Across three countries, family-owned businesses Onetrak, Anaconda and the McLanahan Corporation have combined engineering expertise and quarry experience to deliver machines built specifically for the realities of Australian sites.
Paul Kerr has spent more than 30 years in the quarry equipment sector, visiting dozens of factories, learning what makes them tick and how they build equipment for the Australian environment.
Backed by this experience in his role as Onetrak’s National Manager for Crushing and Screening, Paul is heavily involved with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for the Australia-based family business.
One of these is Anaconda, a family-run enterprise based in Northern Ireland, specialising in designing, manufacturing and supplying trommels, crushers and screens for the material handling industries.
Originally founded in 2005 as subcontractor specialists, Anaconda was acquired by another family business, the McLanahan Corporation in the US.
“It’s dynamic to work with three different family businesses across three different continents,” Paul said.
“We can get technical support from the factory — and not just from Northern Ireland. Reciprocal engineers in the US mean we have someone available for 16 hours a day.
“While they support us, we can also support them.”
Paul said the three main issues facing Australian equipment were the heat, the dry climate and geographical remoteness.
“We’re quite unique as a market segment, and we’re an area where Anaconda wants to make a difference,” he said.
“Heat mostly affects screens. They’re hydrostatic and hydraulically driven. High temperatures can affect the longevity of seals and hoses, which can cause a loss of efficiency.
“There’s also a need to make sure the viscosity of the oil is at the right level, and heat plays a major role. It’s important to make sure that every component is appropriate for the hot weather and high ultraviolet (UV) radiation.”
A dry climate means dust ingress can become a major problem. If dust manages to get into bearings and seals, it can reduce the reliability of a machine. Placement of the bearings can also reduce the risks of dust ingress.
To address these issues, Paul visited the Anaconda factory. He spent three days working with the company’s engineers and reviewing the machinery with a fine-toothed comb, consulting with the Northern Ireland team to make sure the products would be fit for Australian conditions.
“I’ve been to all of the major manufacturing facilities for this type of equipment in Northern Ireland, and Anaconda’s paint facility is the best I have seen,” Paul said.
“The software they use is on the cutting edge. With McLanahan’s help, they have been able to incorporate the latest technology, from hydraulic flow to finite element analysis.
“It is all used to make sure each machine meets the company’s standards, using the right materials.”
Onetrak is the official Australian dealer for Anaconda and is also part of the company’s consulting team for developing new products. Paul was impressed by how quickly his feedback was taken on board. Where it might have taken months for these changes to be made in another manufacturer’s process, Anaconda was able to update the design almost immediately.
“One of the most important things about Anaconda is its versatility. They’ve been around for a decade and have been improving their designs from day one,” Paul said.
“They’ve designed machines that offer good value for money. The whole design concept is to create a dependable workhorse and they have been able to make them even more reliable for the Australian market.”
Paul said this reliability was vital for Australian quarries. Not only is Northern Ireland on the other side of the world, but often quarries cannot afford to wait for replacement parts if a machine breaks down.
To solve this problem, Onetrak has seven branches that are spread across the country. Each branch carries components and wear parts for the crushing and screening sector. In addition, a fleet of trucks lets the company’s teams support quarries around Australia.
“Its distribution centre in Melbourne supports these branches, and its partnerships in Asia, North America and Europe help keep the stock of spare parts high,” he said. “If anything needs to be done quickly, each branch has teams of specialists that can respond fast for emergency breakdowns.”
Onetrak is also continuing to expand.
“We’re looking at opening up another office,” he said. “We’re also excited to celebrate a major milestone, having delivered more than 500 Anaconda machines into Australia over the past decade.”
For more information, visit onetrak.com.au
Anaconda: Easy to run, easy to maintain