Keller Group plc (“Keller” or “the Group”), the international ground engineering specialist, announces that its Malaysian subsidiary Keller (M) Sdn. Bhd. has been awarded a contract worth approximately £30m by Vale, the Brazilian mining company, to build the foundations for a major iron ore distribution facility in Lumut.

keller group logo blue and yellow

The new facility will be able to receive Valemax vessels - the world's largest dry bulk carriers - and will have an annual throughput capacity of 60 million tons when operations commence in 2014, eventually handling up to 200 million tons annually.

Keller will treat an area of nearly 200,000m2 with a system of vibro stone columns and bored piles. Environmental sensitivity was a key influence on the choice of technology for this project. Keller’s dry bottom-feed method for installing vibro stone columns is a ‘green technology’ which protects natural water resources and farmland and has a lower carbon footprint than many traditional foundation solutions.

Work is expected to commence in March and to be completed in the second quarter of next year.

Justin Atkinson, Keller Chief Executive, commented:

“Major projects requiring complex solutions, such as this, play to our strengths as a global, high-capacity provider.

“We are delighted that Vale has selected Keller Malaysia, with its reputation for high standards of safety and quality, as its partner for this project.”

Notes to Editors:

Keller is the world’s largest independent ground engineering specialist, providing technically advanced and cost-effective foundation solutions to the construction industry. With annual revenue of around £1.1bn, Keller has over 6,000 staff world-wide.

Keller is the market leader in the US and Australia; it has prime positions in most established European markets; and a strong profile in many developing markets.

Keller will be announcing its 2011 results on Monday, 27 February 2012.

Published on