ARC Laboratory Services is using a collaborative approach to become the trusted partner of Australian quarries.
Relationships can often make or break businesses in the quarrying and aggregates sector. This was especially so for ARC Laboratory Services.
Laboratories can help ensure quarries produce the highest-quality construction material, but some sites see them as a hurdle they need to clear.
Matt van Herk, managing director at ARC Laboratory Services, saw a need to bring a collaborative approach for laboratory analysis and quality control around construction materials testing in the quarrying and aggregate sector.
ARC Laboratory Services is designed to be a trusted advisor throughout the quarry’s lifecycle, from formation to site rehabilitation.
While van Herk has started other geotechnical businesses in Western Geotechnical & Laboratory Services and Pilbara Geotechnical & Laboratory Services, ARC Laboratory Services is dedicated to the quarrying and aggregates sector.
With a sole focus on aggregate, rock and concrete services, the company provides specialised services to quarrying operators in a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have good exposure to reputable clients in regard to specialised testing services and effective collaborations with other laboratories in regards to best practice,” van Herk told Quarry.
“The ARC Laboratory team has been precisely put together to provide our clients with the greatest expertise and knowledge in concrete and aggregate testing, rock testing, and petrographic analysis. They’re able to utilise the equipment to achieve the best outcomes for the clients in those services.”
Beau Griffiths, laboratory operations manager at ARC Laboratory Services, and Rahul Pillai, senior petrologist, are two key figures in the team of seven who work with the quarrying clients across their testing.
“They’re the two pillars of our business. Beau has really good leadership qualities and has really brought into the culture of the business, and Rahul is an expert analyst, and everything he puts out is top quality,” van Herk said.
ARC Laboratory Services is a Western Australian-based business accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).
The accreditation ensures that the company meets stringent standards across the range of services it provides to the construction materials sector within Australia.
ARC Laboratory Services has one of the largest scopes for NATA-accredited services in the industry. This means customers can trust that ARC’s work will help them meet the required regulations and standards for their materials to be usable and insurable for any project, including major infrastructure projects, commercial construction, and more.
According to van Herk, the major shift for quarries and laboratory services has been the need to meet changing regulations and standards driven by insurance and legislation.
“The insurance requirements around some of these projects and the indemnity have changed, and the testing space has grown significantly in the past five to ten years,”he said.
“Previously, quarries may have been able to use a test result from two years ago, now that needs to be from 12 months ago, or six months ago in some cases. This is to ensure the quality control is 100 per cent there.
“The NATA accreditation is essentially our assurance to the client that we are following rigorous internal processes and procedures which ensure our results are 100 per cent correct.
“While it can be frustrating to see the amount of conformance work required to be completed, it does give assurance to the quarry and end-user that the material is completely fit for use and that all standards and specifications have been met.”
ARC Laboratory Services offers a wide range of aggregate, concrete, rock, and geology services, including petrographic analysis, from its lab, which is open seven days a week.
The company’s ability to conduct petrographic services internally means customers can receive expert analysis on potential quarry material for construction quickly to help mitigate any risks and get it to market.
“It is a forensic examination of the rock that allows us to make interpretations around potentially what the quarry can make from the rock in regard to products,” van Herk said.
“It is your step one in understanding the risks and limitations around the rock. It is the first thing we encourage customers to get done because from there, we can outline the risks or standards available to certify the products for usage.”
Another example of its specialised services to the sector is the assessment of Alkali-Silica in aggregate for concrete providers. Alkali-Silica Reactivity (ASR) is determinantal to concrete, effectively known as “concrete cancer”. ASR can cause expansion and cracking within the material and cause loss of strength and structural problems.
According to van Herk, ARC Laboratory Services is well-equipped to handle specialised testing requirements.
“ASR is something we can quickly identify in the petrographic analysis and then work with the client on accelerated mortar bar testing,” he said.
“For products such as sealing aggregates, we run the Polished Aggregate Friction Value Test internally and there is only a handful of laboratories that have the capability to run this test.”
For quarries, having geotechnical results quickly can help them make decisions about operations, including purchasing machinery and applying for licences.
With ARC Laboratory Services’ team of industry experts, van Herk wants laboratories to be a lifecycle partner for quarries.
“We’re trying to build lasting partnerships with organisations and quarries to give them the trust to put their product out to market and stand by it 100 per cent,” he said.
“As a valuable partner in the lifecycle of the quarry operation, we assist our customers to ensure testing standards are met. We want to provide quarries confidence through our quality and efficiency.” •
For more information, visit arctesting.com.au
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