KWINANA’S HIsmelt plant has taken out the top prize in this year’s Western Australian Engineering Excellence Awards. The $400 million plant, which produces 800,000 tonnes of quality pig iron each year using the breakthrough HIsmelt technology, was rated as the most outstanding engineering project in the state across all categories. The award recognised the plant’s potential to minimise greenhouse gas emissions. It also acknowledged the involvement of engineers Aker Kvaerner Australia Pty Ltd and Clough Ltd, who worked in conjunction with Rio Tinto Ltd subsidiary, HIsmelt Corporation Pty Ltd. Verve Energy’s Narrogin Integrated Wood Processing Demonstration Plant, which uses oil mallees as a feedstock for renewable energy generation, achieved top honours in both the environment and engineering for regional communities categories. Advanced Engine Components Ltd took out the products and manufacturing award for its natural gas engine technology for China. GHD Pty Ltd and the Water Corporation won the control systems, reports and procedures award for its project integrating Perth’s water supplies. Other category winners included Lycopodium Engineering, Maunsell Australia and the Leighton Kumagai joint venture. GHD’s Gary Crisp took out the WA professional engineer of the year award, while Simon Turner from Parsons Brinckerhoff won young professional engineer of the year.
