Formerly | QR National Limited |
---|---|
Company type | Government-owned company then publicly traded company |
ASX: AZJ | |
Industry | Rail transport |
Founded | 2004 |
Headquarters | , Australia |
Area served | |
Key people |
|
Products | Coal, bulk, and containerised freight |
Services | Logistics, supply chain management, line haul, and terminal operations |
Revenue | A$3.179 billion (June 2018) |
Number of employees | 4,883 (2020)[1] |
Divisions | Network, Coal, Bulk, Intermodal (pre 2018) |
Website | aurizon |
Aurizon Holdings Limited (/əˈraɪzən/ ə-RY-zən)[2][3] is a freight rail transport company in Australia, formerly named QR National Limited and branded QR National. In 2015, it was the world's largest rail transporter of coal from mine to port.[4] Formerly a Queensland Government-owned company, it was privatised and floated on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in November 2010.[5] The company was originally established in 2004–05 when the coal, bulk, and container transport divisions from Queensland Rail were brought under one banner as QR National.
In 2019, the company operated in five Australian states; on an average day it moved more than 700,000 metric tons (690,000 long tons) of coal, iron ore, other minerals, agricultural products and general freight – equating to more than 250 million tonnes annually. Aurizon also managed the 2670 kilometres (1660 miles) Central Queensland coal network that links mines to coal ports at Bowen, Gladstone and Mackay; it was the largest haulier of iron ore outside the Pilbara.[6]
In 2021, a major corporate change was foreshadowed when Aurizon sought to acquire rail operator One Rail Australia. The corporate regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, approved the sale subject to One Rail Australia's coal-haulage business in New South Wales and Queensland being divested.[7] Aurizon's purchase of One Rail Australia's assets not subject to divestiture occurred in July 2022.[8] Divestiture of the remaining assets occurred on sale to Magnetic Rail Group on 17 February 2023.[9]
The company in 2023 was Australia's largest rail-based transport business, transporting more than 250 million tonnes (246 million long tons) of commodities per year.[10]