For 50 years, Austin Engineering has been building customised truck trays and mining buckets to improve payload and handling conditions for miners across the world. Austin pioneered the concept of lightweight haul truck trays that could carry more tonnes and less steel. It also recognised the return on investment to mining companies meant payback was often measured in weeks for equipment that could last years. Today, most mining companies in Australia use lightweight trays to maximise the ore moved annually per truck and this approach has been increasingly adopted in other regions of the world by international mining companies, which has in turn been adopted locally. Austin’s high customer retention rate is testimony to the value that it delivers.

Also key to the efficiency of operations is improving bucket performance by pass matching buckets to haul tray capacity and reducing the number of passes to load. Austin has developed a new range of HP (High Performance) buckets suitable for fitting to almost all OEM equipment from front end loaders to excavators and face shovels all the way up to the largest rope shovels. The HP series together with the range of Mainetec-designed Hulk buckets are able to be operated without liners to reduce weight and increase ore movement per pass whilst reducing dig energy. Innovative wear liner packages to suit local conditions and in high wear areas can be added as required.

What sets Austin apart is this focus on providing the most capable and productive bucket for every application. Whether an operation requires high-production lightweight buckets or demands the rugged reliability of heavy-duty armoured counterparts, each bucket undergoes a comprehensive process of custom design and engineering. This approach tailors each bucket precisely to a mine site’s unique application requirements, guaranteeing an optimal fit for specific operational needs.

Austin has invested in building its manufacturing capacity and upgrading all of its facilities globally to better service its customers and meet their specific requirements and timeframes. Austin’s facilities are located in key global mining regions allowing the company to deliver to customers on time and at competitive rates. The recent upgrades have also allowed Austin to allocate more capacity to key customers, and to meet increased orders. Installation of advanced manufacturing systems mean all of Austin’s facilities can manufacture the highest quality products using the latest design and innovation. A current recurring revenue stream of 89% is a testament to Austin’s performance.

Acknowledging the complexities and challenges of the mining sector, Austin becomes an integral part of mining company teams, dedicated to enhancing operational performance and contributing to the overall success of mining endeavours. As a strategic partner, Austin provides a wealth of expertise, innovation, and support.

Austin has key locations on both the West and East coast of Australia, in Batam in Indonesia, Chile and Wyoming in the USA, which services all of North America. Headquartered in Perth, Australia, Austin also collaborates with mining companies, contractors, and equipment manufacturers to deliver engineering solutions such as underground truck trays, water tanks, and tire handlers for multi-commodity underground and open-cut operations.

Austin also provides customers with its state-of-the-art condition monitoring software, Mainetrack. Mainetrack is Austin’s condition monitoring software system that monitors wear and condition of a mining bucket or truck tray through its life, both individually and across an entire fleet. The system predicts when a bucket will hit its wear limits and needs to be scheduled for rebuild. This helps prevent unplanned breakdowns and assists in scheduling rebuild or repair programs.

In 2022, Austin acquired Australian bucket manufacturer, Mainetec, and is now offering Mainetec’s high-value dipper buckets into its global markets, particularly North and South America, where there is high demand and a large dipper bucket market. Austin sold its first Mainetec-designed dipper bucket into the USA market in 2023. The Armadillo electric rope shovel dipper bucket is due for delivery in 2024.

AUSTIN’S CEO AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, DAVID SINGLETON

“I am extremely proud of the work that the Austin team has achieved over the past 12 months. Our industry-leading buckets have continued to be at the forefront of innovation, and deliver the best results for our customers.”

WHAT SETS AUSTIN APART FROM OTHER MINING SERVICE PROVIDERS?

“Austin’s goal is to provide best in class products to the mining industry. We have invested in designing and manufacturing products for increased efficiency like our stronger and more lightweight High Performance (HP) Bucket and High Performance Tray (HPT) range, which are receiving significant market interest.

We currently have five major manufacturing sites across four continents, which has allowed us to maintain schedules and delivery times in a capacity constrained market through the extensions to our facilities in Batam, Indonesia, Australia and Chile. We are now preparing to expand our USA operations. Through our network of operations, we can deliver to any customer in any global location.

We have also built up our customer support business and bucket rebuild businesses to make sure that onsite operations are maintained at the most efficient level.

Our design and engineering capabilities also set us apart. Austin has designed and manufactured products for the mining industry for more than 50 years and we have consistently maintained our high standard of innovation and excellence to create world-leading customised products.”

AUSTIN HAS BEEN IN OPERATION FOR OVER 50 YEARS, HOW DO YOU KEEP AHEAD OF NEW COMPETITORS?

“We focus on delivering a high return on investment for our mining clients in the belief that what delivers benefit for the customer will deliver strong demand for Austin. It’s a formula that works well. Our way of doing this is through innovation and customisation of the product to the exact requirements of the mine, knowing that every operation is unique and that one size does not fit all.

Our teams of engineers are working constantly to create the highest quality products for our customers that exactly meet their mining requirements, and drive efficiency in operational performance. Since Austin was formed in 1969, Austin has set out to create the lightest and highest quality products to best suit our customers’ needs, and we continue to live up to this philosophy.

We identified Mainetec as an innovative and entrepreneurial business that fitted our strategy to become a leading designer and manufacturer of customised mining buckets. The acquisition of Mainetec has allowed us to significantly grow our bucket market offering domestically, and we have commenced marketing our buckets internationally with a particular focus on the Americas, where a large dipper bucket market exists.”

For a comprehensive overview of Austin’s product range and to explore how its expertise can elevate your mining operations, visit austineng.com/products/.

Partner with Austin, where innovation meets excellence, and redefine the future of high-performance mining buckets.