Article published by Australian Mining

Australia’s mining industry has gone through notable evolution over the past 10 years. From the wax and wane of the nation’s boom to the rise of the driverless truck, the sector has changed considerably.

Conveyor specialist Fenner Dunlop was in on the ground floor of this transition in 2009 when it developed its Kwinana manufacturing plant in Western Australia.

Designed as a manufacturing facility for conveyor belts, the plant was built to accommodate mining clients in the Pilbara region, saving them significant time by being able to order belts from a local supplier.

Article published by Australian Bulk Handling Review

Fenner Dunlop speaks to ABHR about how its local manufacturing centre was critical to winning a multimillion-dollar supply contract.

In 2018, BHP approved one of the largest iron ore operations in the world. The $4.7 billion South Flank project is expected to produce 80 million tonnes of iron ore per year and create more 3000 jobs.

It also aims to enhance the average quality of the company’s Western Australian iron ore production from 61 per cent to 62 per cent, and the overall proportion of lump from 25 per cent to around 35 per cent.

Article published by Australian Bulk Handling Review

Fenner Dunlop Australia has acquired a local designer and manufacturer of pulleys and bulk handling equipment. William Arnott speaks to Tim Cleine, Operations Manager at CPA, to find out why.

By 2008, the mining and resources boom was in full swing. Despite the global financial crisis affecting most major markets, Australia managed to avoid the brunt of its impact. According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, this was partly due to increased investment in the sector as well as sizeable resource exports to China.

Fenner Dunlop has secured the contract to manufacture and deliver the Overland Conveyor Belt package to BHP’s South Flank project in Western Australia. 

Fenner Dunlop's ability to manufacture locally in Western Australia and its proximity to South Flank is a vital component of the partnership. Fenner Dunlop will provide approximately 50km of a low rolling-resistance conveyor belt representing the largest order for Fenner Dunlop’s Kwinana plant in almost ten years.  

To mark the opening of the new, strategically important branch, Fenner Dunlop celebrated the occasion with an Open Day event for customers, business partners and suppliers.

The decision to relocate the branch to Port Kembla is a further example of Fenner Dunlop's ongoing commitment and growing presence in the Wollongong region and the growing popularity and demand for Fenner Dunlop products and services.

Article published by AGL

Can you do a splice without a knife? That was the question put to Belle Banne employees at Loy Yang following a spate of knife-related injuries within parent company Fenner Dunlop.

A Belle Banne workgroup at Loy Yang came up with innovative solutions,  eliminating the use of all blades when working on conveyers, revolutionising the industry. 

Article published by Australian Mining

In search of the best belting solutions, Fenner Dunlop welcomes the opportunity to work with clients to identify customer specific applications to optimise their conveyor performance.

In responding to a problem faced by an iron ore company in the Pilbara, Western Australia, Fenner Dunlop has developed a solution to reduce the overall belt weight and deliver increased cover thicknesses in a high abrasion environment.

Article published by Australian Bulk Handling Review

Reducing belt downtime was high on the priority list for an iron ore mining company in the Pilbara. It had recently extended the shut frequency, however its 28/7 covered steel cord belt construction fell short of its historical two shut rotation changeout target.

The company’s lifecycle had been previously improved by increasing cover thickness on traditional steel cord construction, but an ever increasing need to reduce shut frequency, eventually the belt reached a point where the machine had reached the original equipment manufacturer’s design capacity.

We are pleased to announce that effective 7 January 2019, Belle Banne Conveyor Services Pty Ltd (“BBCS”) has acquired the business of Conveyor Pulleys Australia (“CPA”), from Longship Enterprises Pty Ltd.

Fenner Dunlop ACE was engaged by a Bowen Basin Coal mine site to undertake an extensive overhaul of a complete maingate conveyor system which was initially supplied by ACE in 2015.

When a surge pile of 200 tonnes of mined material collapsed in a mine in Tasmania the existing modular conveyor system had to be replaced as quickly as possible. 

Fenner Dunlop was the only company in the region that could guarantee quick delivery and installation of a 450mm wide and 30m long modular-built belt conveyor.  

Fenner Dunlop ACE has entered into a strategic partnership with Milek Engineering, a well-known and respected business with a focus on innovative solutions for customers, providing robust, efficient and reliable equipment for harsh and challenging operating environments. As part of the agreement, Milek Engineering will become Fenner Dunlop ACE partner for all electrical projects in Queensland.

On August 16, Fenner Dunlop officially opened the Mechanical Practical Training Facility in Kwinana, WA. The event was a great success with Key Customers, Resource Industry Training Council, media giants Australian Mining and Fenner Dunlop employees in attendance.

Steve Abbott, chief operating officer, opened the day followed by David Landgren, Executive Director, and Vicki Wust, National Training Manager, cutting the ribbon and unveiling the plaque to mark the special occasion.

Rio Tinto Ports has awarded Fenner Dunlop a permanent contract to provide Conveyor Maintenance Services in Western Australia.

The long-term arrangement will see Fenner Dunlop service all the conveyors at Cape Lambert and Dampier Port, which together represent a significant portion of conveyors in the country. To better support the customer a new Fenner Dunlop branch will be opening in Karratha, forming a strong, long-term business in the region.

 Liberty OneSteel in Whyalla, a wholly owned subsidiary of GFG Alliance, is Australia’s only manufacturer of steel long product, producing over 1.2 million tons per annum of raw steel.

After many years of continuous operation in Port Hedland and looking into extending the local commitment to this important region, Fenner Dunlop recently relocated the branch to Newman. Conveniently located at 34 Shovelanna St, Newman, the branch is close to major mines making it easy to better service valued clients.

Surprises are never welcome in a fast-paced mine operation. Think about the cost to replace the most productive, highest performance belt, not to mention the loss in production while it is out of action. Now imagine how much can be saved with an early warning monitoring system so that a repair or planned overhaul can take place instead.

The Fenner Dunlop philosophy is about designing products and solutions that reduce downtime, increase belt life, and being available to offer the best support, which is what the customers ultimately require. 

Fenner Dunlop ACE are leading the industry in Pulley Overhaul and Supply, a critical part of the conveyor operations. The branch in Queensland is equipped with clean assembly facilities, automated build procedures and now a state-of-the-art pulley testing machine, which can run conveyor pulleys before installation at the customers' site. 

On March 19, 2018, Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin (Michelin) and Fenner PLC (Fenner) announced that they had reached an agreement on the terms of a recommended cash acquisition pursuant to which Michelin would acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Fenner by means of a court sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the United Kingdom’s Companies Act 2006 (the Scheme).

Fenner Dunlop’s redesigned rockbox transfer system and ongoing conveyor modifications at Yancoal Australia’s Ashton Coal underground mine are improving conveyor availability and minimising the potential for shutdowns usually associated with mining a narrow seam.

The current seam at Yancoal’s Ashton mine in the Hunter Valley ranges from 1.8 to 2.2 metres high against an average height of 3.6 metres throughout most of the region’s open cut and underground mines.  The narrow seam is not unique to the Ashton mine and is generally confined to mines in the eastern half of the Hunter Valley mining zone.