Family businesses from around the globe are working together to deliver crushing equipment tailored to support Australian quarries.
Paul Kerr has spent more than 30 years in the quarry equipment business. During this time, he has visited dozens of factories, learning what makes them tick and how they build equipment for the Australian environment.
He brings this experience to his role as Onetrak’s national manager for crushing and screening. His responsibility is to liaise with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for the Australian-based family business.
One of these OEMs is Anaconda, which itself is a family business based in Northern Ireland. It specialises in designing, manufacturing, and supplying trommels, crushers, and screens for the material handling sectors.
Originally founded in 2005 as sub-contractor specialists, Anaconda was acquired by another family business – the McLanahan Corporation.
“It’s dynamic to work with three different family businesses, across three different continents,” Kerr told Quarry.
“We can get technical support from the factory – and not just from Northern Ireland. Reciprocal engineers in the United States means we have someone available across 16 hours a day.
“While they support us, we can also support them.”
The Australian quarry industry has unique demands. This is why Kerr was an ideal person to work alongside Anaconda’s design team. He said the three main issues facing Australian equipment are the heat, the dry climate, and geographical remoteness.
“We’re quite unique as a market segment, and we’re an area where Anaconda wants to make a difference,” Kerr said.
“Heat mostly affects screens. They’re hydrostatic and hydraulically driven. High temperatures can affect the longevity of seals and hoses, which can cause a loss of efficiency.
“There’s also a need to make sure the viscosity of the oil is the right level, and heat plays a major role. It’s important to make sure that every component is appropriate for the hot weather and high ultraviolet radiation.”
A dry climate means dust ingress can become a major problem. If dust manages to get into bearings and seals, it can significantly reduce the reliability of a machine. Placement of the bearings can also reduce the risks of dust ingress. To address these issues, Kerr visited the Anaconda factory and spent three days working with the company’s engineers. During this time, he reviewed the Anaconda machinery bit by bit, consulting with the Northern Ireland team to make sure the products would be fit for Australian conditions.
Kerr had visited the company’s factory a decade ago and said the McLanahan Corporation’s investment had enhanced it.
“I’ve been to all of the major manufacturing facilities for this type of equipment in Northern Ireland, and Anaconda’s paint facility is the best I have seen,” he said.
“The software they use is on the cutting edge. With McLanahan’s help, they have been able to incorporate the latest technology, from hydraulic flow to finite element analysis.
“It is all used to make sure each machine meets the company’s standards, using the right materials.”
Onetrak is more than just the official Australian dealer for Anaconda. It is also part of the company’s consulting team for developing new products.
Kerr was impressed at how quickly his feedback was taken on board. Where it might have taken months for these changes to be made in another manufacturer’s process, Anaconda was able to update the design almost immediately.
“One of the most important things about Anaconda is its versatility. They’ve been around for a decade and have been improving their designs from day one,” Kerr said.
“They’ve designed machines that offer good value for money. The whole design concept is to create a dependable workhorse and have been able to make them even more reliable for the Australian market.”
This reliability is vital for Australian quarries. Not only is Northern Ireland on the other side of the world, but often quarries cannot afford to wait for replacement parts if a machine breaks down.
To solve this problem, Onetrak has eight branches that are spread across the country. Each branch carries important components and wear parts for the crushing and screening sector. In addition, a full fleet of trucks lets the company’s teams support quarries around Australia.
Its distribution centre in Melbourne supports these branches, and its partnerships in Asia, North America, and Europe help keep the stock of spare parts high.
Kerr said if anything needs to be done quickly, each branch has teams of specialists that can move quickly for emergency breakdowns.
“We’re continuing to expand,” he said. “We’re looking at opening up another office this year.”
“We’re also excited to celebrate a major milestone. This year, we will have delivered more than 500 Anaconda machines into Australia over the past decade.” •
For more information, visit onetrak.com.au
