergo regular,intensive training in the US to ensurethey are up to date with the latestmaintenance and asset managementtechniques.

The addition of TEGG Service to Nilsen'srange of services has been a major stepforward, allowing us to provide theindustry's only asset managementcertification that is guaranteed. Thismeans peace of mind for us and for ourcustomers, who can choose Nilsen'sTEGG services knowing they are gettingworld's best practice.

TEGG has been so well received in theAustralian market that Nilsen Victoriareceived the company's Rookie of theYear award after our TEGG expertshelped Nilsen deliver the best salesresults of any TEGG franchise, anywherein the world.

That's a strong validation of Nilsen'scommitment to TEGG and a guaranteethat TEGG-certified technicians shouldsee more warm receptions fromcustomers as they continue to spread theword about this important capabilityacross Australia.

Gold-standard asset management

Engineering Services S.A. apprentices: Adrian Loffler,Justin D’Andrea and Tim Watkins.

Switchboards S.A. (Fabrication) apprentices: Andrew Rae and Adam Waddingham.

Switchboards S.A.(Electrical) apprentices: Daniel Dobrucki, Arek Trella, SebastianMajchrzak, Daniel Muser and Matthew Lockie. Missing – Peter Redding & Dinko Cirjak.

W.A. apprentices: Switchboards – Kane Hornsey, Lee Peters, Dylan Parry, Elliot Swanson, Chris Spencer and Cory Domican.Commercial – Josh Hobbs. Contracting – Matt Marchall.


Switchboard installations by Nilsenand other providers are now gettingeven safer, thanks to a Nilsen-designed product that is becomingincreasingly popular with customers ina range of industries.

The Nilsen Voltage Indicators (NVIs) aresmall three-phase indicators forswitchboards and motor control centresthat use a cluster of LEDs to showwhether or not the connection is powered.

The units, which were recently releasedas a second-generation round productthat's even easier to install, allowtechnicians to tell at a glance whetherpower is running through the connection.

As with the traffic indicators that havebecome popular in recent years, using anumber of LEDs ensures that even thefailure of several lights won't givepotentially life-threatening false negatives.The long-life bulbs give the product anexpected lifespan of 22 years, and theyalso offer a high degree of safetybecause there are no exposed terminalson the unit.

The NVIs operate between 48V and600V AC, and can be retrofitted intoexisting switchboards and control centres.More than 4000 of the devices havealready been installed at sites owned bycompanies like Rio Tinto and BHPBilliton, and growing interest from both

Nilsen customers and other switchboardmanufacturers promises continuedsuccess for this latest Nilsen innovation.

Success for Nilsen safety innovations

AwardsNaturally, we're proud of our people and the services they deliver,and we think they're the best in the industry by far. It's especiallynice, however, to know that other people feel the same way.

Over the past year, Nilsen staff across the country have beenacknowledged with a number of prestigious awards that confirmthe innovative, effective solutions we are delivering.Congratulations to all the winners, and keep up the good work!

It has been heralded as one of Australia'smost important scientific researchfacilities, and when the AustralianSynchrotron opens next year it will providea significant step forward for research inareas ranging from medical research tonanotechnology.

Behind the synchrotron, naturally, is anextremely complex array of machinerylinked with equally complex electricalinfrastructure. Nilsen was proud to be theprimary contractor for this part of theSynchrotron's construction, and evenprouder when the work of the 30-strongteam was acknowledged with an Award ofExcellence from the National Electricaland Communications Association in July.Judges called the work “a total first classinstallation”.

Nilsen's work on the Synchrotron includedinstallation of nearly 500km of cabling,including high-voltage coax serving allmanner of sensitive instrumentation. Anassortment of engineers and physicistsfrom around the world, consulting on the

Synchrotron's construction, heraldedNilsen's rapid, high-quality work as anoutstanding example of a major, complexand multi-disciplinary high-tech installation.

The success of Nilsen's work at such aniconic property, and its recognition byNECA, is a testament to Nilsen's ability tomanage even exceedingly complex jobs,smoothly and efficiently. Congratulationsto all who were involved, and good luck tothe team when it competes in the NECANational Awards this month, in Sydney. For the full story, see our writeup later inthis issue.

A super TEGG salesperson

The introduction of TEGG Service toAustralia is big news for Nilsen, andDerek Sweeney has been workinghard to make sure our customers knowall about it.

He's been working so hard, in fact, thathe was recognised by TEGGCorporation in the US with the 2006award for International RookieSalesperson of the Year. Thisprestigious award reflects Derek'sstrong commitment to building hisknowledge about TEGG, which hasbeen built up through a number of tripsfor training at TEGG's Pittsburgh, US headquarters.

“The interest in TEGG is fantastic, andthe uptake is great,” says Derek. “It'sfar above and beyond what is currentlybeing done in the market, and I'mlooking forward to adding value forcustomers in other parts of the countryas we expand it nationally. And while Ipicked up the sales award, it has beena good team effort.”

Advancing synchrotron science –and installation


Nilsen's Western Australian operationsturned in a great performance at theMaster Builders’ Association of WAawards, winning two project-relatedawards, as well as the award forSubcontractor of the Year.

Subcontractor of the Year was awardedfor Nilsen's work at the St John of GodHospital project in Murdoch.Commissioned by BGC Constructionalong with Electrical TechnologyConsultants, Nilsen was involved in thedesign, installation and commissioning ofelectrical services for the project. Thisincluded nurse and emergency call, staffassist and duress alarm systems, andcommunications, security and fireprotection systems.

