Bradken approaches centenary with innovation at its core

Building on 100 years of manufacturing expertise, Bradken is embracing continuous improvement and taking a new approach to support their customers in adopting innovative digital mining solutions. From its traditional manufacturing origins, to today’s diversified brand, the transformation continues to support the evolution of the mining industry.  
 
Celebrating its centenary next year, Bradken has come a long way as a company since founders Leslie Bradford and Jim Kendall pledged some horse race winnings towards a new steel foundry in 1922.  With headquarters in Newcastle, NSW, Bradken boasts a global network of sales and service centres, foundries and manufacturing sites.

Bradken has built its name in the design, engineering and manufacture of a range of steel plant, industrial and rail equipment. Over time, Bradken has found a calling in the mining industry for quality ground engaging tools, undercarriage systems and buckets, along with mineral processing and fixed plant wear solutions. 

The shift in mining practices has changed the way the company operates and there is an increased focus on providing innovative digital solutions to meet service solutions for customers. 

Sean Winstone, CEO of Bradken reflected: “It goes without saying that the future is becoming more digitally orientated and Bradken will be able to offer customers a superior service and experience via digitised solutions at every touchpoint. 

“Matching our history of working with customers to understand what they need and value with technology solutions is key to Bradken’s future”.  

Hence the renewed business focus on supporting this growth area in the industry and creating a Marketing and Technology focused business unit.

The Marketing and Technology BU incorporates the dedicated Research and Development team, IT team, along with Marketing and Market Analyses teams. These teams will collaborate and expand to meet the growing industry demands and foster innovative approaches that support the development of digital technology services to support Bradken’s products and customers.

These innovations include the integral technologies of condition and performance monitoring for mobile equipment and fixed plant, along with enhancing customer experiences with digital support.

These solutions support Bradken’s future growth and take them from being a niche manufacturer into a technology and service provider for its customers, supporting them with safety, maintenance and productivity solutions. 

The range of digital technology solutions being produced presents a range of benefits for Bradken and its customers. Customers will have the ability to remotely monitor the wear condition of their G.E.T., undercarriages, and mill liners, for example, and forecast the remaining life on the product to allow scheduled maintenance to be planned.

This solution also provides safety benefits by removing people from equipment onsite for condition monitoring purposes throughout high production periods.

Further into the technology space, the company has developed an online dashboard and reporting solution for the reporting of data from all its monitoring solutions.  

This encompasses a range of product specific widgets, as well as a cloud-level software reporting suite. 

This innovation is the kind of thing no one expected of Bradken 10 years ago, but is fast becoming a reality as the company transforms to connect with the future of mining.  

A key focus for Bradken moving forward is the concept of interoperability, and open-architecture design on this monitoring software. Bradken has collaborated with customers to determine requirements from a cybersecurity, architecture and documentation perspective.  

Reece Attwood, Research & Development Manager has noted, “We’ve really listened to our customers feedback and implemented it so the end product suits their operations and solves their problems, our technology solutions will also be ideal for future customers.”

But to transition from manufacturer to a broader service provider doesn’t happen overnight. 

To ensure Bradken accommodates rapid technological adoption, the teams have integrated new roles, skill sets and specialists. Of course, COVID-19 has accelerated this adoption for Bradken, as for the wider industry.  

Remote monitoring is now a necessity rather than a bonus and realising this, Bradken is remaining connected with its clients around the globe, without the need to travel on site.  

“Previously we would have preferred our own sales teams monitoring the products in-person. But for now, our sales teams are interacting with our customers behind the scenes. The fewer hands on the equipment and fewer people on site, the safer and more manageable for the mine operators in current conditions,” Attwood concludes. 

Reinforcing the digital solutions focus even further, the company recently announced the establishment of a new Marketing and Technology business unit, led by mechatronics engineer and Bradken stalwart Mark Hurley. 

Hurley said that supporting customers through their own digital evolutions was at the heart of his team’s vision and Bradken’s future.

“Bradken is proud of the 100 years of manufacturing history and of the customers we continue to serve. Their needs are changing and we are committed to joining them on that journey to deliver innovation through digital product and service solutions, which improve site safety and sustainability, while lowering total costs of ownership .” 

Find out more about Bradken’s transformation at bradken.com