Trelleborg’s fluid handling solutions operation has inaugurated its new manufacturing and warehousing facility in Welshpool, Perth, Western Australia, where it will produce composite ceramic wear panels for the mining industry. The location will also serve as the centre for coordination of all mining related activities in Australia.

The investment is part of Trelleborg’s continued long-term strategy to invest in markets with favorable growth potential. The building includes approximately 4,000 square metres of warehousing and workshop space devoted to composite ceramic wear panels, as well as a 610 square metre office facility. The new facility will allow the expansion of blasting, painting and rubber lining services at the company’s original facility in Kewdale.

Colin Turnbull, General Manager for Mining at Trelleborg’s fluid handling operation, says: “During 2017, Trelleborg was successful in winning significant supply agreements for composite ceramic wear panels, which has necessitated the expansion of our facilities. We have had to more than double our stock holdings, along with our ceramics cutting and stud welding capabilities in a short period of time.”

The inauguration on October 17 was attended by Cameron Bowden, Western Australian Manager of Austmine, the leading industry body for the Australian Mining Equipment, Technology and Services sector, a number of customers, as well as Trelleborg senior management.

The Trelleborg Group has a number of facilities and sales offices in Australia; in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The facilities supply and manufacture a broad range of Trelleborg’s engineered products and solutions based on polymer technology. The Welshpool facility will also be home to the Trelleborg Wheel Systems Interfit operation in Australia. Trelleborg has about 200 employees in Australia and sales in 2017 amounted to about 546 million SEK (approximately A$80 million).