What started as a small idea from MASPRO to change up its workshops has evolved into something far more significant.
What began as a local workshop transformation is laying the foundation for something much bigger: MASPRO’s journey to becoming a world-class manufacturing and design leader for the mining industry.
Each upgrade, whether in automation, process flow, or technology integration, is a deliberate step toward building facilities that can scale globally and set new benchmarks for efficiency, safety, and innovation.
“Our vision has never been just for a global network of world-class manufacturing and design centres. Every improvement we make today is about scaling for tomorrow – so that MASPRO can support miners anywhere in the world.”
MASPRO’s past year has been one of transformation.
An initiative beginning as a series of workshop modifications has grown into a company-wide shift in how production is planned, executed, and scaled for the future. The result has been leaner operations, smarter use of technology, and a production environment designed to meet the long-term needs of the mining industry.
Production efficiency has always been central to MASPRO’s operations, but the company recently took a step back to ask a bigger question: where do we want to be in ten years? That long-term perspective shaped a new workshop layout designed not just for today’s workloads, but for future growth.
By grouping related processes together and aligning workstations with production flow, MASPRO has reduced unnecessary movement across the shop floor.
“We took the approach of saying, where do we want to see ourselves within the next ten years, and then worked backwards,” MASPRO production manager Arnold Small told Australian Mining. “It was about improving quality, efficiency, and the flow of material.”
These changes have also given MASPRO the ability and flexibility to adapt quickly to client needs.
“We can respond to long production runs or urgent requirements,” he said. “The shop floor can be adjusted to suit the current need.”
A standout investment has been the creation of a new machining cell, supported by an overhead crane system. Designed with a large-format footprint, the cell is purpose-built to handle oversized fabricated components in single, precise setups. By reducing handling time and enabling consistent scheduling, the upgrade not only increases throughput but also delivers the reliability and efficiency MASPRO’s clients depend on.
“These changes aren’t just about moving parts more safely,” MASPRO director of operations Jason Kennard said.
“They’re about building the kind of scalability and resilience that our clients need. Every upgrade we make is part of a bigger picture – creating facilities that can be replicated on a global stage to set new benchmarks in efficiency, safety, and innovation.”
Alongside physical upgrades, MASPRO has rolled out a suite of continuous improvement initiatives. Offline programming now allows machining programs and tool setups to be prepared a week in advance, removing downtime and ensuring operators can focus on precision work.
Four machining centres are being integrated with robotic arms to create an automated work cell that improves consistency and scalability. At the Wetherill Park facility, machining space has been consolidated to free up floor area for welding and assembly as demand grows.
Robotic welding is advancing quickly, with MASPRO’s welding arm – Bertha – now tackling complex jobs with enhanced precision, efficiency, and quality.
“Realigning the shop floor makes operations department-orientated,” Small said. “With less staff movement and better process visibility, we’ve reduced travel time and improved consistency.”
“We’ve designed our processes to grow with us. Whether it’s robotics, digital integration, or smarter layouts, everything we do is about scalability. The end goal is to evolve MASPRO into a truly world-class operation that redefines what manufacturing in mining can be.”
For MASPRO’s mining clients, the benefits are immediate and tangible. Faster turnaround times and reduced downtime help keep equipment running, but the company is also using its agility to deliver tailored solutions.
In one case, MASPRO redesigned a component after repeated failures in an OEM part.
“We had a client with issues around a cradle pin working loose,” Kennard said. “We added a safety lip so that even if it came loose, it couldn’t fall out. That kind of improvement not only reduces risk but saves clients money over time.”
In another example, urgent requests that would normally take 20–30 days were completed in just ten days thanks to the streamlined layout and offline programming. This customer-first mindset reflects MASPRO’s broader evolution.
“We started out making components equal to OEM parts,” Kennard said. “But we’ve evolved to ask, ‘How can we make them better?’ Whether it’s a change of material, a new welding sequence, or a design tweak, we’re always looking to extend part life as well as improve safety and reliability.”
That philosophy has cemented MASPRO’s reputation as more than a supplier; it’s now a partner helping miners solve problems and improve equipment performance.
The combined impact of these changes has been clear: lead times are down, production stoppages are fewer, and throughput has increased. But MASPRO views this year’s gains as only the first phase of a much larger journey, with every initiative implemented with scalability in mind. Whether it’s the integrated production cell, the rearranged floor plan, or robotic integration, each improvement builds toward a long-term growth strategy.
“The workshop transformation is only phase one of our ten-year roadmap,” said Small. “The next decade will see MASPRO expand automation, integrate digital supply chains, and grow from a single Australian hub into a network of advanced manufacturing and design centers worldwide.”
Ultimately, MASPRO’s mission is clear: to redefine what world-class manufacturing looks like in mining, and to give clients a partner who can deliver innovation, reliability, and scale—anywhere in the world.
This article appeared in the October issue of Australian Mining magazine.