$19M Fortescue contract key to future for mining firm

A Pilbara Aboriginal firm has lauded a long-term Fortescue Metals Group contract which it says will lead to training for Traditional Owners and one day help build a standalone mining services company.

PKKP Enterprises was awarded a six-year , $19m deal in June to supply dry hire equipment to Fortescue’s Eliwana iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

The contract is one of more than $4 billion worth of deals struck under Fortescue’s Billion Opportunities program since launching in 2011.

PKKP Enterprises general manager Shaun Burgess, pictured, said the longevity of the contract gave the firm and lenders confidence.

“It allows us to have confidence to start to build capability inside our organisation and allows us to plan the next six years going forward knowing that we have a set income,” he said.

“We can now start to bring members into the business, we can start to skill them up to be able to drive in this particular type of equipment.

“We will eventually get to the stage where we will be able to substitute our drivers into the equipment and wet hire it in.”

Fortescue communities, environment and government director Warren Fish said Aboriginal businesses created employment and development opportunities for Aboriginal Australians.

“We are incredibly proud to partner with Aboriginal businesses through our industry-leading Billion Opportunities program, providing businesses with the tools to build value and sustainability, and improve their competitiveness and capability,” he said.

“Surpassing the award of $4 billion of contracts is a credit to our Aboriginal business partners and the Fortescue team, whose commitment has ensured the success of this initiative.”

Mr Burgess said Fortescue’s trust in PKKP Enterprises had allowed the firm to dream big.

“Fortescue was very quick to acknowledge the Traditional Owners and to want to get them involved in doing things around the site,” he said

“We would like to eventually become a standalone mining services contractor to be able to do this, but that’s , that’s our long-term plan . . . seven, 10, 13 years down the track.”

PKKP is the commercial arm of the Puutu Kunti Kurruma and Pinikura Aboriginal Corporation, which holds native title over nearly 11,000sqm of sparsely populated land west of Karijini National Park.


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