Greg Mumford is the Sales, Service and Marketing Manager for the ANZP division of Caterpillar Global Construction and Infrastructure. He speaks to Quarry about the year that was and what to expect for the extractive industry in 2023.
Looking back at 2022, how did the Australian quarry industry perform?
The quarry industry performed very well. The residential construction market, the civil infrastructure projects being undertaken and expansion of mining infrastructure all helped to support the growth in the quarry industry.
What were some highlights for Caterpillar from 2022?
Highlights were the ability to bring new technology and equipment to the quarry industry. This enables our customers to achieve better productivity and efficiency, which is also aligned to the industry’s focus on sustainability.
What are some of the most popular Cat machines in the extractive industry?
The most popular product category from Cat this year was our medium wheel loaders. The 980/982 medium wheel loaders specifically, which were revealed at the national Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA) Conference, have been very well received since their launch, by customers both in Australia and New Zealand. The 982 medium wheel loader comes equipped with a Cat C13 engine and very importantly, features that make step changes in fuel efficiency and productivity such as Cat Payload and a new autodig feature.
Which equipment technologies do you foresee to be of greater interest for the extractive industry over the next few years?
I think technologies that measure payloads accurately and efficiently will become more and more relevant, as well be technologies that enable customers to reduce their fuel consumption – both to improve their fuel efficiency and to reduce their carbon footprints.
Does Caterpillar have any innovative products to launch in 2023?
We will be completing our Next Generation line-up of our medium wheel loaders in 2023, which we are very excited about. That will mean all of our medium loaders will become equipped with the latest technology in Australia, so more customers will be able to experience the difference of our next generation products.
What do you anticipate will be a major challenge for the Australian extractive industry in the next three years?
I think the acquisition of new people into the quarrying industry is the primary concern, both in attracting new people in and also in training these fresh people to be able to perform advanced duties. There are a lot of older people leaving the industry and taking that knowledge with them with no one to pass it on to. Additionally, how to respond to the challenge presented by sustainability is another key challenge.
How can Caterpillar assist the industry with meeting these future challenges?
The first is through training offered by Caterpillar and the Cat dealers. We have a well-established training programs that comprehensively teaches operators and rewards the business. The second way is through our technology that helps with the sustainability challenges I mentioned. The new engine technology that we have helps reduce fuel consumption. We also offer technology that enables customers to gain higher levels of productivity and increased sustainability, through the virtue of trained operators using these machines.
Any final words?
At Caterpillar, we are committed to supporting our customers in Australia, which is shown through our ongoing support and our sponsorship of the IQA – which we see as a very important pillar of the industry. We’ll continue this support strongly in the future.
For more information, visit the CAT website.