QR National (QRN)

Shares / Stock Code

QRN

Stock Exchange / Sharemarket

ax

QR National (QRN) is an integrated heavy haul freight railway operator and rail transporter of coal from mine to port for export markets, with portfolio of other bulk, general and containerised freight businesses, as well as large-scale rail services activities.

QR National will transport a diverse range of products across a national network.

• QR National delivers rail transport solutions that are safe, reliable and sustainable.
• QR National leverages off a strong and diverse capability base delivering quality results to its customers and is renowned for its world-class expertise in the fields of technology, engineering and operations.
• With freight tonnages of 248 million tonnes recorded during the 2008-09 financial year, QR National is one of Australia’s largest freight transport companies.
• Over the past five years, QR National’s coal and freight businesses have grown significantly, both organically and through acquisition, with freight tonnages increasing by 41 per cent (2004-05: 176 million tonnes to 2008-09: 248 million tonnes).
• With a fleet of more than 700 locomotives and 16,000 wagons, QR National provides large-scale supply chain solutions to a diverse Australian customer base.
• QR National has a workforce of more than 9,000 employees with a high standard of engineering and technical capability developed over 145 years.

Other facts about QR National:

• QR National recorded freight tonnages of approximately 260 million tonnes during 2009-10; the largest of any Australian transport company.
• Over the past five years, QR National's coal and freight businesses have grown significantly, both organically and through acquisition, with freight tonnages increasing by 49.4 per cent (2004-05: 175 million tonnes to 2009-10: 260 million tonnes).
• With a fleet of approximately 700 locomotives and 16,000 wagons, QR National provides large-scale supply chain solutions to a diverse Australian customer base.
• QR National has a workforce of more than 9,000 employees with a high standard of engineering and technical capability developed over 145 years.
• QR National operates the Central Queensland Coal Network (CQCN), the tracks utilised to transport the bulk of
  coal in Queensland. The CQCN is a major heavy-haul coal network spanning more than 2,300 kilometres serving coal ports at Gladstone, Mackay and Bowen.
• QR National hauls a range of non-coal bulk commodities including iron ore, alumina, metal concentrates, grain and sugar. During 2009-10, QR National hauled over 63 million tonnes of bulk general freight across five mainland states.

QR National History

On 8 December 2009 the Queensland Government announced its intention to offer for sale the commercial businesses of QR as an integrated operation – to be called QR National. Specifically, the entity to be privatised will comprise QR’s coal, bulk and general freight haulage services, operating on the Central Queensland Coal Network (CQCN) and including specialised track maintenance and workshop support functions.

The Queensland Government has announced that QR National is intended to be sold by an Initial Public Offering planned for the fourth quarter of 2010 subject to market conditions.

QR National is one of Australia’s largest railway operators and is expected to be among the largest companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

The business is an active participant in the resources sector with a significant focus on coal and mineral haulage across Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia. QR National’s freight haulage operations span the entire east coast of Australia, and west to Perth.