Downer wins $38M overseas contract
PA Wellington The Wellington construction group, Downer and Company, Ltd, has gained a big international contract to build a hydro-electricity scheme on the Warangoi River near Rabaul, in Papua New Guinea. Downer will be lead manager in the project, the biggest international venture it has undertaken. The scheme, on the island of New Britain, will cost at least $3B million.
The other member of the joint venture is the British group. Keir International, Ltd. The Managing Director of Downer, Mr W. D. Williamson, said the. project would be built on a 60:40 per cent basis of association between the two companies. Downer had had previous links with Keir International in New Zealand and had tried to secure a contract with it also in Papua New Guinea for another hydro project but had been unsucessful, he said.
The New Britain project, one of the biggest contracts ever gained by Downer, will involve about 45 New Zealand engineers working with about 450 local people. The Papua New Guinea Government hoped the local people would learn skills from their association with Downer. Competition for the contract came from Japan and an Australian-English company. The contract consists of a concrete intake dam, a seven kilometre tunnel, underground surge shaft and chamber and outlet channel.
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Press, 28 March 1981, Page 19
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215Downer wins $38M overseas contract Press, 28 March 1981, Page 19
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