Steel Solutions for Australia’s Landmark Highway Project
With more than three decades of industry experience, Metal Projects has earned its place as one of Australia’s most reliable and respected structural steel fabricators. Headquartered in Wetherill Park, NSW, this family-owned business brings a legacy of craftsmanship, service, and innovation to every project.
From intricate architectural steelwork to robust structural frameworks for commercial and industrial builds, Metal Projects delivers end-to-end solutions including detailing, fabrication, painting, and erection. Their integrated in-house capabilities ensure efficiency, consistency, and control from concept through to completion.
“We pride ourselves on our transparency, our people, and the way we push fabrication forward through innovation. Teamwork, safety, and quality are non-negotiable in our business,” says Managing Director Jason Babic.
“We pride ourselves on our transparency, our people, and the way we push fabrication forward through innovation. Teamwork, safety, and quality are non-negotiable in our business.”
— Jason Babic, Managing Director, Metal Projects
Trusted by some of Australia’s top builders and developers, Metal Projects is known for navigating complexity with ease, delivering steel packages that meet both technical and aesthetic benchmarks. Their ability to adapt to live sites, tight timelines, and intricate designs has made them a go-to partner across the country.
A big part of that success stems from strong supplier relationships. For over five years, United Steel has been a key partner-providing not just steel, but the trust, flexibility, and processing support that help Metal Projects keep delivering.
“Having a supplier who understands your workflow and gets the detail right from day one, including cutting, drilling, prepping and on-time delivery makes all the difference on projects with critical paths.”
— Jason Babic, Managing Director, Metal Projects
Project Overview: Ampol M4 Twin Service Stations
The Ampol M4 Twin Service Stations Redevelopment in Eastern Creek represents a new era of highway infrastructure in Australia. The project involves the construction of two flagship service centres on either side of the M4 motorway – each equipped with modern facilities for motorists and truck drivers alike.
Metal Projects was engaged by Mainbrace Constructions to fabricate and install all primary steelwork across both the Eastbound and Westbound sites. The steel package included:
- Retail Buildings: 40 tonnes each
- Car Canopies: 25 tonnes each
- Truck Canopies: 18 tonnes each
All steel products were processed and supplied by United Steel, including universal beams, columns, and RHS sections. Processing including cutting and drilling was critical to the reliable and efficient delivery of this highly sequenced build.
“We’ve built our business on transparency, relationships, and pushing the boundaries of steel fabrication, and that shows in projects like the M4 redevelopment. Having a partner like United Steel meant we could stick to our timelines confidently. That trust is everything when you’re juggling dual live sites.”
— Jason Babic, Managing Director, Metal Projects
Technical Execution and Site Coordination.
From design to installation, Metal Projects managed each stage with precision. Their team erected the eastbound structures first, while coordinating construction of a temporary fuel station to keep westbound operations running.
“Our team has been making strong, steady progress across both the westbound and eastbound sites,” says Jason. “We’ve completed all three eastbound structures and the retail building on the westbound site. We’re now gearing up to complete the final canopy structures.”
— Jason Babic, Metal Projects
Advanced planning sessions with Ampol’s engineering and operations teams ensured construction could proceed without impacting the customer experience. The Metal Projects team scheduled their works around live fuelling operations and collaborated with site teams to manage traffic flows and equipment access safely.
Some key challenges included:
- Tight staging requirements to always maintain operational fuelling on at least one side of the motorway.
- Large span canopies requiring structural precision and safe heavy lifting.
- Coordination with fuel, electrical, and signage trades.
Metal Projects developed and executed a strategic build program that allowed for uninterrupted service centre operation while safely delivering large-scale canopy and retail frame construction.
“We had forklifts rolling, trucks fuelling, concrete getting poured, and steel going up, all at once. That’s where coordination is key. You can’t do that without a responsive supply partner and a team that thrives under pressure.”
— Jason Babic, Metal Projects
A Sustainable Approach.
The Ampol M4 Twin Servos are future-proofed to accommodate electric vehicle charging stations and incorporate sustainable materials and energy-efficient design. Metal Projects ensured all structural steel was compliant, traceable, and suitable for Green Star-rated projects.
“Sustainability was a key factor, ensuring the materials sourced were sustainable and meet Green Star ratings. By choosing steel that sourced through United Steel, the project supports circular economy principles while minimising embodied carbon.”
— Jason Babic, Metal Projects
Partnering with United Steel
United Steel’s contribution was essential to the success of both project timelines and quality outcomes.
Their role included:
- Processing steel to specification – Cutting, drilling and section preparation.
- Supplying traceable, compliant steel – Meeting Australian standards
- On-time delivery – Crucial for staged installations.
“From United Steel’s perspective, it was about being responsive with our quoting process. Delivering cut-to-length, drilled-to-spec steel, on time, every time kept Metal Projects’ workflow running smoothly. From United Steel’s perspective, it was about being responsive with our quoting process. Delivering cut-to-length, drilled-to-spec steel, on time, every time kept Metal Projects’ workflow running smoothly.”
— Pernell Briggs, Account Manager of United Steel.
What set United Steel apart was their flexibility and responsiveness throughout the entire project lifecycle. Their ability to accommodate design changes, rush orders, and complex material coordination ensured the steel arrived when and how it was needed.
A Growth Journey
The Ampol M4 redevelopment is set to become a blueprint for modern highway infrastructure. The structural steelwork underpins everything from the new dining zones to the covered refuelling areas for B-double trucks.
“It’s a growth journey for our business. We’re proud to be part of a project that’s raising the bar for road user experiences in Australia.”
— Jason Babic, Metal Projects
Metal Projects’ role in the Ampol Twin Servos project exemplifies their ability to operate at scale, within strict timelines, and under real-world operational pressures. The outcome is not only a testament to steel craftsmanship, but also to forward-thinking infrastructure that serves communities, logistics networks, and future sustainability targets.
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