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Indonesia provides platform for global growth
October 6th, 2023 | by excitemediaAustin’s decision to upgrade and expand its manufacturing operations in Indonesia is proving an effective move in supporting its other global manufacturing businesses, from a production capacity and cost perspective.
Austin’s Batam facility underwent a major expansion in early 2023, adding a further 10,000 square metres to its floorspace, and doubling production capacity.
Austin’s refurbishment of its existing Batam operations comprised reviewing and refining production systems to lift efficiency and product quality, particularly for truck trays and underground ore pass and chute assemblies.
The Batam facility is able to manufacture Austin’s entire product range and will be used as a key production and export hub, shipping to customers across the globe. Set up as part of Austin’s hub and spoke strategy, Indonesia is being used to absorb capacity overflow in other major centres in Australia and the US.
Austin CEO and Managing Director, David Singleton, said: “I am really excited by what is happening in Indonesia, where we are seeing strong orders and throughout, which is generating revenue growth. Ultimately, it’s being driven by a great local team that is transforming the business.
“Indonesia is key to our hub and spoke manufacturing under our Austin 2.0 strategy and will be increasingly able to support our operations in Australia, boosting the capabilities in our important Asia Pacific segment, and further afield to the US and eventually EMEA.”
The investment in Batam has paid off with Austin’s FY23 revenue from its Indonesian operations increasing 51% compared to the previous year.
The Batam facility’s production capacity in FY23 increased from 10 truck bodies per month to over 20 units.
Further enhancements to the manufacturing process systems and tools is expected to see the facility produce over 30 truck bodies per month, which will allow it to further extend its manufacturing hub service to Austin’s North and South American business units.
Mr Singleton added: “We’ve already lent on Batam to support our business in Australia with full and partial builds and we are now preparing to support our US business with order overflow.
From Batam, we also have options to ship products at various stages of assembly to meet customer needs and utilise our existing operations and final assembly partnerships.”
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Austin opens a new market to India
September 19th, 2023 | by excitemediaIn 2023, Austin Engineering received its first-ever order of truck trays from an India-based customer, representing a new market opportunity for Austin’s Asia Pacific business.
India is one of the world’s largest mining countries, with more than A$39 billion worth of minerals produced each year, and a rapidly developing mining industry. India is also the world’s third-largest iron-ore producer and has some of the largest mineral reserves of coal, iron ore and bauxite globally.
India’s mining industry has shown rapid growth over the past 10 years with the nation becoming a major international player in the production and exportation of critical minerals.
In June 2023, Austin received a purchase order for four haul truck trays from one of India’s major iron ore producers, adding further growth to our already extensive Asia Pacific business and opening a new door to possible customer partnerships.
Austin’s customer is looking to demonstrate the benefits of Austin’s unique truck tray design across its iron ore operations.
Austin’s CEO and Managing Director, David Singleton said:
“We are very excited to have this entry point into India as we continue to broaden our customer network across the Asia Pacific region. India is the world’s third-largest iron ore producer, and we are pleased to have secured an order with one of the country’s major miners.”
The order consists of customised ULTIMA trays that took nine months of engineering work with the customer to complete. The trays are custom-designed without a steel wear liner and are designed to deliver an additional 66,000 tonnes of ore per annum with less downtime for repairs.
The trays will also be fitted with Austin’s Mainetrack condition monitoring software to allow our customer to monitor the wear rates of their new truck trays in real-time.
Mr Singleton said,
“It presents an important opportunity for Austin to market its customised equipment and the potential advantages it could bring the country’s iron ore sector.”
Austin is looking forward to continuing to expand into the Indian mining market.
“We also see India as a logical market expansion opportunity given our existing experience in the Australian iron ore sector. The Australian Government has vastly improved business access and trade opportunity with India through an elimination, reduction or phase-out of tariffs, and we see a long-term future potential for Austin in this market.”
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Austin’s High-Performance Truck Tray (HPT) at cutting-edge of design and engineering
September 15th, 2023 | by excitemediaAustin Engineering’s High-Performance Truck Tray (HPT) represents the next generation in truck tray design and engineering and positions Austin as a leader in the manufacture of customised lightweight truck trays for enhanced operational efficiency.
Austin’s HPT is its lightest tray ever manufactured and offers a broad range of improved efficiencies and features to the mining industry.
Austin is the world leader in customised design, build and sustainment of mine site haul truck trays, delivering trays to mining clients from its bases across Asia-Pacific, North and South America. Austin currently delivers around 600 truck bodies annually with capabilities and functions to suit multiple commodities and terrains.
The HPT’s payload advantage is one of its key features. Compared to Austin’s ULTIMA product, HPT delivers on average an extra 45,000 tonnes of ore carried per tray annually, with 7.3 tonnes more payload. The HPT also utilises less steel in its manufacture and sees a decline in overall fuel and tyre usage and reduces carbon emissions per tonne of ore delivered.