The high quality of the Nilsen team's workis reflected in the prestigious award, butNilsen WA wasn't putting all its eggs inone basket. The team also won the MBAExcellence in Construction Award for itswork at the Perth Convention & Exhibition

Centre, and an MBA Excellence Award forits work at St John of God Hospital.

This last award found Nilsen competingagainst itself, after it was also nominatedfor its work on the Bunbury Council &Civic Chambers. That's a great result, andall involved are to be commended for theirconsistently high-quality work.

Safety has always been the primaryconcern at Nilsen, but just how well we'vebuilt our safety culture became clear afterNilsen won the Occupational Health &Safety category of the NECA Victoria2006 awards.

The awards commended Nilsen'sdocumented OHS Management System,a constantly evolving body of knowledgethat provides constantly improving healthand safety management practices acrossNilsen operations. These practicesinclude maintenance of a full-time OH&Smanager; corporate OH&S safetycommittee; business OH&S consultativecommittee; comprehensive manuals,procedures and reporting systems; andmonthly OH&S communication to all employees.

Most recently, our efforts to build an evenstronger safety culture resulted inNilsen's OH&S Leadership Program, a

holistic approach to safety that continuallymeasures performance and has reducedLTIs by 76 percent since it wasintroduced in 2001. Our WorkSafepremiums have reduced, lost time for our

stakeholders has reduced, and we havecommenced enabling our people'sleadership abilities.

Nilsen, the judges noted, “hasdemonstrated a strong commitment tohealth and safety with a very professionaldocumented OHS Management System,which has been underpinned by goodconsultation with staff throughout theorganisation. This has led to thedevelopment of a practical approach tohealth and safety management within the company.”

Having a formal and comprehensiveOH&S policy helps Nilsen deliver betterresults for our customers, a safer workingenvironment for our partners, and mostimportantly, a safer working environmentfor our employees. Congratulations toeveryone who has worked hard to ensureevery Nilsen employee enjoys the safestworking environment we can deliver.

Award-winning safety

A strong showing in the westIt was hardly the way any organisationwould want to ring in the Christmasholidays, but Mercy Hospital in Melbournewas back up and running quickly thanksto the quick response and quick thinkingof a team of Nilsen engineers.

The dramas began when the hospital's1960s-era main switchboard blew up onChristmas Day 2004. The ensuing fireclosed the hospital, but the determinedeffort of 15 Nilsen staffers, workingacross three shifts for ten days, had thesite back up and running in record time.

Nilsen's success with the project wasrecognised with a win in the Commercial– Small Project category of the NECAAwards, which recognised the“exceptional effort” involved in quicklyrebuilding the hospital switchboard andreturning the facility to operational status.Congratulations to everyone that helpeddeliver such an outstanding result for animportant Victorian institution.

Quick response

Dominic Cobb, Ross Blacklockand John Lear (L to R) were onhand to receive the Subcontractorof the Year award, which wasawarded to Nilsen in late 2005based on Nilsen's exemplary workat the Perth Convention Centre.The facility, which provides up to16,444 square metres of exhibitionspace, also includes a six-storeyoffice building, 138-room hotel,and extensive bus port alternations.Nilsen's work included over 50 LVdistribution boards, four majortransformers, 22kV switchgear,generator, specialised lighting,control systems, and many othersmaller items.

ECA Award 2005


In a significant new strategy, Australia'slargest retailer is creating a network ofmassive national distribution centres(NDCs) that will store dry and frozengoods at waypoints to facilitate distributionof products across the country.

Key to this network will be a series ofmassive temperature-controlled facilitiesthat will allow Coles Myer to store slow-moving stock in a central location.

It's a major component of Coles Myer'slong-term growth strategy and, as mightbe expected, everything about thefacilities is supersized. The $100 millionVictorian facility, in Somerton, measures74,700 square metres, while a $113million facility at the M7 Business Hubin Eastern Creek, NSW will measure75,230 square metres, and a $125million facility in Edinburgh Park, SA willbe equally large.

Managed by Qanstruct, the EdinburghPark facility, for example, includesaround 100 loading docks, rail links, andsegregated storage facilities including a-24°C freezer, 2°C cold storage facility,and temperature controlled warehousefor carton goods.

Nilsen has won the tender to supplyelectrical services to the Adelaide andSomerton facilities, which are in various

stages of completion, and is bidding forthe work at the Eastern Creek site.

This total infrastructure solution includessubstation work to link high-voltage gearwith transformers, switchboard design andconstruction, generators, distributionboards, and light and power throughout

the buildings. There is also emergency andexit lighting, a c-Bus lighting controlsystem, comprehensive communicationssystem with redundant backup, lightningprotection and related works.

Similar work is being done at the ColesMyer Somerton facility, which is larger in

NationwideNilsen

Helping Coles Myer keep its cool

Nilsen's engagement includes a full range of electrical equipment ranging from high-voltage gearand transformers to switchboards, generators, distribution boards, emergency lighting, c-Bus lightingcontrol, communications, lightning protection and more.

Coles Myer's new cold storage facilities are a pivotal part of the company's long-term expansion plans.


size but doesn't have the same coldstorage requirements. That 12-monthengagement has been a challenge for itstight delivery timeframe and – in a vast,expansive warehouse three times the sizeof the MCG – cable pulls of up to 400metres through underground conduits.

Those pulls bring power to a broad rangeof facilities ranging from the high-baylighting, general warehouse power andoffice areas to external locations such asthe gatehouse and carparks. A team ofaround 40 Nilsen staff has workeddiligently to complete the large-footprint

project, which includes a Nilsen designedand built main switchroom, as well as threegenerators and extensive low-voltagereticulation. The communications part ofthe project also included 31communications cabinets; 10.6km ofmultimode fibre; 7.2km of 25/50-paircopper cable; and 71km of 4 CAT 6 cable.

