Press Release
REMONDIS Indigenous Joint-Venture to Create Service and Job Opportunities across Cape York
Weipa, 14 April 2021 REMONDIS Australia – Cape York residents and businesses are set to benefit from a ground-breaking indigenous joint-venture intended to bolster local industrial services and stimulate employment.
The 50-50 partnership between REMONDIS Australia (REMONDIS) and JAI-MEC Rural Contracting (JAI-MEC) has seen the creation of a new company called Red Earth Industrial Services.
From this month, Red Earth Industrial Services' core activity will be twice-weekly domestic waste collections from nearly 3,500 residents in Weipa, Napranum and Mapoon.
This has previously been handled by REMONDIS on behalf of the Weipa Town Authority and Mapoon and Napranum Aboriginal Shire Councils. JAI-MEC has overseen maintenance of REMONDIS' local 20-vehicle fleet in recent years.
Under the new arrangement, REMONDIS has transferred these domestic waste collection responsibilities to the Red Earth Industrial Services joint-venture, and also assigned two trucks to the new business to ensure collections continue in a smooth and timely manner.
Red Earth Industrial Services, which is being run by senior representatives from both REMONDIS and JAI-MEC, emphasised that it will be business as usual as far as residential waste collection is concerned. Collections will continue to be overseen by the Weipa Town Authority
The longer-term goal is that Red Earth Industrial Services will flourish into a diversified industrial business, offering a variety of additional services across the Cape York Peninsula which may include sand blasting, painting and electrical work.
"The formation of Red Earth Industrial Services is a unique economic and employment opportunity for the Cape York region," REMONDIS Senior Project Manager Andrew Crichton said.
"By initiating the joint venture, REMONDIS has effectively established the region's first locally owned waste management company.
"We've also planted a seed intended to result in the new company gradually expanding to provide a range of local industrial services and jobs.
"Given how remote we are and given how costly it can be relying on support from distant centres such as Cairns, the importance of establishing local services can't be understated."
Torres Strait Islander descendent, diesel mechanic and Weipa local Sandra Kirk – who owns and runs JAI-MEC with her husband Jai Christie – said indigenous employment would be foremost in mind under the Red Earth Industrial Services structure.
"We've got a big opportunity to create new jobs and we'll be looking at opportunities for local indigenous people wherever possible," Mrs Kirk said.
"Creating and keeping jobs in local communities is so important, given how remote we are.
"The sky could be the limit in terms of business growth as time progresses," added Mrs Kirk.
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REMONDIS is one of the world's largest privately run recycling, service and water companies with around 800 business locations in over 30 countries and across four continents. Founded in 1934, this family-run business employs more than 36,000 people and generates a turnover of €7.9 billion (2019). Each year, it processes about 30 million tonnes of recyclable materials and provides services for local authorities, small and medium-sized businesses and industrial firms as well as for around 30 million people. Operating in many different fields of business, REMONDIS makes an important contribution towards protecting the environment and conserving natural resources – from recovering valuable raw materials from industrial and household refuse, to producing high quality recycled raw materials, all the way through to transforming non-recyclable materials into a range of different fuels. Moreover, the company is increasingly helping to advance the switch from fossil fuels to renewables by using biomass as a source of energy. REMONDIS sees itself as an adviser and point of contact for industrial, commercial and retail businesses as well as for local authorities as it helps them to find regional and bespoke solutions. REMONDIS Australia commenced operations in 1982 and now has 800 employees servicing more than 15,000 customers nationally.
JAI-MEC Rural Contracting is a six-person, family-run business based in Weipa. It specialises in mechanical, air-conditioning and electrical repairs. Half of the JAI-MEC team are indigenous.
Red Earth Industrial Services (Red Earth Industrial) is the new 50-50 joint-venture company, formed by REMONDIS and JAI-MEC. Its initial services are domestic waste collection from residential homes in Weipa, Napranum and Mapoon. It is intended that Red Earth Industrial Services will gradually expand, offering a suite of industrial services and jobs across the Cape York Peninsula, with a focus on indigenous employment where possible.
