The objective was to design, construct, commission and test a coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) to process coal from two seams to produce 8.5% and 11% ash coking coal. The project had been deferred after an economic feasibility study for several years owing to market conditions. Sedgman's value engineering study resulted in a simplified plant layout, reducing capital and operating costs by 20%. The initial CHPP took just 44 weeks from commitment to completion. The design reflected latest engineering practice and positioned the plant in the lowest quartile of operating costs and highest efficiency. The project was hailed a 'state-of-the-art' CHPP facility designed and built to minimise downtime, operating costs and maintenance while optimising operational efficiency. It was awarded a National Safety Council of Australia five-star rating and won the 2004 Queensland Construction Achievement Award. In 2006, the original plant's capacity was doubled by parallel construction of a new facility. Detailed plans incorporating project controls and management systems contributed to timely completion. The CHPP's large ROM hopper design ensured maximum coal was directly dumped, eliminating raw coal stockpiling and handling. A fully automatic train load out system ensured minimal supervision.