Each of the state projects is being handledseparately, but Nilsen's success in severalstates has provided a deep base ofresources for the individual teams to callupon. Staff in Victoria and South Australiahave been communicating with their

counterparts in other states, and Nilsenworkers from NSW have been involvedwith the South Australian project to honetheir skills should Nilsen's bid for theEastern Creek work be successful.

The free flow of information andknowledge adds considerably to theproject team's pool of available resources.Faults identified in one site can be quicklydealt with in another, and future contractwins will strengthen this informationexchange network even more, reinforcingthe value of Nilsen's consistent,nationwide presence.

The $125 millionfacility atEdinburgh Park,SA and $100million facility inSomerton, Victoriaare each around75,000 squaremetres in size.

Five years in the making, the AustralianSynchrotron – in Melbourne's south-eastsuburbs – is the most significantscientific research facility to be opened inthe country for decades.

Around 116 metres in diameter, thecircular facility will allow scientists to useintense, narrow beams of light a milliontimes brighter than the sun to study thestructure and behaviour of the atoms andmolecules that make up matter. This willsupport a range of research in areas asdiverse as physical and chemical andbiosciences; nanoscience; agriculture;minerals, oil and gas; advanced materialsdevelopment; forensics and more.

As a medium-energy 3.0 GeV (Gigaelectron-volt) facility, the AustralianSynchrotron will be well positionedagainst other regional facilities such asthose in Singapore (0.7 GeV), Thailand (1 GeV), and Taiwan (1.5 GeV).

Serving as the prime electrical servicescontractor to the synchrotron project,Nilsen has worked closely in conjunctionwith government and commercialauthorities since it moved onsite in late2004. And, as the last few stray jobswere being completed in the third quarterof 2006, the Australian Synchrotronproject is being hailed as an unqualifiedsuccess for the Nilsen team, whichaveraged around 30 people and peakedat around 45.

Nilsen's work on the project received anAward of Excellence in the Industrialcategory of the National Electrical andCommunications Association in July, withjudges hailing it as “a total first classinstallation” and international observersoffering positive appraisals of the qualityof Nilsen's workmanship.

The high-profile nature of the site –which will give more than 1200 scientistsaccess to a world-class synchrotronwithout having to venture overseas - gaveNilsen engineers the opportunity to shareindustry knowledge with peers in othercountries, growing the overall skills basewithin Nilsen.

As suggested by the three-yearconstruction schedule, getting asynchrotron to work requires a largerange of complex machinery, all of whichwas connected in some way by Nilsenengineers.

Nearly 400 high-voltage coaxial cables,for example, had to be terminated andtested to 10,000 volts. Almost 500km ofcabling was installed, including almosttwo dozen different types of coaxial cableeach requiring a different type ofconnector. Around 10km of cable trayand duct work snake through the 100metre-wide facility, which included arange of instrumentation.


Advancing Australian science

High-tech

Because of the high-energynature of the synchrotron,Nilsen engineers underwentGERT-1 (General EmployeeRadiation Training Level 1)supported by a PersonnelSafety System (SAGE)package. In addition, tenNilsen staff completedadvanced GERT-2 training toensure their safety in thehighest energy areas of thesynchrotron complex.

The major part of Nilsen'sengagement was electricalservices works, including thedesign, manufacture, supply,installation, testing andmaintenance of HV conduits,mains cabling, mainswitchboard, generator,submains cabling, distributionboards, subcircuit cabling, UPS, firedetection, security, MATV, lightning

protection, high bay light fittings, andother key systems. Nilsen also handledcommunications cabling, signal cabling,

storage ring magnet works, the SAGEpackage, injection system works, andfront end cable works.


Melbourne is well known for its luxuryhotels and well-appointed facilities, butthe opening of the RACV City Club wasnotable for its sheer size and scope.

The 17-storey building, located at 501Bourke Street, includes 112 rooms, athree-storey 460-space car park, avariety of restaurants and bars, a fitness centre, a 25-metre six-laneindoor swimming pool, a day spa,business centre, and conferencefacilities. In addition, several higher floorsof the building are leased as generaloffice space.

Nilsen won the electrical servicescontract for construction of the facility,which had Nilsen engineers crawlingthrough tennis courts, the swimming pooland other interesting spaces to wire itsmany facilities. The team designed andinstalled five primary switchboards aswell as a full complement of lighting,lighting control, generators, andmanaged other installations includingsecurity and related systems.

installations in the Garden State

Driving a newkind of luxury


High-tech Painting skills ondisplayEven a standard electrical fitout canbecome demanding when it takes placein an environment requiring special skillsand training. Throw in a short 12-weektimeframe and the need to comply with astack of local regulatory requirements,and it's easy to see why Nilsen's 20-strong team found a recentinstallation at the Cabots manufacturingplant a welcome challenge.

The work accompanied extensions to themanufacturing plant of paint makerCabot's (a subsidiary of chemical giantOrica), involving three sections of theplant contained within a brand-newbuilding. Cabot's installed its equipment,and Nilsen was brought in to manage the

electrical services around the installation.The scope of the engagement includedpower, control, equipment andinstrumentation wiring, as well asswitchboard design and construction andrelated services.

In an environment filled with potentiallyexplosive paint fumes, special care mustbe taken to ensure electrical systemsdon't throw any potentially problematicsparks. This required documentedcompliance with a range of locallegislations, which were already wellunderstood by a number of Nilsen staff. It also required the sourcing andimplementation of specialised equipment

such as explosion-proof gear.

