Client: VISY
Visy Paper 4 runs a high-throughput operation where sludge handling can’t stop production. The existing arrangement was limiting housekeeping, traffic movement and future capacity. VP4 needed a new, fully integrated sludge press and conveying system — but it had to be designed, fabricated and installed inside a live plant, around existing equipment, and in coordination with Visy approvals and engineering. Baillie Industries was engaged because we could deliver the mechanical, civil and controls components under one project manager, using our own gear and ISO-aligned systems.
Conveyors, Civil, Controls in One Package
Baillie Industries delivered a complete package starting with site assessment and verification of existing conditions, followed by in-house 3D modelling and drafting. All models and drawings were submitted to Visy for review and then issued to the independent engineer for engineering sign-off to finalise technical details. The mechanical scope included supply and installation of the main conveyor system aligned to the VP4 layout, 4 x screw conveyors sized for the sludge duty, supply and installation of a pneumatic tilting system, and supply and installation of the control system integrated to site. We also designed and fabricated all chutes and supports. On the civil side, Baillie backfilled the existing concrete pit, capped it with a 150 mm reinforced concrete slab suitable for truck parking, poured a 100 m² slab for the equipment area, and rebuilt approximately 900 m² of 250 mm thick reinforced concrete paving to restore trafficable areas and remove legacy hazards. All works were completed to applicable Australian regulations and Baillie’s ISO-aligned quality and safety requirements.
The Challenge – Tight Area, Approvals, Mixed Trades
The works were executed in a congested part of the plant with limited laydown, live traffic and existing services. Progress depended on timely Visy approvals and independent engineering, and civil, mechanical and controls activities had to be sequenced to avoid rework. There was also a civil/geotechnical component on the existing grounds that needed to be resolved before the new equipment could be set. The real challenge wasn’t only installing conveyors and a sludge press — it was doing it without unplanned downtime in a running paper operation.
The Solution – Structured PM, In-House Delivery
The project was delivered under Baillie Industries’ structured project management protocols, with a full-time senior project manager coordinating program, approvals, risk and day-to-day communication with Visy. We began with in-house drafting and 3D modelling, incorporating structural and geotechnical inputs, and submitted all models and drawings to Visy for review before issuing them to the independent engineer for formal engineering sign-off. Once the design was locked in, workshop fabrication proceeded on the screw conveyors, structural steel, chutes and supports, in parallel with the civil works to backfill the existing pit, cast the 150 mm reinforced concrete cap, pour the new slab area and rebuild the 250 mm reinforced paving. With the civil base prepared, our site crews installed the conveyors, structural steel, pneumatic tilting system and control components using Baillie’s own lifting gear (Franna, forklifts, EWPs) and working under SWMS-controlled exclusion zones. The project was closed out with commissioning support, clean-up, engineering sign-offs and final reporting, providing Visy with a single, traceable delivery from design through to operation.
The upgraded sludge press and conveying system was installed and handed over within the 11 June – 23 October window without unplanned disruption to VP4 operations. The old pit hazard was removed and replaced with a trafficable, reinforced surface; the new conveyors, screws and pneumatic system were installed to the engineered layout; and controls were tied back to the plant with the required documentation (ITPs, photos, weld/bolt records). The plant now has a cleaner, safer and more maintainable sludge-handling line with capacity for future changes.
This VP4 project shows Baillie’s ability to deliver multi-discipline plant upgrades — mechanical, civil and controls — in a live Visy environment, under Visy approval pathways and independent engineering. The same model can be applied to future dewatering, conveying, wash-line and materials-handling projects across the network.
