Austin Engineering to invest in manufacturing facilities

Perth mining equipment manufacturer Austin Engineering has completed a strategic review under its new CEO and will focus investment on innovation and its manufacturing facilities in Perth and Batam Island, Indonesia.

The company, now led by former Austal CEO David Singleton, will initially focus on Perth operations, where it has identified significant manufacturing opportunities to reduce waste and improve production efficiency and product consistency through the adoption of flow production and automation.

“This will provide significant benefits for Austin’s major product ranges, in particularly truck bodies, while remaining agile in bespoke designs and delivering unique capabilities for its customers.”

Initial investment is underway in Perth with a final decision on the project expected within the next quarter.

The company has earmarked $1.9 million for redundancy and reorganisation activities, $6.5 million for white-downs and $900,000 for costs associated with the closure of its Brisbane facility and consolidation to one site in Perth.

Singleton said it was likely the production system would then be rolled out to Batam, which is located close to Singapore.

Singleton said: “We will cut significant costs from the business while increasing output through adopting more advanced manufacturing techniques.

“Importantly we are firmly concentrating our efforts to meet the needs of our mining customers into the future.

“Austin’s products will support our clients as they target net zero emissions, improve productivity and ensure safer operations.”

The company has also established a customer-focused innovation and technology group reporting to the CEO which aims for agile implementation of ideas developed from customer needs.

Austin manufactures mining dump truck bodies, buckets, water tanks, tyre handlers, engineering solutions and other ancillary equipment used in the mining industry.

Picture: Austin Engineering

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