As a broad engagement for Nilsen, theCabot's installation provided the teamwith the opportunity to co-ordinate workbetween the various parts of the project.This led to sharing of expertise inparticular areas - one of the benefits ofbeing part of such a multi-disciplinaryteam. The need to follow strict regulatoryguidelines, for example, required expertsin that area to convey Nilsen'srequirements to the rest of the team. Ineach case, specially skilled engineerstook the reins and directed the trainingso the project could be completed asquickly and successfully as possible.

It's one thing to run electricalinfrastructure through a completely newbuilding, but another thing altogether tomanage an upgrade to a busy facility thatmust remain serviceable throughout thelife of the project. When DandenongHospital moved to redevelop a centralwing of its buildings, Nilsen's role asprimary electrical services provider forcedit to do just that.

The $34 million redevelopment came asthe hospital moved to demolish theexisting four-storey building and replace itwith a new four-storey building includingtwo 36-bed wards, a 20-bed rehabilitationward, and 14-bed intensive care andcoronary care ward. Also included in thenew facility are two additional operatingtheatres, an enhanced Accident &Emergency department, peri-operative andday surgery areas, and other features.

Minimising the effect of the works on theoperating hospital was critical for theproject, which commenced in 2003 andran into the early stages of this year.During that time, a team of 15 (and up to30) Nilsen workers worked to design and

install a broad range of systems, rangingfrom switchboards and load sheddingequipment to interfaces with the existingbuilding management system andinfrastructure. Prime contractor Abigroupalso gave Nilsen the task of managingvarious subcontractors handling nurse call,PA, data, telephone and security systems.

Because the site was in continuous use,much of Nilsen's work in the initial stages

was keeping the existing hospital goingand redirecting services and managingshutdowns, while the old building wasdemolished. Nilsen staff faced thechallenge of matching their equipment withthe existing control systems the hospitalhad in place. However, with everyonetalking the same language, the projectteam was able to co-ordinate everyoneand get it all to work at the end of the day.

More than a Band-Aid approach


installations in the Garden State Nilsen's ownquest for goldMelbourne's Commonwealth Gamesorganisers quickly returned the city to itspre-Games state after the eventconcluded, but they weren't the only ones:having managed a large lightinginstallation at the National Tennis Centre,Nilsen engineers were also on the job toconclude their lightning-fast engagement.

That project saw around 20 Nilsenengineers working 15-hour days in thefour weeks before the Games, makingsure the Rod Laver Arena and VodafoneArena (renamed the Multi-Purpose Venue during the Games) were ready for their menu of basketball, cycling,netball and gymnastics.

The installation included a range ofGames-specific lighting, generators, andrelated equipment that helped ready theMPV for the high-profile sports and intensemedia coverage of the events. During thecourse of the Games, five on-site Nilsenengineers provided ongoing maintenanceof the equipment, using thermal camerasand other equipment to check currentlevels and otherwise ensure that thedemands of the event weren't straining thegear; after all, in an event such as theGames there is no margin for error.

Although working hours returned tonormal during the event, as soon as theorganisers were finished with the MPV,the Nilsen team got back down tobusiness: with just two weeks todismantle the gear, it was an exercise inefficiency; Nilsen's contract specified thatthe site be left in the condition in which itwas found, so the team worked steadily to

remove unneeded generators and cabling,as well as temporary boards andnecessary poles.

There's no stopwatch for timing electricalservices work. If there were, however, theNilsen team's success meeting the shorttimeframe and intense requirements ofthe project would certainly have been amedal-winning performance.

A smooth ride for Holden

Holden has long been an Australianicon, so it's fitting that the company'snew headquarters would be equally iconic.

Located in Fisherman's Bend justoutside of the Melbourne CBD, thenew building has brought together allof the company's 1800 staff for the

first time, spreadingthem across threefloors in a highlyautomated, energyefficient buildingthat will support thecompany's plannedgrowth for the long term.

As prime electricalservices provider atthe new site, Nilsenhad the opportunityto draw on a rangeof skilled

technicians to handle the manycomplex aspects of the project. Thisincluded the usual range of electrical,switchboard and generatingequipment, as well as an extensivefibre-optic data network supportingboth data and voice over IP (VoIP)communications.

Environmental considerations were amajor factor in the building's design,with intelligent c-Bus control systemshelping monitor and control energyusage. For example, hundreds ofmotion detectors in many areas dimthe lights when no employees arepresent. These and otherenvironmental considerationscontributed to the building's 5-starenergy conservation rating.

Security was another majorconsideration, with the in-buildingsecurity system integrating the varioussecurity systems across the premisesand eventually to be linked with otherHolden sites across the country. Toensure the installation met all ofHolden's requirements, engineers fromboth companies worked closelytogether to complete thecomprehensive installation as smoothlyas possible.


A burst of new cold storage facilities by both major grocery suppliershas spawned a number of high-profile developments, including the $78million Sydney Regional Distribution Centre being constructed inMinchinbury by Hansen Yuncken.

Nilsen provided the electrical infrastructure for the recently completedbuilding, and added 30,000 square metres of cold storage to theexisting ambient temperature space at the site.

The new facility includes loading and despatch docking facilities,perimeter hardstand facilities, truck parking, refuelling and washing andadditional staff car sparking, as well as extensions to staff amenitiesand office spaces. A graduated series ofstorage rooms will store frozen and chilledproducts at -28°C, 5°C, and 13°C.

Nilsen's role included the supply andinstallation of all the facility's switchboards,lighting, mains supplies to the refrigerationunits, general power, security,communications and lightning protectionsystems. High ceilings within the facilityrequired the team of up to 20 Nilsenemployees to spend much of their timehigh on scissor lifts and booms.

