Caterpillar’s longest serving dealer in Australia, Cavpower, has established a greater presence in Whyalla as a result of an exploration boom currently occurring in South Australia. As the sole Caterpillar dealership in South Australia, Cavpower has operated a branch facility in Whyalla since 1968.
When mining company, Oxiana, approved the development of a copper/gold mine in August this year, they appointed Thiess Contractors with the mining contract. Thiess then placed an order with Cavpower for fourteen 240 tonne Caterpillar mining trucks and two 100 tonne mining trucks. The mining trucks are the largest ever assembled in South Australia.
Cavpower’s Executive General Manager, Steve McEvoy, said he received a fantastic response from Whyalla City Council, the Whyalla Economic Development Board (WEDB) and local contractors which assisted to get the project up and running within seven weeks. “During this period, a 28,000 square metre block of land was purchased and used to construct the vehicles,” he said. “The land was cleared and administration and portable buildings were purchased, turning the land into a hardstand area within six weeks. The first truck was then built and delivered seven weeks from the time the order was placed.”
To deliver the trucks within this timeframe, Cavpower recruited an additional 25 skilled employees, comprising 23 qualified diesel technicians and two trades assistants from Whyalla and surrounding regions. Cavpower now employs 41 local people, including five apprentices at second, third and fourth year levels. Steve McEvoy said that the exploration boom will lead to an increasing number of mining projects in South Australia.
“Cavpower recognises the need for expanding its maintenance and support facilities to address this,” he said. “We are particularly committed to expanding our business in the regional centres, as this is where many of our customers are focused.
“With future expansion, Cavpower plans to base its customer support centre in Whyalla. Working with WEDB and Council, we have already set aside land to expand the current facility to more than double its size. This will allow us to house a purpose built rebuild and equipment centre, enabling Cavpower to increase its staff numbers in Whyalla by up to two thirds of its current employment base.”
