The 500th Australian bucket
LIEBHERR-AUSTRALIA’S fabrication workshop manufactured its 500th bucket in the Adelaide-based head office complex in October.
The 47.5m3 bucket that went to a valued coal customer in Queensland is a mark of the success of the facility, which will achieve another milestone – 25 years of production – in 2020.
Liebherr-Australia’s fabrication workshop manufactures buckets for the entire Liebherr mining excavator range from 8m3 to 50m3, weighing up to 45t with a maximum capacity of over 100t.
While traditionally manufactured alongside the excavators in Colmar (France), original fit buckets are now supplied exclusively from the local facility, which also manufactures second fit buckets for the market.
Additionally, Liebherr-Australia uses local, Australian-based suppliers.
Liebherr-Australia fabrication manager John Quinlan said that growth of the business in recent years had been outstanding.
“The number of buckets Adelaide are manufacturing show strong growth over the past three years, enabling diversification into dozer blade manufacturing and refurbishment work in booms, buckets and undercarriage, allowing us to provide an improved service nationally,” he said.
Each bucket takes about 20 weeks to design and manufacture, with a team of more than 60 OEM-trained welders and boilermakers, supported by highly qualified welding inspectors and engineers within the fabrication team.
One of those team members, Paul Hermann, technical manager for fabrication and production, has been with Liebherr-Australia for more than 23 years, and has seen the growth and expansion of the fabrication facility.
“I starting working for Liebherr as a boilermaker in 1996, building the occasional R 996 bucket, but mostly buckets for midsized machines,” Mr Hermann said.
“My role has changed several times over the years, from leading hand, to management roles within fabrication.
“Liebherr-Australia’s fabrication department has provided a very rewarding and challenging career.”
Liebherr-Australia’s fabrication department works towards continuous improvement of its services countrywide, including increasing the facility’s production capacity, as well as introducing new services.
“We have previously offered buckets with minimal wear plate arrangement that have a shorter lifespan but remain cost effective based upon life hours to cost ratio,” Mr Quinlan said.
“The demand for this type of bucket is returning so we are working on creating new designs to better suit the modern market.
“In particular, a bucket that can have the basket readily changed at low cost.
“We are already well established in the refurbishment market and adding to our product range by developing a recyclable bucket is an extension of this refurbishment work.
“These developments will allow us to remain ahead of market demand.”