KOMATSU Australia has opened a new, state-of-the-art regional headquarters at Wacol, south-west of Brisbane.
Completed for a cost of more than $55 million, the project employed up to 400 workers in the construction phase and will create the opportunity for about 150 permanent employees.
Managing director of Komatsu Australia Sean Taylor said the Wacol facility was the company’s single biggest investment in Australia to date.
"The commissioning of our all-new Wacol facility is important for the strategic expansion of Komatsu’s nationwide sales and service network," he said.
Mr Taylor said the investment in South East Queensland was the first stage of a comprehensive capital expenditure program that would include new facilities and significant upgrades to existing sites.
"As our business grows, so must our capacity to meet the needs of our extended customer base," he said.
"In the next five years we plan to extend this philosophy to a number of new and existing sites, beginning with a major upgrade of the Mackay (Qld) facility later in 2012."
The company began a comprehensive upgrade of its site in Western Australia in 2011, with work to continue this year.
Komatsu is Australia’s largest factory-operated provider of earthmoving and construction equipment with 41 branches and service depots in Australasia.
The company recently recorded its best business year on record with total yearly Australian sales surpassing A$1.7 billion for the first time.
In the 12 months to the end of March 2012 it posted a sales increase of more than 33 per cent over the previous financial year.