The Perth Arena is a world-class multipurpose indoor entertainment and sports venue in Perth, Western Australia.

Widely recognised for its bold and imaginative architecture and interior design, the arena is considered one of the most complex steel buildings and technically challenging construction projects in Australia, over recent years.

The building has a different exterior appearance from every angle and features five versatile function rooms, 36 luxury VIP suites, a 686 bay underground car park and a wide range of merchandise, catering and beverages outlets.  

Major events such as sports competitions including the Hopman Cup tennis tournament,  music concerts and other high-profile events are held in the 15,000 capacity arena.

Construction took three years to complete and costs amounted to approximately AUD$500 million.

According to Luke Wibberley from Ferro Clean in Perth, over 40,000 litres of paint were used to shop-paint 4,000 tonnes of steel, amounting to 21,900m2 of steel work.  A three-coat paint system was applied to some areas with tricky steelwork designs.

Mr Wibberley explained that prior to the application of the high performance coatings on the building structure, a consistent blast profile and surface cleanliness are crucial to maximise the longevity of the corrosion protection.

"An even blast profile is key to paint adhesion and to determine the lifespan of protective coatings on steel surfaces. Similarly, using an inferior quality abrasive may cause surface contamination and insufficient or irregular surface profile. This can lead to premature coating failure."

“We selected GMA Garnet abrasive for this project as we are assured of its consistent high quality.  The availability and consistent supply of garnet delivered to us has helped us manage our surface preparation works smoothly,” Mr Wibberley said. 

“300 tonnes of GMA Premiumblast abrasives were used in this project and GMA was a reliable supplier from the beginning to the end,” Mr Wibberley added. 

Ferro-Clean was established in 1966 and coverted from silica sand to GMA Garnet in 1970, as one of the first companies to recognise the value of this high-performance abrasive. 

Over the years, Ferro-Clean has built a reputation for exceptional quality and reliable service. With highly experienced experts teamed with a range of specialised processing and material handling equipment, Ferro-Clean has the adaptability and capacity to seamlessly process large mining projects right through to small construction projects. 

By Marc Putzier, GMA Asia Pacific