Mining equipment supplier Austin Engineering is set to bolster its services in Western Australia, after signing an agreement with Mader Group.
Under a strategic support alliance, Mader will assist Austin through a ‘tap on, tap off’ arrangement using its mine-based personnel and workshop facilities.
Perth Airport-based Mader provides heavy equipment and infrastructure maintenance services to more than 240 mining and civil customers.
The alliance will first focus on operations in WA’s Pilbara and Goldfields regions, followed by additional sites in Queensland and NSW.
Austin said it would continue to use its own service team – which travel to site from Perth, Brisbane, and Mackay – but would augment them as necessary to improve turnaround times and service efficiency where appropriate.
Chief executive David Singleton, who was appointed to the role in July, said the agreement would ensure its customers were given the highest quality support.
“Austin’s leading engineering and design capabilities see it produce mining truck bodies and buckets for customers across all commodities and global geographies,” he said.
Based in Kewdale, Austin manufactures dump truck bodies, buckets, water tanks and associated equipment to support open-cut and underground mining operations.
Its shares closed up 11.6 per cent on Thursday to trade at 24 cents.