Because the Woolworths facility is similar innature to the Coles Myer distribution centres Nilsen is currently workingon in Adelaide and Melbourne, Coates has also had involvement withthose teams and spent time in Adelaide to support Nilsen's coming bidfor Coles Myer's Sydney cold-storage facility.

New South UpdateKeeping the fresh food people fresh

Woolworths' new $78 million RegionalDistribution Centre added 30,000square metres of cold storage space tothe company's existing massivestorage facility.


New life for public space

WalesThe area around Sydney's HarbourBridge is a focal point of activity fortourists and locals, but the land under thenorthern end of the bridge has remainedignored for some time. To resolve this,the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority andNorth Sydney Council have been workingto upgrade the area.

As prime electrical contractor for theBradfield Plaza project, Nilsen installed a significant range of electrical

infrastructure including switchboards,light poles, control centres, securityfacilities and feature lighting of thebridge abutment and plaza area.

Nilsen has also installed a range ofunderground lighting including powerpoints to support the carts of the manymobile vendors that are expected togather in the area, which lies south ofFitzroy Street in Bradfield Park, Milsons

Point. The overall contractor for the 22-week project was A W Edwards.

The project was an exercise in care, withthe bridge's Heritage listing requiringNilsen contractors to take particularcaution when drilling or otherwisemodifying the surrounds. This requiredconsiderable attention to the way cables,conduits and lighting were laid aroundthe long dormant area.

We already know about our completecommitment to exceptional customerservice, but it's always great whencustomers confirm that we're doing theright thing.

At CSIRO Corporate Park in NorthRyde, our consistently strongperformance has seen a three-yearmaintenance contract grow to beworth nearly seven times its originalvalue after CSIRO introduced repeatedvariations to the scope of the originalcontract.

The switchboard maintenance contractnow includes a broad range ofactivities ranging from thermographicscanning and analysis to general lightand power analysis, fitouts and otherjobs across the dozen or so buildings

on the site. Nilsen maintains at leastone dedicated service technician at thesite every day of the year, with theteam expanding to as much as five onparticularly busy days.

Such scope extensions say a lot aboutthe exceptional way the Nilsenemployees have conducted themselvesthroughout the contract, and all can be proud of what they have achievedfor CSIRO.

Even more maintenance at CSIRO


South AustraliaUpdate

It's not every day that the State Government fundamentally reworksits transport infrastructure. However, South Australia's freightindustry will get a major boost with the completion of the $178million Stages 2 & 3 of the Port River Expressway, a major linkbetween the port and rail terminals at the Port of Adelaide andnearby national rail and road networks.

Stages 2 & 3 of the project consist of sister opening road and railbridges across the Port River. The bridges, being constructed byAbigroup Contractors Pty Ltd, will link Port Adelaide's key industrial areas with key transport routes and contribute to the urbanregeneration of the Port Centre.

Stage 2 of the project consists of a four-lane, high-level, openingbridge linking Victoria Road with Stage 1 of the project – a 5.5kmexpressway from Francis Street to South Road. Stage 3 is a single-track, dual gauge, high-level, opening rail bridge just north of theroad bridge. Stage 2 is due for completion in late 2007, while stage3 is expected to be finished in mid 2007. The opening spans forboth bridges are among the largest of their kind anywhere in the world.

As primary electrical contractor for the project,Nilsen has spent the last twelve months in theplanning stage and is now in the early stagesof what will be a complex project managementand electrical engagement process. Theprimary design contractor for the road and railbridges is Hardesty & Hanover, an Americancompany whose specialised experience inbascule bridges has meshed well with Nilsen'sexpertise in electrical installations to Australianstandards.

Over the course of Stages 2 and 3 of the PortRiver Expressway, 25 Nilsen staff will perform afull range of electrical work and manage theactivities of sub-contractors by providingspecialised bridge systems including plantmanagement and control, and a peripheral

traffic management system that reduces congestion by divertingtraffic away from the bridge whilst in the open position.

A unique component of the design for this project is the ability forthe bridges to be operated remotely from a centralised controlcentre located 12km away. Ensuring that the bridges wereoperable by the existing traffic management system required theintroduction of a range of specialised equipment by Nilsenincluding CCTV installation, limit switches, barrier gates andwarning gates.

All equipment will operate remotely and incorporates internalmonitoring to ensure that the bridge spans open and close towithin tolerances of 1mm. Traditional bridges aren't remotelycontrolled and require less monitoring of their status, but the PortRiver Expressway bridge design incorporates limit switches to telloperators the position of the bridge and status ofall the equipment associated with the bridge. This and other significant engineering workbehind the bridge combine to make the PortRiver Expressway work a novel, exciting, andrewarding project.

Linking Port Adelaide with the nation


A major installation at the RoyalAustralian Air Force (RAAF) base atTindall, near Katherine in the NorthernTerritory, put Nilsen's high-volumeproject management skills to the testwith an airfield lighting project builtaround 12km of trenching.

This trenching is serviced by 326 pitsand associated equipment foundations,23km of underground conduit andnearly 90km of airfield lighting primarycable - all part of the scope of work forthe contract.

Installed on the airfield were a variety oflighting systems including High IntensityApproach Lighting, Sequential FlashingApproach Lighting, Precision ApproachPath Indicator, High Intensity RunwayLighting, outer threshold lighting,Movement Area Guidance Signs andIlluminated Wind Direction Indicators.

The project also includes fitout of a newAircraft Lighting Equipment Room(ALER), which required the supply and

installation of 22 Constant CurrentRegulator control cubicles, 4 SurgeDiverter Cubicles and associatedinterconnecting cables. Nilsen wasinvolved in the design, supply andinstallation of a PLC based SCADAsystem for controlling the lighting andmonitoring systems. Also installed wascommunications equipment including anoptical fibre cable between the controltower and existing ALER centre.

