Article published by International Mining 

Today’s mining operations want maximum efficiency and durability for their conveyor systems, despite these installations becoming larger and more complex. But the technology and service providers are up to the challenge. 

Paul Moore spoke to David Landgren, Fenner Dunlop Executive Director, about the mining conveyor market and its role as a leading supplier of belting solutions 

Are you seeing the mining industry investing in larger and higher capacity conveyors as well as those incorporating steel uphill/downhill sections as well as curves? 

Yes. While the conveyor versus truck choice depends on mine specific conditions, we are seeing a trend with existing miners to expand near field developments and utilise existing infrastructure via long connecting overland conveyors. Iron ore expansion is a good example of this – we are the OEM for BHP’s South Flank overland conveyor. Longer conveyors mean logically more geographical challenges, so conveyors with inclines and declines are part of that challenge. The drive for increased production will always drive conveyors to have larger capacity. This is a trend seen over many decades.

Article published by The Australian Mining Review

Fenner Dunlop’s NSW branch recently relocated to a massive new facility in Port Kembla, Wollongong, situated on 6000sqm of land with a 1600sqm high roof facility.

The convenient location on 2 Flinders Street, adjacent to the Bluescope Steel Plant, gives the company unparalleled access to the main roads that service the wide variety of Fenner Dunlop’s many clients – from underground mining, coal washeries, steel manufacturing, hard rock mining, quarries, cement mills, foundries, plasterboard manufacturers, coal terminals, tunneling projects and many more.

From humble beginnings to becoming a reliable, quality brand, Fenner Dunlop’s Footscray rubber ply belt plant is celebrating eight decades of industry success.

The company's roots can be traced back to 1890 when two British belting tradesmen, Arthur and Charles Hopkins began manufacturing leather belting, not far from the site of today's main plant. They were joined in 1891 by Australian George Odlum. The company of Hopkins Bros. & Odlum prospered during one of the most exciting periods of Australian mining history, making belting for Mt. Morgan in Queensland, Broken Hill in New South Wales, Mt. Lyell and Mt. Zeehan in Tasmania and Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

The Knifeless splicing process won the quarterly High 5 award from Rio Tinto Iron Ore at Dampier Ports. There were three winners announced from nominations across all the Iron Ore business units.

In conjunction with external partners and the Health and Safety departments, the Dampier Ports Maintenance team found that the knifeless solution to belt splicing challenges a long-standing perception that splicing belts can only be accomplished using knives.

The WorkSafe Awards celebrate the efforts of Victorian people and organisations in improving workplace health and safety and supporting injured workers’ return to work. Finalists were selected from 219 nominations across nine categories and represent a variety of industries, including construction, transport, retail, local government and health.

Formed in 1991 to undertake contract processing and handling services for the NSW and Australian coal industry, SADA Group operates with extensive experience in every step of the process, from mining and coal preparation through to logistics and shipping.

SADA focus on innovation enables the company to deliver a trouble-free, seamless, integrated solutions on every project. At this time, the challenge was to provide a lower cost-per-tonne alternative to trucking.

Fenner Dunlop’s Belt Splicing Traineeship has become trade recognised in Western Australia. This recognition means that now we offer our employees a learning pathway that combines a national certification and trade papers through our Enterprise Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

Fenner Dunlop celebrated a new era of manufacturing capability during an Open Day ceremony.

The new Brisbane branch serves as a hub to provide engineered conveyor solutions, field service and after-sales support. It is strategically located less than 8 kilometres east from Brisbane CBD and within 500 metres of the Gateway Bridge.

Article published by Australian Bulk Handling Review

Fenner Dunlop and Australian Conveyor Engineering have set sail to Singapore to undertake a major conveyor overhaul on the shipping vessel Aburri.

On the banks of the Northern Territory’s McArthur River is the Bing Bong loading facility, one of Australia’s most important sites for zinc and lead exports.

Trucks from the McArthur River Mine carry hundreds of tonnes of bulk concentrate 120 kilometres north, depositing their payload at Bing Bong’s storage shed.

Fenner Dunlop has been named as finalists in the Australian Bulk Handling Awards 2019 under three categories:

• • Excellence in Transport and/or Conveying (Overland Conveyor Belt)
  • Supplier of the Year
  • Bulk Handling Facility of the Year: Manufacturing and Processing (Kwinana)

The awards are the only program specifically dedicated to recognising the outstanding achievements and successes of companies across the bulk solids handling sector.

The new Workshop and Service Centre in Karratha has officially opened its doors, marking our expansion in Western Australia.

Fenner Dunlop has always taken immense pride in being close to the customers, and the new branch is another example of this approach. “A logistic challenge filled with high freight charges required a quick solution for local businesses. We’re proud that our employees, many of who are locals, have been hard at work to make this branch a reality”, said Bradley Dean, Conveyor Components and Asset Manager.

As a long-standing Australian manufacturer of premium conveyor belt and trusted brand in quality products, Fenner Dunlop has taken a significant step forward by adding a new local Idler Manufacturing plant alongside its existing sales, engineering and warehouse operations in Brisbane. 

Fenner Dunlop has designed and supplied conveyor idlers and structures for over 15 years and has vast expertise and experience in this area. Also well-known in the industry for stocking an extensive range of rollers for both surface and underground applications with a wide variety available for existing contracts and customers. 

Fenner Dunlop continues to expand with the opening of its newest location in Brisbane to better serve its valued customers. In addition to the Sales and Marketing office, the branch will also be home to the Service Centre, warehousing and a state-of-the-art Idler plant.

The branch will serve as a hub to provide engineered conveyor solutions, field service and after-sales support. Located less than 8 kilometres east from Brisbane CBD and within 500 metres of the Gateway Bridge, the brand-new facility includes a spacious workshop and covers 3,300m² with the site having a total of 6,053m².

In July 2009, Fenner Dunlop opened a A$70 million state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Kwinana, Western Australia, specifically built for the production of steel cord belting. It represented the largest investment in conveyor belting manufacturer ever made in Australia by any company.

In 2013 another $20 million was invested to install a second press line increasing production capacity and boosting the workforce by 30 per cent.

Participants of Dry July can't drink alcohol for the month, and the purpose of the campaign is to raise funds for cancer support organisations across Australia to help improve patient comfort, care and wellbeing.

Joy Krige, General Manager Service WA, and the WA TEAM are set to take on the challenge together "Taking part in Dry July is a way of raising money for a good cause and encouraging others to be aware of their health. We also enjoy a challenge!", said Joy.

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.