Austin delivers Indonesia-built truck trays

Perth-based Austin Engineering has completed its first shipment of Indonesia-built truck trays to the Pilbara in an effort to mitigate supply issues.

The truck parts and products manufacturer shipped four truck trays from Indonesia through Singapore and into Port Hedland.

Austin recently completed an expansion and upgrade of its Indonesian facility to double its manufacturing capacity to meet increased demand.

The company said its upgraded facility allowed it to mitigate the impact of ongoing supply constraints in Western Australia.

Skilled fabrication labour shortages had been a limiting factor for production, according to Austin.

“Alleviating these supply constraints has enabled the company’s local WA facility to maintain more even operational output in line with local labour availability while ensuring Austin’s customers continue to have access to products,” the company said.

“A return of freight costs to pre-pandemic levels has also enabled Austin to augment the shipping of sub-assemblies into Perth for final build with the delivery of full truck trays direct to the Pilbara.”

Austin said the shipment of truck trays directly from Indonesia to Port Hedland had removed the need for road haulage from Perth to their clients’ mine sites in the Pilbara.

The reduction in road haulage was also beneficial from a road safety and emissions reduction perspective, according to the company.

Austin is currently planning future direct deliveries into the Pilbara.

Chief executive David Singleton said the company was pleased its design and manufacturing strategy was working in sync in the Asia Pacific region.

“The expanded facilities in Perth and Indonesia are allowing more flexibility from a manufacturing and delivery point of view,” he said.

“We have previously shipped truck trays, buckets, and other mining equipment directly into Queensland, but it is the first shipment we’ve completed direct to the major mining centre of the Pilbara, and we expect this supply route to become a regular feature of our integrated supply chain.

“We remain committed to Australia as a manufacturing location, exemplified by our two factory units in Kewdale, Perth along with our two operating sites in Queensland.”

In February, Austin was awarded a $5 million grant from the state government to boost its mining equipment manufacturing program.

The grant was under the state government’s Investment Attraction Fund and would support Austin’s automation and production efficiency.