Catch up on the latest news and events enjoyed by the Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA) members across the country.
Cavpower opened its doors to a site tour of its facilities located at Gepps Cross in Adelaide, specially arranged for IQA Young Member Network (YMN).
Mark Taylor, the major accounts manager, who has been with the company for over 40 years, led the tour of Cavpower’s multi-million dollar facility showcasing major upgrades and capabilities. This included a new components rebuild centre (CRC), a Parts Distribution Centre, a service operations centre (SOC) and new administration building.
Cavpower, founded in 1972, was a South Australian privately owned company until it was sold to a Malaysian multinational conglomerate ‘Sime Darby’ late last year.
We started the tour viewing the innovative Dematic AutoStore system at work at Cavpower’s advanced parts centre. It uses robots with AI technology to pick parts in column structure housing over 50,000 locations and the capability to pick 140-line items per hour per person. Investing in this innovative solution has helped them reduce their footprint by two-thirds and elevate their customer experience.
Cavpower’s CRC is one of only seven facilities around the world to be a Caterpillar five-star certified facility. The CRC has the capability to service and repair the full Cat product range of major machine components. The state-of-the-art facility consist of 20 bays with the capability to repair and rebuild over 80 individual components per month, including engines, fuel pumps transmissions, torque converters, differentials, wheel ends, final drives, hydraulic pumps, and motors.
The SOC comprises 26 bays fitted with 12.5 to 25 tonne overhead cranes. The facility hosts general workshop, engineering, welding and fabrication, machine build-up, field service, lube truck and paint shop. These facilities are further augment by South Australia’s only track press with the capacity to accommodate any machine size up to a Cat D11 Dozer.
During the planning phase of these new facilities, a team was dispatched to the best Caterpillar dealerships both domestically and in the USA to seek out ideas for potential adoption or refinement. A lesser-known detail worth noting is the use of pavers instead of concrete in front of the workshops. This design choice facilitates the manoeuvring of tracked machines, allowing for easier turning. Unlike concrete, if damage occurs, replacing individual pavers is a more cost-effective solution compared to repairing concrete, which would entail significant investment.
The latest addition to the site is a customer experience centre – a showroom space designed to showcase the latest Cat machines, technologies and services. The customer experience centre gives Caterpillar owners and enthusiasts the opportunity to experience the machines and technology up close as well as consult with a Cavpower specialist.
The multi-million dollar investment also prioritised environmental enhancements. This involved the installation of a large water tank beneath the new parking area to capture rainwaters from various buildings, ensuring a self-sufficient water source. Additionally, plans are underway to install solar panels, enabling complete independence from the grid in the future.
Their workshops were impeccably clean and regular workshop and contamination control audits ensure adherence to best standards across all workshop areas.
Cavpower employs over 500 staff members, with more than 250 being industry-leading Cat-certified technicians including diesel mechanics, boiler makers, auto electricians, machinists, and field service technicians. Cavpower are fully engaged with the next generation of fitters, employing over 68 apprentices across the state.
With having workshops in 10 locations across South Australia and at Broken Hill, Cavpower is best suited to offer apprenticeships in their hometowns, instead of them having to move to Adelaide to begin their careers.
The IQA Young Member Network would like to thank Cavpower and especially Mark Taylor for his time in hosting us for a great afternoon.
WIQ fireside chat
On 10 October, the Queensland Branch hosted another Women in Quarrying (WIQ) fireside chat at Oxford 152, Bulimba. This event provided a great opportunity for industry peers to come together over refreshments and engage in discussion.
This session, led by Jenny Krasny and guest speaker Belinda Martin (BHP), allowed participants to connect and network on all things WIQ. Belinda’s previous experience in sand quarries and her recent role as manager, health & safety, and asset technical for BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) provided a great Q&A conversation.
A big thank you to our WIQ Sponsor, Orana Drill & Blast, for supporting this wonderful event.
Victorian Branch and sub-branch student presentation night
The IQA Victorian Branch and Victorian sub-branch student presentation night took place on Friday 25 October 2024 at the Novotel Melbourne Preston.
This special evening celebrated the academic achievements of the 2023 and 2024 graduates in the extractive industry. Nineteen students received a certificate from the IQA, accompanied by a gift compendium by Kinder Australia, sponsor of the IQA in Victoria.
The keynote address was delivered by the inspiring Rachael Robertson, who shared impactful insights from her experience managing a team and operating a quarry in Antarctica. Rachael’s message resonated deeply with both graduates and attendees alike.
Overall, the event was a wonderful success, recognising the graduates’ hard work and dedication and celebrating their outstanding achievements.•
For more information, visit quarry.com.au
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