Aerolite Quarries bring a Rokbak RA30 to Australia

A Rokbak in Victoria is transporting hundreds of tonnes of rock a day at a demanding site which provides important construction materials to locations around southern Australia.

A Rokbak in Victoria is transporting hundreds of tonnes of rock a day at a demanding site which provides important construction materials to locations around southern Australia. It’s a long, long way from Scotland to Australia. But ‘Down Under’ in Victoria, Aerolite Quarries has seen first-hand the remarkable benefits achieved through the acquisition of Motherwell’s Rokbak RA30 articulated hauler.

Based half an hour north of Geelong in Victoria, Aerolite Quarries is a leading producer of construction materials for large infrastructure projects, supplying scoria and basalt-based construction materials to Melbourne and the surrounding area. A very light honeycomb volcanic rock, scoria possesses a high strength rate as well as low tonnes to cubic metre, allowing more product at less weight to be delivered – lowering carbon footprint. The nondescript crushed rock is used for road base and overpasses throughout Victoria, and, as one of the region’s biggest scoria suppliers, Aerolite projects often require 60,000 tonnes in the space of mere months. Now, with the RA30’s arrival on site in Anakie, the articulated hauler is assisting the Aerolite operation.

Aerolite Quarries operates on a large scale, supplying thousands of tonnes of construction materials daily to meet the demands of significant infrastructure projects across Victoria. Finding reliable and robust equipment is paramount. Aerolite Quarries turned to Porter Group, Rokbak’s Global Parts Dealer of the Year, and a company that Aerolite has worked with for close to a decade. Having invested in the Rokbak RA30, Aerolite Quarries now has a robust and reliable hauler designed to tackle the toughest terrain and heavy loads. Since arriving on site the RA30 has demonstrated its efficiency working in a constant circuit, going back and forth between the fixed plant and mining area.

“We are flat out all the time,” states Aerolite Quarries general manager Trevor Bartlett. “We’ve done a lot of projects where we are supplying 50 or 60,000 tonnes over a time of a period of months, hence the need for more and more equipment.”

Covering 1,800 hectares, Aerolite Quarries contains two scoria quarries and a basalt bluestone quarry. Excavators fill up the RA30, which then takes the material across a distance of 100m to be processed at one of two fixed crushing plants. Aerolite has two large fixed plants which process between 1,000 to 1,500 tonnes per plant per day. The Rokbak is efficient and consistent at what it does, with the capability of a 28-tonne (30.9 US ton) haul. The machine's superior traction and stability, combined with its payload, means it is able to transport larger quantities of construction materials and maximise productivity. The RA30's advanced articulated steering system also allows for greater manoeuvrability, effortlessly navigating challenging terrains and confined spaces with ease, while the visibility has been singled out for considerable praise.

“The vision and the cameras are very good,” adds Trevor. “There are no blind spots, so the drivers can see everything, which is critical for us. The side mirrors are big, the camera works exceptionally well and the view through the windows in all three directions is perfect for us. And the driver’s seat is adjustable, so it doesn’t matter whether you’re 5’.2” or 5’.10”, you get great visibility. The seats are air cushioned, so you can bounce up and down with them. It doesn’t matter how bad the roads get. The cabin is almost like an independent capsule if you like – the driver comfort is fantastic.”

The Australian articulated hauler market is the fifth biggest in the world. The country consistently sees high demand and experiences an extremely buoyant industry, which Rokbak is making inroads within. “In Australia, we’ve seen the Rokbak colours go down very well,” says Lee Irving, Rokbak Regional Business Manager. “That sand-coloured aesthetic is distinctive from any other equipment colour, and the brand name is growing and standing by itself.” “Our brand name stands for power, performance and reliability,” adds Rokbak Managing Director Paul Douglas. “It’s a name that reflects that we’re a skilled, experienced and passionate team with a growing reputation. We are committed to making rock-solid haulers every day, and will never waver on our promise to always support our customers and deliver powerful and reliable machines.”