Leighton Asia in joint venture with Gammon has secured a US$1.2bn contract from Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation to construct the West Kowloon Terminus Station North, part of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL). This is the biggest and final XRL civil contract to be awarded and the fifth MTR Corporation contract secured by Leighton Asia in the past two years, giving a total value of projects of US$2.4bn.
On completion, the project will provide a world-class rail terminus and serve as an international gateway to the mainland of China with a daily pass-through of over 100,000 passengers. Facilities will include nine long-haul and six shuttle platforms, customs and immigration facilities, departure lounges, duty free and other retail outlets. A key element is a dramatic steel and glass roof structure above the entrance that will be a prominent feature of the Kowloon skyline.
Leighton Asia has the capability, experience and resource capacity across Asia to pursue additional projects with this important client with as much as US$7.6bn of new projects expected to be released over the next five years.
Bob Cooke, Acting Managing Director of Leighton – Asia, India & Offshore, said: “We are delighted to win this landmark project with a client with whom we share a long and successful relationship. It aligns with our strategic imperative to deliver major infrastructure projects in Hong Kong, one of the most advanced infrastructure markets in the world. We are ideally suited to successfully deliver this quality project with our significant building, rail and civil infrastructure experience.”
Leighton Asia is a leading contractor in the Hong Kong market, with strong market share positions in both the civil infrastructure and building sectors. The company is strategically positioned to deliver much of the government’s annual capital works spend of over US$7.5bn per year for the next five years.
Leighton Asia is the only contractor that provides a full suite of construction and mining services across Asia, providing clients with a depth of international experience from the Leighton Group with entrenched local market knowledge.
Chief Executive of Leighton Holdings, Hamish Tyrwhitt, said: “The project secures our new work requirements in Hong Kong and is another significant award supporting our strategy of exporting the Leighton Group’s core competency to the growth markets of Asia. It is another successful step towards achieving our strategic aim to grow our international share of revenue from 20% to 30% over the next five years.”
Construction works are scheduled to begin in October 2011, with an expected completion date in 2015.
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