Martin Engineering says it is expanding its operations in Australia to offer solutions to more customers nationwide.
The bulk handling company first entered the Australian market in 1978 and has since grown to become the country’s top bulk-handling service and solutions provider, improving production, safety and efficiency for the mining, quarry, cement and port sectors, the company says. By building a new manufacturing facility in Yatala on the East Coast and opening a fully staffed office in Perth on the West Coast, Martin is investing in and adding jobs to the Australian economy.
Using a “factory direct” sales, service and equipment model, customers receive reliable product fulfillment, faster response times and hands-on service from local experts, according to the company.
“Our purpose-built space has been designed to enhance our customer service, operational capabilities and provide a better working environment for our team,” Bo Hu, Australia Manager, Martin Engineering, said. “This expansion ensures we continue delivering industry-leading solutions to our customers. We will now have full production capabilities in Australia of a wider range of products beyond our already established polyurethane parts production for cleaners and other wear parts.”
The newly built facility in Yatala will house Martin Engineering Australia’s headquarters in addition to 13 sales, production and service team employees, allowing them a central hub to offer the best solutions and technical service to the market. Although the Yatala facility will be Australia’s primary manufacturing site, Perth will also have partial production capabilities.
Historically, Australian equipment production at Martin Engineering focused on polyurethane belt conveyor cleaner blades to ensure fresh products for a longer equipment life, it says. The new Yatala facility expands the manufacturing capability to include a wide variety of patented equipment, all designed and engineered by Martin Engineering at the company’s Center for Innovation in Neponset, Illinois, USA.
“Our new manufacturing facility will produce bulk flow equipment and conveyor accessories,” Hu said. “These include air cannons, customised conveyor transfer points, impact cradles that protect the belt during loading, belt support cradles and idlers that ensure a smooth belt path, skirting to mitigate dust and spillage in the transition, and innovative belt alignment devices.”
The Yatala service and manufacturing personnel have all completed Martin Engineering’s popular Foundations™ training on conveyor maintenance and safety. In addition to online tutorial tools and hands-on training, Martin Service Technicians (MSTs) who visit customer sites are updated on the latest bulk handling technology and methods. The training ensures that any MST who enters a customer site utilizes servicing best practices and consistently complies with WorkSafe Australia standards.
In Perth, Martin Engineering has 14 trained staff, a targeted manufacturing capability and a large warehouse. This sees it focus on service, maintenance and solutions to new and existing customers. The MSTs specialise in bulk material flow on belt conveyors through belt cleaning, dust-/spillage-free conveyor transfers, belt alignment and mitigating hopper/chute clogging using efficient air cannon designs.