Prefabricated modular building supplier, Ark Pacific, continues to increase its market share in the provision of camps across PNG’s resource sector.
With a low freight footprint (up to 75 percent less), Ark believes its fit-for-purpose buildings are perfect for camps and a multitude of other building types required by mining and oil and gas operations.
Introduced to PNG during the LNG construction phase in 2010 for a 1,000 person multi-storey camp accommodation complex and office facilities, there are now thousands of Ark building modules around the country.
Significantly, all of Ark’s buildings are assembled by local community workforces, thus helping developers achieve their local content objectives.
General manager, Cassius Ruka, who spent his childhood in PNG as well as most of his working life, knows the importance of building genuine client partnerships.
“We do whatever we can to make our buildings even better for our clients. Right now, Ark Pacific is engaged in the process of working closely with one of PNG’s biggest mines to further improve the quality, design, constructability and longevity of their buildings.
“This has involved carrying out inspections and conducting interviews with a range of stakeholders, including asset owners, construction project managers, maintenance coordinators and facility end users.
“The data we’re gathering from this process will be used to develop an even better product, that is buildings that are increasingly fit for purpose, have enhanced longevity, and can accommodate the mine’s unique environmental factors and remoteness.”
Ruka is well versed in the challenges remotely located resource operations face when it comes to procuring camp accommodation and other buildings.
“Irrespective of whether you’re an island operation like Lihir or a highland operation like Porgera, you need to be 100 percent certain that your buildings – which represent a major capex investment – are durable and can withstand whatever nature throws at them.
“Sulphur and salt, as well as excessive rain and moisture, will all reduce building longevity.
“You also need to be able to get the buildings to site as easily and cost-effectively as possible, which is incredibly difficult given remoteness combined with the state of our road network and current freight prices.”
Ark modular building units are engineered specifically for the harsh conditions of remote resource operations.
Furthermore, clients can save up to 75 percent on their freight costs because Ark’s modular componentry is specifically engineered so that six of its flat pack units are equivalent to a single 20-foot shipping container when stacked together ready for transport.
“In other words,” says Ruka, “instead of using five, six or seven trucks to get our units to the job site, the client only needs one.”
