Metso has celebrated a major milestone following a year of successful operation at its largest service centre globally in Karratha, Western Australia.
The Pilbara-based centre provides Western Australian customers, including in mining, with maintenance and repair solutions.
“We are committed to being closer to our customers and offering them state-of-the-art services. Our investment in Karratha, Australia has been exceptionally well-received by our customers, who appreciate the expert team and agile, comprehensive services we offer locally,” Metso president of Asia Pacific Stuart Sneyd said.
The Karratha facility is open 24/7 which means local customers can access support for scheduled maintenance tasks and urgent repairs around the clock.
“By locating our service centre closer to our customers in the Pilbara, we significantly reduce the reliance on long-haul freight. This cuts down on kilometres travelled by heavy vehicles, aligning with Metso’s sustainability goals to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions from our operations by 2030,” Sneyd said.
The Karratha centre services heavy mining equipment, including crushers, screens, mills, HIG mills, HPGRs, and car dumpers, among others. It is equipped with advanced amenities including high-capacity cranes, CNC machines, a heat treatment furnace, heavy fabrication and welding facilities, and assembly stations. The service centre spans 35,000 m², including a workshop covering 5,000 m².
These service capabilities are made possible by an investment totalling approximately AUD $52 million. In addition to its service centres in Australia, Metso also has a network of test centres, manufacturing facilities, a foundry and a smelting pilot plant in country to locally service its customers’ needs. Metso also offers apprenticeship programs at the Karratha service centre.
“The workforce comprises over 70 per cent Karratha locals, with some of our Perth-based FIFO team relocating to Karratha,” Metso regional manager for repairs operations (Pilbara region) Chris Gadeke said.
“We are here for the long term and have implemented programs to support employee satisfaction and retention in Karratha. As a statement of great progress, Metso Australia has recently been awarded the Great Place to Work certification.”
The post ‘Great progress’: Metso celebrates milestone for WA facility appeared first on Quarry.