OPS celebrated 35 years of business earlier this year. Image: Astec Industries
OPS celebrated its 35th anniversary earlier this year. Quarry looks back at the successful partnership between the dealer and Astec Industries.
OPS was the toast of the town earlier this year when the brand notched up 35 years of business and counting in Bibra Lake, Western Australia.
The company, which began as a small parts distributor, has worked across the mining, screening, crushing, blockmaking, washing, construction and earthmoving industries since 1989.
A key part of the company’s success has been its partnership with Astec Industries, the international equipment manufacturer. OPS became a Telestack Mobile Bulk Materials Handling dealer for Astec in 2014 and currently supports this product range Australia-wide.
“We’re happy with the performance and growth of OPS over the years, and that record has led to us giving them more areas, more products and more responsibility,” Astec business line manager for material solutions, Adam Gordon, told Quarry.
“Through the partnership, both businesses have grown well. We’re strong individually but we’re stronger working together.
OPS hosted clients and partners at a two-day event to mark its 35th anniversary. Through those years, the company has become one of Australia’s largest minerals processing and handling solutions providers.
Attendees ventured from many parts of the world to participate in the celebration and see the latest innovations and technology from OPS’s portfolio of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
The festivities also included comprehensive training seminars from the Astec team, including four sessions available to the general public and attendees across the two days.
Astec began in the United States in 1972, when Dr. Don Brock and four friends started a business that would use creative solutions to support the local construction industry.
What began as a small idea in Tennessee has become one of the largest OEMs of its kind. Since its founding more than five decades ago, Astec has acquired, grown, and developed 16 different business units.
Three years ago, Astec decided to bring all these units under the company banner as part of a global rebranding called OneAstec.
It saw previously subsidiary brands like JCI, KPI, BTI, Telsmith, Roadtec, Carlson, Osborn, Heatec, Astec Inc, Peterson and Rexcon all take on the Astec name.
While the global presence was restructured, the company has always maintained a local hub in each region. Astec Australia also took over its dealer network as part of the change.
“It’s about giving customers greater access to innovative, high-quality equipment,” Astec Australia general manager David Smale told Quarry at the time.
“Ultimately, our goal is to design and build state-of-the-art equipment which makes it possible for our partners to supply their customers with industry-leading equipment producing great results and profitability.”
In the years since Astec Australia took over the dealer network, its OPS partnership, has grown.
“Under the centralised model, anything that happens within the region goes through the hub, as we call it,” Gordon said.
“The hub looks after all our dealers and representatives.
“OPS supplies Astec’s materials handling, rock breaking and fixed crushing and screening products for the majority of the Australian market. Then we have TURNCO as our dealer in New Zealand, and we sell Astec products directly in the Pacific Islands.
“As we’re establishing more dealers in some other parts of the Pacific Islands, they’ll come under our banner as well.”
The partnership with OPS is set to be bolstered further by the expansion of Astec’s manufacturing facility in Northern Ireland.
Initially, Astec commissioned a $5 million expansion of the Omagh site in 2022 before ordering a further increase to keep up with demand from its global customers.
The most recent extension, which opened In February, will increase Astec’s production capacity and enable greater global distribution through dealers like OPS.
Astec’s decision to increase capacity in Omagh frees up space in the company’s other manufacturing facilities around the world.
Demand for Astec equipment has been so strong, a second expansion was required.
“We built the original new factory, and 18 months later, we doubled its size, and 14 months after that, we doubled its total size again,” Gordon said.
Gordon said Astec was delighted to celebrate the 35th anniversary of OPS.
“We are proud to be associated with OPS. We work well together, and we’re looking forward to a great future and continued growth.”•
For more information, visit astecindustries.com
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