A Queensland quarry is improving efficiency by making strategic investments in equipment, technology, and site performance.
With more than a century of rock reserves, Fulton Hogan’s Blue Rock Quarry, based in South East Queensland, is focused on investment in technology, safety, and efficiency.
Over the past year, the site has transitioned to a full Komatsu rental load-and-haul fleet, completing the line-up with the arrival of a PC950LC-11 excavator.
Within weeks, the impact has been clear, with faster loading cycles and productivity gains across the operation.
Fulton Hogan Divisional Manager Quarries, Carl Buckland, said the move wasn’t about upgrading machinery, but reshaping how the quarry is managed, monitored, and supported.
“The PC950 is giving us efficiency gains. We’re loading our dump truck in six passes, which is an improvement on what we had prior,” he said.
“Our operators love the new gear, and keeping people happy goes a long way to having a safe and productive operation.”
A rental partnership built on support
Komatsu’s rental partnership with Fulton Hogan was designed to address the site’s operating constraints and production goals. However, Komatsu Australia’s Rental Manager Craig Marsden said that providing a machine was only one part of the solution.
“Rental is more than putting a machine on a job site; it’s the back-up that keeps those machines operating, so the customer can meet their obligations and their commitments,” he said. “That support can include rapid on-site response, ongoing optimisation, and a fully scalable fleet model to grow with the customer’s quarry.”
Designing a digital quarry
Along with the rental support, the fleet solution includes Komatsu’s Smart Quarry Site (SQS), which delivers efficiency gains through real-time visibility across safety events, production cycles, fuel use, emissions, and machine health.
Komatsu Business Development Manager for Smart Construction, James Kelly, said the first priority was understanding Fulton Hogan’s constraints and tailoring an SQS solution to best accommodate the company.
“The vision was clear: safety, visibility, quality, reliability, and the ability to scale the fleet without large upfront capital outlay,” he said.
Blue Rock now receives automated daily reporting, enabling the team to understand what’s happening on the site before the day begins through the SQS platform. GPS tracking, geofencing, and machine analytics give managers the insights needed to lift utilisation and plan proactively.
“Machine efficiency, emissions, fuel usage, and production capabilities are all reviewed daily. Analysing that data allows them to make informed, proactive decisions that impact their next day’s operations,” James said.
Efficiencies, uplift and engagement
The combined fleet and technology approach has already delivered results, improving safety, operator performance, and workflow transparency. System insights are now used in training, planning, and continuous improvement.
“Komatsu’s rental solution, combined with SQS, gives the quarry flexibility and financial certainty, allowing the team to focus on growth while preserving cash flow, and accessing the latest technology as it evolves,” Craig said.
For more information, visit:
www.komatsu.com.au/equipment/excavators/13t-to-100t/pc950lc-11
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