The HPT features a state-of-the-art “V” floor configuration that provides multiple benefits over traditional tray options. The HPT enhances the flow by funnelling loads towards its centre during dumping. This unique feature reduces wear, improves stability, and ultimately reduces dump cycle times through three-quarter tipping.
The HPT’s unique design also increases the structural integrity of the tray and provides superior impact and wear resistance which results in a lower maintenance cost for users. The simplified structure of the HPT designs means that manufacturing and in-field serviceability is also significantly improved relative to conventional truck trays.
Austin’s HPT is designed to improve function in every aspect for customers, with the tray providing a 10-15 percent mass saving over comparable designs with real-world modelling techniques having been utilised to ensure the highest level of productivity and savings for users.
The tray has not only been designed against real-world payload modelling techniques but has also been tested against advanced 3D modelling software to ensure that the HPT performs at its required level. Austin has tested every aspect of the HPT, from load simulations to optimal fatigue life testing with the latest software.
Austin utilises a process of continuous improvement to ensure all its tray designs are structurally fit for purpose.
“Austin is known and recognised for its lightweight truck trays, but this is our lightest tray yet, and we’re extremely proud of our engineering and manufacturing teams on this design to meet the requirements of our customers. One of the biggest advantages is the HPT’s extra payload capabilities. A major customer calculated that it could carry $2.8 million dollars of ore per truck tray, per year, which is a significant impact efficiency and dollars-wise for mining companies.”
Fully Customisable
Austin’s HPT provides a fully customisable option for customers, with Austin’s TX-1 body design allowing adaptable solutions for mine-specific applications.
The HPT is designed to comply with all OEM machine limitations and is interchangeable with OEM componentry and machine attachments, this provides a flexible and convenient solution for users.
Proven Performance
Austin’s HPT has already been tried and tested by customers with the first trays having been fitted to Komatsu trucks before being delivered to customer mine sites.
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Austin’s Lightest-Ever Truck Tray Launched
June 29th, 2023 | by excitemediaGlobal mining products business Austin Engineering Ltd has just launched its High Performance Truck Tray (HPT) range to the market.
The HPT is the Company’s lightest tray ever produced and promises a suite of improved efficiencies and advantages for Austin’s mining customers.
Perth-based Austin partners with mining companies, contractors and equipment manufacturers to create engineering solutions such as truck bodies, buckets and water tanks for multi-commodity underground and open cut operations.
It is the world leader in customised design, build and sustainment of mine site haul trucks trays, delivering trays to mining clients from its bases across Asia-Pacific, North and South America. It currently delivers around 600 truck bodies annually with capabilities and functions to suit multiple commodities and terrains.
Austin has made considerable investment in new products in the last 12 months, with its engineering teams using the latest innovation and technology to improve safety, productivity and reduce environmental footprint. The investment has led to the creation of the HPT and the light weight and linerless JEC High Performance (HP Series) bucket range.
The key features of Austin’s HPT design have improved the overall strength of the tray, weight, stability, and efficiency of the product with more payload and less carryback. These have been achieved through adjustments and reconfigurations to the floor styling, load height, ground clearance, side support, and tray side and front walls.
On payload advantage, Austin estimates 10 – 15 per cent mass savings over comparable Austin designs, significantly improving productivity, and potentially fuel usage, for the end user.
All of Austin’s products are design-flexible, fully customisable and compliant. The HPT can be adapted to suit any mine-specific application and OEM make or model. Interchangeability also exists in regard to standard OEM componentry and machine attachment.
“Austin is known and recognised for its lightweight truck trays, but this is our lightest tray yet, and we’re extremely proud of our engineering and manufacturing teams on this design to meet the requirements of our customers. One of the biggest advantages is the HPT’s extra payload capabilities.
One of our major customers reported 7.3 tonnes more payload per journey. The customer calculated that it could carry $2.8 million dollars of ore per truck tray, per year, which is a significant impact efficiency and dollars-wise for mining companies,” said Austin Managing Director and CEO, David Singleton.
While Austin reported a lift in both tray and bucket sales in full year 2022, the new product ranges are expected to boost sales globally. Austin’s customer base will be broadened through the recent acquisition of private Australian mining equipment manufacturer, Mainetec Pty Ltd, which has added the Hulk range of high performance mining buckets to complement its JEC HP range.
First HPT trays in operation by end of month
The first production run of HPTs is now commencing manufacturing in Austin’s major Kewdale facility in Perth.
The first trays will be being fitted to Komatsu trucks before delivery to customer mine sites and into operation by the end of November 2022.
Maximising fleet capabilities
For more than half a century, Austin has been designing and manufacturing loading and hauling solutions for the mining industry. Its major manufacturing sites in Australia, Indonesia, North America and South America produce Austin’s major haul truck body brands including Westech, Westech PREMIER, JEC, JEC-LD and the popular ULTIMA tray range.
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