Nilsen managed the supply andinstallation of all of this infrastructureand equipment, working to extremelytight deadlines of just 12 weeks, duringwhich time the airfield was incontinuous use by military forces fromseveral countries. Project managerscalled upon Nilsen's broad range ofexpertise to meet those deadlines.

In the end, Nilsen's skilled engineerscompleted the project with enoughsuccess that the RAAF has sinceawarded Nilsen a further contract to

install Precision Approach Path Indicatorsystems at four other airfields aroundAustralia – including Curtin (WesternAustralia), Edinburgh (South Australia),Scherger (Queensland), and mostrecently Townsville (Queensland).

Our continued success in providingRAAF lighting is testament to Nilsen'sconsiderable project managementexpertise, and everyone involved in theteam can be proud of what theirteamwork has accomplished.

Adelaide's new gateway to the world

The $260 million new terminal at AdelaideAirport is a major upgrade for the city,which has worked to expand itsinternational standing since the expandedterminal, capable of accommodating 27aircraft and 3000 passengers per hour,opened in March.

In a contract awarded by Hansen Yuncken,Nilsen provided all electrical works for thenew site. This ranged from conventionaltasks like the supply and installation ofthree 3000A main LV switchboards andpower factor correction, to 14 distributionboards serving the aero bridges and400Hz power systems, nose guidancesystems and moving guidance signs for the aircraft.

Also within the scope were 82 distributionboards, lighting, power, an automated exitand emergency lighting system, car parklighting, a LV earthing system, 320km ofpower and lighting cables, 290 metre4000A and 722 metre 1600A bus ducts.Nilsen's engagement also included abackup generation system, specialistsystems like a UPS check-in counterhearing system, interfaces with the building

management system, and a structured data cabling system including a 165km of category 6E cable and 20km of fibre-optic cabling.

The 18-month project was a majorendeavour for the Nilsen team, whichestablished a formal management structureand quality management system to ensureproblems were identified and resolvedquickly. Up to 56 Nilsen staff memberswere on-site, including the company'sapprentices, for whom the project's broadscope offered ample opportunities to gettheir hands dirty on a significant public project.

Good offence, best Defence


South AustraliaUpdateEnvironmental awareness has become a major design factorin recent years, with cities like Adelaide using the greenfeatures of key buildings as important differentiators to lurebusinesses there. The city's 'Building Tune Ups' program isalready focusing on environmental improvements to 10 cityoffice buildings, and green features are a major component ofthe ongoing two-structure City Central Tower project currentlyunderway in the CBD.

The $115 million, 21-floor City Central Tower 1, due forcompletion in January, is the first new building to showcasethe government-led push for greener buildings, and is the first5-star Green Star certified project in South Australia.

Nilsen's contract, awarded by overall project managerBaulderstone Hornibrook, includes a range of power,switchboard, and lighting services including structured cablingfor 2500 power points and specialist lighting such asdownlights.

The Green Star design objective required extensiveconsultation with Nilsen environmental management experts, who providedessential guidance in installing and configuring the C-Bus lighting control systemto minimise electrical usage. Efficient placement and dimming of lights ensured asteady flow of lower light level of around 320 lux, helping reduce the building'soverall energy footprint significantly.

Green Star is all about energy efficiency, and from an electrical point of view that'sabout reducing the number of watts per square metre the building uses. Using thec-Bus equipment allowed the team to set each fitting in a bank of lights at adifferent level, and vary them to reduce usage. Such technology has been in themarket for years, but it is becoming specified more and more because of theenvironmentally beneficial control it provides.

Nilsen's success with the City Central Tower helped it secure status as preferredcontractor for the planned City Central Tower 2, which will soon begin construction.

Going green in Adelaide

Adelaide's $115 million City Central Tower 1 is awatershed in environmental design, earning oneof the city's first Green Star certifications for itsinnovative design. Nilsen's expertise in structuredcabling design, light placement, c-Bus lightingand other elements made this environmentalachievement possible.


the WestPowering

Electricals were just the beginning ofwork for Nilsen at the Royal PerthHospital (RPH), where construction of anew outpatient and dental building sawfour full-time staff and a number ofsubcontractors working on a range ofuncommon systems and technologies.

The project included lighting, power, andother relevant systems in patient, theatre,reception and other areas across thebuilding. Security, communications, nursecall, master antenna TV, biodetection andemergency warning and informationsystems (EWIS) were all installed duringthe project, which ran from June 2005through March 2006 and was supervisedfrom Nilsen's Perth office.

Because the new facility was built as anadjunct to the existing RPH building,Nilsen and project manager Stantech hadto manage the works with the public inmind. This involved the rolling installationand movement of safety equipment andbarriers, since the new building is verymuch for the use of the public and a lotof working areas had to be very public.This meant that the Nilsen team had tomanage safety requirements, erect

barriers and take other measures toensure the public could still interact withthe existing premises.

The unique nature of the hospitalenvironment meant that Nilsen was alsoinvolved in special requirements to suitequipment such as x-ray and MRImachines, where potentially highermagnetism and radiation exposure

requires specific accommodations. This meant all RCDs had to be 10mAand 30mA, requiring body-protectedareas and other accommodations duringthe work. Although this is a specialisedcapability, Nilsen's work on otherhospitals meant the skills were easy to find inhouse and apply to the RPH project.

Wired science at PLCNearly a year after it began, Perth'sPresbyterian Ladies' College (PLC) isalmost ready to move into its newScience, Arts and Technology building,a significant expansion to theprestigious institution's facilities.

