"Our in house design and manufacturing expertise makes it easy for us to manufacture to required sizes and dimensions to meet any site requirement."
ENCAT’s scope of work encompassed the full project lifecycle from engineering interpretation through to final on-site installation, with no third-party subcontractors required for any stage of the works.
Engineering interpretation of Council drawings
Precision CNC tube laser cutting
Certified welding (AS 1554 Part 1)
In-house powder coating — two-coat system
DDA compliant product supply
Direct delivery using ENCAT transport
On-site installation with chemset anchoring
Civil contractor Daracon Group engaged ENCAT to supply and install a public bus shelter as part of a residential subdivision development at Vicat Street, Boolaroo in Lake Macquarie, New South Wales.
The provision of a compliant bus shelter was a condition of the Development Approval (DA) issued by Lake Macquarie City Council, requiring the structure to be designed, manufactured, and installed in strict accordance with Council-issued drawings and specifications.
As the principal contractor responsible for delivering the subdivision infrastructure, Daracon Group required a manufacturing partner with the technical capability to interpret and execute Council drawings to specification and the installation capacity to complete works within the project programme.
ENCAT was selected on the basis of our established expertise manufacturing bus shelters with civil streetscape infrastructure together with our vertically integrated manufacturing and installation capabilities.
Manufacture of bus shelters to council specifications in NSW
All structural and architectural components were manufactured at ENCAT’s purpose-built facility in Wollongong, New South Wales, in direct compliance with Lake Macquarie City Council’s issued drawings. ENCAT’s in-house engineering team reviewed the council design documentation and translated all requirements into production-ready fabrication instructions ensuring that the completed structure would meet the council’s dimensional, structural and finish requirements without the need for design modification or substitution.
Precision Fabrication Using CNC Tube Laser Technology
All structural components for the Boolaroo shelter were cut using ENCAT’s in-house CNC tube laser cutting system, a capital investment that directly benefits clients requiring manufacture to council or authority-issued drawings.
Unlike manual or saw-cutting processes, CNC tube laser cutting is computer-controlled to sub-millimetre tolerances, ensuring that every component is produced to the exact dimensional specifications contained in the design documentation.
The technology is capable of cutting complex coped and mitred profiles directly into the tube steel thus eliminating the need for additional filler plates or corrective fabrication that can compromise both structural integrity and finished appearance. It also reduces potential corrosion points, since every weld is a potential entry point for moisture.
For Lake Macquarie City Council this meant the completed structure reflected the issued drawings precisely with components aligning correctly on site, weld lines kept to a minimum and the overall fabrication presenting the clean, considered finish expected of permanent public infrastructure.
Where a council or developer requires multiple shelters across multiple sites, the CNC process also guarantees dimensional consistency between units, ensuring that maintenance, replacement components and future upgrades can be executed without modification or remedial work.
Material Selection
Materials were selected to meet the functional, aesthetic and durability requirements of the council specification. The roof was fabricated using Colorbond Custom Orb sheeting which was selected for its proven performance in exposed outdoor environments and its compatibility with council colour schedules.
Roof blades were cut from Universal Steel Beams providing the structural rigidity and refined visual profile required for a public streetscape application.
The remaining structural components were fabricated from tube steel offering a clean, contemporary finish appropriate to the residential subdivision context.
DDA Compliant Seating
ENCAT supplied and incorporated DDA compliant seating fabricated in anodised aluminium in accordance with the requirements of the AS 1428 accessibility series. The anodised aluminium finish was selected for its superior corrosion resistance, low maintenance requirements and aesthetic quality.
This will ensure the installation meets both the functional obligations of the DA condition and the long-term maintenance expectations of Lake Macquarie City Council.
A high quality, precise, manufacturing process for bus shelters in NSW
All fabrication was completed entirely within ENCAT’s Wollongong facility, providing full quality control and traceability throughout the manufacturing process.
- Precision Cutting
All structural components were cut using ENCAT’s modern CNC tube laser cutting system. This technology ensures dimensional accuracy and consistency across all components, eliminating manual variation and reducing fabrication time while achieving the tight tolerances required for a specification-compliant outcome.
- Certified Welding
All welded joints were completed by ENCAT’s qualified welders in accordance with AS 1554 Part 1, ensuring that the structural integrity of the shelter meets the requirements applicable to publicly accessible infrastructure. Certified welding provides both the technical assurance required by council and the durability necessary for extended service life in an outdoor environment.
- Corrosion Protection & Powder Coating
The completed structure was processed through ENCAT’s in-house powder coating plant. A zinc-rich primer coat was applied to all steel surfaces as the first stage of a two-coat system, providing a robust corrosion-resistant base.A colour topcoat was then applied as specified, achieving the required Council colour schedule and ensuring a durable, UV-stable finish appropriate for permanent outdoor public infrastructure.
The use of ENCAT’s own powder coating facility eliminates the risk of damage or contamination associated with third-party finishing, and allows full quality control over both stages of the coating process.
Bus shelters delivered and installed in NSW
The completed shelter was transported directly to the Bicat Street site using ENCAT’s crane truck ensuring the structure arrived in the condition in which it left the factory. The use of ENCAT’s own transport eliminated the handoff risk associated with third-party freight and allowed the installation team to manage the delivery schedule in alignment with the broader subdivision programme.
On-site installation was completed by ENCAT’s installation team. The shelter was positioned and anchored using chemical set (chemset) fixings, providing a high-strength, vibration-resistant connection to the concrete substrate appropriate for a high-pedestrian-use public asset.
The entire on-site installation programme was completed within three hours, minimising disruption to the surrounding construction activity and to the adjacent residential environment.
This meant the project was delivered within the client’s required timeframe with the shelter transported and installed on the date agreed with the Daracon Group at the commencement of the engagement.
No programme delays were incurred at any stage of manufacture, transport, or installation.
Learn more about our range of bus shelters
The completed bus shelter meets all dimensional, structural, accessibility and finish requirements of the Lake Macquarie City Council DA condition.
The shelter was delivered on schedule and installed without issue, enabling the Daracon Group to satisfy the infrastructure obligations of the Development Approval and proceed with the remaining subdivision programme.
ENCAT’s ability to manage all stages of the work in-house from engineering interpretation, material procurement through to fabrication, finishing, transport, and installation provided the Daracon Group with a single point of accountability and eliminated the scheduling complexity that arises from engaging multiple subcontractors for discrete scopes of work.
ENCAT has been designing, manufacturing and installing bus shelters for local councils, state government agencies, civil works contractors and major infrastructure projects across Australia since 1989.
With over 500 shelters supplied in New South Wales alone, and installations ranging from rural school bus stops to Sydney Airport’s domestic terminal, ENCAT has the manufacturing capability, compliance knowledge and project delivery experience to meet the requirements of any bus shelter application.
Learn more about our range of bus shelters.
