Australian mines prefer Australian loaders

In numerous underground mines throughout Australia you'll find one commonly used piece of machinery, coal loaders made from XLERPLATE® steel and built by Dimitriou Fabrications.

A family owned and managed company, Dimitriou Fabrications was established by Harry Dimitriou in 1975 and is now co-managed by Nick Dimitriou the General Manager and his two brothers. George Dimitriou manages the fabrication workshop and Con Dimitriou manages the machining workshop.

When it comes to manufacturing, Dimitriou Fabrications has established a strong reputation in the mining and construction industries for its world-class products. This includes machining and fabrication of all steel components for underground coal loaders for some of the biggest names in the mining industry.

The rear frame, front frame, lift arm, buckets, trailers and all the various QDS attachments for the loaders are made from 250 and 350 Grade XLERPLATE® steel.

With a capacity ranging between seven and 50 tonnes, and measuring up to nine metres in length, Dimitriou Fabrications has produced over 500 loaders since the company was founded. Each loader is fabricated from up to 40 tonnes of XLERPLATE® steel.

In 2008, one of the company's biggest years, Dimitriou Fabrications manufactured and delivered 120 coal loaders in a 12 month period; 16 of which were delivered in March alone. "A significant achievement," said Nick Dimitriou.

Dimitriou's foray into manufacturing other mining equipment has also yielded great success. "One of our current projects is manufacturing large hoppers and feeders made from XLERPLATE® steel for above ground mining operations." Nick explained.

With major clients including some of the largest mine operators in the world, the quality and reliability of Dimitriou's products is imperative.

Dimitriou Fabrications has attained quality assurance accreditation to ISO9001. "Service and quality is our key business philosophy. It's our company policy to deliver a superior quality finished product to our clients when promised."

Over the years, Dimitriou Fabrications has continually re-invested in its fabrication and machining capabilities taking delivery of stateof- the-art machinery and incorporating leadingedge technology as part of their operational processes.

This commitment enables Dimitriou Fabrications to produce a better quality product in a shorter timeframe for its customers.

The company specialises in all areas of manufacturing from CNC profiling, pressing to 2,000 tonne capacity, three metre rolling, CNC machining, and vertical boring up to five metres in diameter.

They have also taken delivery of a DAEWOO ACE-DB130C CNC horizontal borer; an impressive piece of equipment with the capacity to machine single items up to 15 tonnes with 5-axis capability.

"Our investment in a machine this size is largely the result of the mining industry requiring larger capacity loaders. Having a machine with this Australian mines prefer Australian loaders capability demonstrates to our clients that we can meet their current and future needs.

"We are one of the largest manufacturers in New South Wales," says Nick. "Our ability to provide all services in-house ensures our clients benefit from reduced costs and lead times.

"We take control of the project from start to finish. Eliminating the need for sub-contracting significantly adds to our quality control and streamlines production for our clients.

"We are also one of the few fabricators that can boast a dedicated profiling facility. We have the equipment to press it, roll it, fabricate it, and machine it, and deliver to the client's doorstep as finished product," he added.

"Additionally, by the end of the year we will have installed our new surface treatment facilities, which means we can further valueadd, and reduce lead times.

"We use Grade 250 and 350 XLERPLATE® steel for the underground loaders, hoppers and feeders. The heavier capacity machines tend to use Grade 350 for increased strength."

Nick said Dimitriou Fabrications is committed to using Australian steel. "Because we only use XLERPLATE® steel from BlueScope Steel it is a major selling point for our clients.

"We'd use up to 3,000 tonnes of XLERPLATE® steel per year and honestly believe that BlueScope Steel offers a superior quality product.

"From previous experience, we've found XLERPLATE® steel to be a better working product. Since we're responsible for the profiling, bending and welding of the steel, having a consistent quality product base ensures our production flows as smoothly as possible.

"We are very proud of what we do and knowing our products are so well regarded throughout the industry. It proves Australian manufacturing is as equal to any in the world, and in many areas, superior," Nick concluded.

Dimitriou Fabrications can be contacted on (02) 9623 0788 or visit their new website www.dimitrioufab.com.au