The project began construction inJanuary and is due to finish before theend of the year. Nilsen has beenonsite since March, with fouremployees handling a broad range ofinstallations for builder BudgeConstruction and consultants RodMackay.

The scope of work includes lighting,power, communications, fire andsecurity systems, and future stages ofthe project will incorporate additionalfeatures. All will support an excitingnew learning environment to providesignificant value for the entire PLCcommunity.

Healthy expansion at RPH


Kiln 11, opened in May by WesternAustralian brick and paver giant BoralMidland Brick, is setting new operationalbenchmarks with a reduction in siteemissions and an increase in productionvolumes.

The new $53 million facility is capable ofproducing 50 million standard bricks peryear, and when fully commissioned willreplace Midland's smaller Kiln 4, which is40 years old and based on agingtechnology. Kiln 11, by contrast, is widely

held to be one of the mosttechnologically advanced brickworks, witha heavy emphasis on efficient operationand minimising environmental impact.

Working under Keller HCW, Nilsen wasengaged for the design, installation andcommissioning of the kiln's front-endworks. These included the mainswitchboard; mother control centres;mains and submains cabling; fibre-opticsand other instrumentation cabling; andCCTV systems used throughout the site.

A particularly significant part of theproject was work with Keller on theassembly of the site's roboticconstruction plant, which saw up to 33Nilsen employees spend more than10,000 man-hours supporting theinstallation of the cutting-edge roboticequipment at the heart of the plant.Nilsen experts supported that work, aswell as providing extensive supportthrough a full-time project manager whoensured that the project was completedto Midland Brick's very tight timeframe.

With 6.5 million square kilometres ofcoverage, the Water Corporation ofWestern Australia manages the largestarea of any water corporation in theworld. As part of the company's futureexpansion, the construction of a reverseosmosis seawater desalination plant,south of Perth, will provide 45 gigalitresof water – around 17 percent of Perth'sannual usage – and will consume 202GHw of power per year.

Over the course of the contract, Nilsenhas been involved in providing a rangeof high-voltage electrical services forthe Nicholson Road Pump Station,the largest pumping station WaterCorporation of WA has ever built andone of the key related infrastructurecomponents of the new desalinationplant. When the project is completed,the Nicholson Road facility will bepumping water from the desalinationplant to its destination across Perthand the rest of the region.

Throughout the project, a team ofexperts from various parts of Nilsen's

business have been involved inimplementing a range of infrastructuresacross the new facility. This includes thesupply and installation of conventionalequipment such as variable speeddrives, transformers and switchboards.

Nilsen High Energy specialists have alsobeen involved, handling more complexjobs such as termination of high-voltageconnections, while overall projectresponsibility and subcontractormanagement is being handled by Nilsenproject management experts.

the WestPowering

A worker lifts the reverse osmosis racks intoplace at the Kwinana plant site. The rackshouse the membranes that filter the seawater.

Solid as brick

Wholly water

Inside the reverse osmosis building shortly beforework was completed on the roof.


With technology more pervasive acrosseducation than ever, even your basicmiddle schools require more sophisticatedinstallation capabilities than they used to.

At the new Comet Bay College in SecretHarbour, Western Australia, Nilsen hasbeen engaged with builder Cooper &Oxley in the construction of a completelynew school that will serve students inyears 8, 9 and 10 commencing inFebruary 2007.

The installation includes a full electricalfitout for the school's primary buildings,which include a performing and visual artscentre, administration and year 10building, single-storey library, material

technology and café building, and twolearning blocks for Year 8 and Year 9 students.

Apart from conventional switchboards,light fixtures and power points, however,the fittings across the school include avariety of specialised equipment: stagelighting and sound,intruder detectionsystems, a PA system,telephoniccommunications, amaster antenna TVsystem, emergencylighting, and so on.

Five full-time Nilsen contractors arehandling the work on site, as well as co-ordinating the work of numerous othersubcontractors in the leadup to theschool's opening for the 2007 academicyear. Students spent 2006 attending adifferent primary school but will shift tothe new facility after it is completed.

CSI: NilsenThe new forensic institute beingconstructed by the Western Australia PoliceService will be a major new facility, with1000 operatives set to occupy a premisesfilled with equipment at the cutting edge ofpolice forensic investigation. Nilsen'sengagement includes a full range ofelectrical and project management servicesat the facility, with the usual range of officespace and car parking facilities, as well asunusual features including a helicopterlanding pad; firing range; laboratories forfinger print analysis, photographic imagingand ballistics; and a number of otherspecialised laboratories.

Blue skies for Comet Bay

In keeping with the many new technologiesnow used every day in schools, SecretHarbour, WA's newest school is riddledwith A/V, electrical and communicationscabling, as well as a host of specialisedelectrical systems.

Nilsen (SA) Pty. Ltd.100 Regency Road, Ferryden Park, SA 5010Phone:+61 (08) 8440 5300 Fax:+61 (08) 8347 0347Email: [email protected]

5 Pyne Close, Mt Gambier SA 5290Phone:+61 (08) 8725 2442 Fax:+61 (08) 8725 2327Email: [email protected]

Nilsen (VIC) Pty. Ltd.43 Sheehan Road, West Heidelberg, VIC 3081 Phone:+61 (03) 9450 1300Fax:+61 (03) 9457 5261Email: [email protected]

71 Princes Drive, Morwell VIC 3840Phone:+61 (03) 5136 9500 Fax:+61 (03) 5134 4631Email: [email protected]. No. REC 6.

Nilsen (WA) Pty. Ltd.4 Park Place, Bibra Lake, WA 6163Phone:+61 (08) 9434 2311 Fax:+61 (08) 9434 2322Email: [email protected]. No. EC000982

