Queensland Alumina Limited is putting the word out to local businesses as it rolls out $600 million in improvements at the Gladstone plant over six years.

Earlier this year QAL reported it was embarking on a $260 million five-year Environmental Improvement Strategy.

However the company says this only represents about 30 per cent of the total capital expenditure planned to modernise and improve the 52-year-old refinery.

In the peak construction period over the next two years QAL will double its current contractor workforce, resulting in up to 500 contractors per day.

QAL acting general manager Pine Pienaar said the key to QAL being able to deliver this investment portfolio safely and on time was by engaging with local businesses and ensuring they were ready to take on the additional workload.

“We really want to resource the bulk of this work locally, using local businesses and their people, with the flow-on positive being that it will attract more permanent residents to our region and hopefully fill some empty houses,” he said.

“There are over 165 projects involved across many disciplines; this is a huge workload and a great opportunity for both established businesses and small businesses wanting the opportunity to grow.

“The sheer amount of work means there will no doubt be some non-local resources sought, however we are hoping to see a lot of Gladstone businesses collaborate so that we can keep it as locally-supplied as possible.”