The facility, located right off the F3 freeway, has been built on a 5.5-hectare site to allow for the expected company growth and ease of access for customers, suppliers and its 320 employees.

The new location will incorporate the company’s Australian headquarters, customer service centre and manufacturing facility for new longwall and diesel and development equipment.

The Beresfield facility will allow for the continued growth of the diesel vehicle manufacturing and export business and has enough spare land for a further two workshop bays for future expansion.

The new facility will bring together and accommodate DBT employees from the existing Argenton and Hexham sites.

Early in 2005 DBT relocated its headquarters and longwall manufacturing facilities for the Australia/South Africa region from Rooty Hill in Sydney to the existing facility at Argenton, Newcastle in preparation for the completion of the new facility.

The official opening on Friday will begin at 10am with a tour of the facility followed by speeches, the plaque unveiling and lunch.