5/1 Halifax Drive, Bunbury, WA 6230PO Box 5022, Bunbury DC, WA 6230Phone:+61 (08) 9726 0800 Fax:+61 (08) 9726 0866Email: [email protected]

Switchboards34 Wellard Street, Bibra Lake, WA 6163Phone:+61 (08) 9494 2499Fax:+61 (08) 9494 2488Email: [email protected]

Nilsen (NSW) Pty. Ltd.Unit 26/38 South Street Rydalmere NSW 2116Phone:+61 (02) 9898 9355 Fax:+61 (02) 9638 0343Email: [email protected]. No. 106784C

Nilsen (QLD) Pty. Ltd.2/53 Southgate Avenue, Cannon Hill, QLD 4170Phone:+61 (07) 3899 8866 Fax:+61 (07) 3899 8766Email: [email protected]

Unit 4/12 Bassett Street,Gladstone, Queensland 4680Phone:+61 (07) 4972 5207Fax:+61 (07) 4972 5294Email: [email protected]

Nilsen (NT) Pty. Ltd.Unit 2/43 Berrimah Road, Berrimah NT 0828Phone:+61 (08) 8947 1134 Fax:+61 (08) 8947 3173Email: [email protected]

Oliver J Nilsen (Australia) Ltd37 Sheehan Road, Heidelberg West, VIC 3081Phone: +61 (03) 9457 5566 Fax: +61 (03) 9459 5966

www.nilsen.com.auEditor - David Braue

NilsenOur people, one of our key points of difference. On this page we like to recognise those who havejoined and those who have achieved. It is our people that make Nilsen great. Again, some newappointments, some career milestones, some transfers and some promotions. As well, and verynice to see, there are some coming back, a very good sign indeed! Here are the latest:

people

Melissa Douglas: has transferredfrom Accounts Receivable and is nowthe Office and ContractsAdministrator to the SwitchboardsDivision, Victoria, and PA to BrianSteele and Carlo Baldo.

Lexie Scott: joins the newlyseparated Victorian High EnergyDivision as the “Nothing's too muchtrouble” Administrator. Helping theteam achieve the goals they set.

Evan Reid: of Engineering Services,Victoria has undertaken the role ofPower Quality Technician for theTEGG business. He is currently sittinghis final exam to complete his AGrade. Good luck Evan!

Andrew Hartley: has recently joinedthe Engineering Services Division inVictoria as a TEGG MaintenanceSales Representative. He has had 20years experience in the Sales industry.Welcome aboard, Andrew.

John Rossi: is employed within theEngineering Services Division inVictoria as a Field Services Supervisor& has been in the industry for 20years. His experience & skills will be auseful tool in building up the FieldServices Division.

Peter Witt: has been appointed asOperations Manager in the VictorianContracting Division after working asProject Manager on various largeprojects with us for the past 4 years.Peter brings extensive experience andknowledge to this most important rolewithin the Victorian operations. Welldone Peter.

Gary Dangaard: returns toContracting Victoria as Sales andMarketing Manager having worked forNilsen in various states, starting as anapprentice in 1987. Gary now joinsthe Contracting team to maximize ouropportunities to the business into thefuture. We extend a warm welcomeback to Nilsen.

Michael Bell: joins our VictorianContracting Division as ProjectManager for the Traffic, GSM andIndustrial area. He brings with himsubstantial experience within theelectrical contracting industry.Welcome Mick.

Graham Bone: takes over the role asDivisional Manager at our VictorianMorwell Branch. Graham takes withhim 4 years of experience asOperations Manager for our VictorianContracting Division. Congratulationsto Graham on his new appointment.

Bill Farley: returns to our VictorianContracting Division as TrafficSupervisor, an opportunity for Bill togrow in the business and enhance thegrowth of our Traffic Section.

Wendy Stainton: has moved fromour Victorian CommunicationsDivision to our Victorian ContractingDivision as administrator, an importantrole supporting Management andProject Management within theContracting Division. Well doneWendy.

Scott Power: has been appointedGeneral Manager of Nilsen QLD andNSW.

Harry Lemmens: ConstructionManager CSA.

Sherrilyn Anderson: : AdministrationManager CSA. Sherrilyn is a highlyregarded member of SA'sadministration team.

Matt Flaherty: has joined the SAESSA team in the TEGG Sales area.

Jeff Owler: as Division Manager NT,Jeff is looking after the top end forNilsen.

Paul Bradley: started as anapprentice with Nilsen 25 years agoand has progressed to being a valuedtradesman and member of the Nilsenteam. He has outstandingcommitment, is always willing to lenda hand and is respected throughoutthe company.

Jack Walsh: Division Manager,Contracting. Jack joined our WesternAustralian team in September 2005and has been a big part of therestructuring in Western Australia.

Ron Darlison: previously a TestEngineer with Nilsen, he now returnsto the Victorian High Energy Divisionas a Projects/Accounts Manager.Ron brings with him a world of HVexperience in the industry. Welcomeback Ron!

Frank Proepster: Frank has beenwith Nilsen for 25 years and is avalued member of the Nilsen team.He is one of our valued electricians,whose commitment to the Companyis outstanding.

KUDOS

Tom Swan: a fourth-year Contractingapprentice with Nilsen South Australia, wonthe PEERTEC Award of Excellence forAcademic Achievement. Well done, Tom –show 'em how it's done!

9453 Nilsen Revie · Nilsen Review November 2006 03 Nilsen’s new look Nine decades after it was...

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Transcript of 9453 Nilsen Revie · Nilsen Review November 2006 03 Nilsen’s new look Nine decades after it was...