NRW Holdings, through its Golding Contractors arm, has won a A$750 million (about $502.6 million) mining services deal with TEC Coal to run operations at the Meandu mine near Kingaroy, Queensland. The arrangement runs for 5.5 years, kicking off with a six-month mobilisation and moving into full operations, and it will put roughly 400 locals to work. The award highlights a capital-light approach where Golding will operate equipment and facilities provided by TEC Coal while NRW leans into service delivery rather than heavy asset ownership.
The contract starts immediately and covers a six-month ramp-up before a five-year active operating period. That structure gives both parties a clear runway to settle staffing, logistics and safety systems before full production demands kick in. It also lets Golding focus on efficient operations without committing heavy upfront capital.
Meandu sits about 25 kilometres south-east of Kingaroy in the South Burnett region and has been part of the local landscape since it was commissioned in 1983. The site reportedly can produce about 7.6 million tonnes a year and is expected to continue supplying coal through to 2037. That long runway makes the contract significant for regional employment and supply chain planning.
Under the deal, Golding Contractors will take charge of the entire mining operation on behalf of TEC Coal. That includes running and maintaining three fleets of heavy mining equipment, a dragline and a processing plant — all provided by the principal. In short, Golding will be responsible for day-to-day mining delivery and the systems that keep the operation safe and productive.
The agreement is expected to support about 400 local jobs, which is a big win for the South Burnett community. Local employment at that scale drives demand for housing, services and local suppliers, and it spreads the economic benefits beyond the mine gate. For regional towns, reliable multi-year contracts like this create stability that pays off in tax revenues and private investment.
NRW CEO Jules Pemberton said: “This award is reflective of Goldings’ excellent reputation for the delivery of safe and efficient contract mining services. The capital-light structure of the contract aligns with our strategy of reducing the capital intensity of our contract mining operations and positions the group well to be able to deliver continued value to our shareholders.
“We look forward to welcoming the approximately 400 local employees to the NRW family and to providing them with a safe and positive workplace. Goldings’ and the broader NRW Group look forward to a long and successful partnership with TEC Coal.”
NRW operates as a diversified contract services provider across multiple sectors in Australia, and it also runs operations in Canada and the United States. The group offers civil construction, contract mining, and equipment refurbishment among other services, so it can package a range of capabilities to suit owner-operators. That breadth lets NRW pivot between earthworks, mining delivery and maintenance depending on client needs and project life cycles.
Earlier work by NRW shows the company’s appetite for varied projects. In July 2025, the group’s Civil & Mining division secured a separate contract in Western Australia valued at about A$167 million to support development activity in the Pilbara region. That assignment covered earthworks and infrastructure tied to a primary crusher and an overland conveyor, indicating both scale and technical scope.
The Pilbara job includes construction of haul roads, access routes and concrete infrastructure, with responsibilities ranging from drill and blast to complex structural builds. The scope also encompasses a mechanically stabilised earth wall at the run of mine, two precast concrete overpass tunnels and in-situ concrete foundations for processing equipment. Those kinds of tasks show NRW’s capacity to combine civil engineering with heavy mine-site construction and support services.
