Steve Keown

Rust is a symptom of industrial work sites, usually forming when steel or iron becomes exposed to water and oxygen for periods of time.
 Features

The rust is history

Rust is a pesky symptom of industrial work sites, usually forming when steel or iron becomes exposed to water and oxygen for extended periods of time. While actions can be taken to avoid excessive build-up on tools and equipment, it persists as a common problem in dust and moisture-heavy environments. Read More
procurement
 Features

Premium procurement strategies for OEMs in Western Australia

CBC heavy industry and mobile equipment expert, Sheree Munnik advises her OEM contracts that when it comes to procuring the right supplies at the right time, “Fail to plan, and you plan to fail.”  Her vested knowledge in the procurement side of the business has been amplified in recent years by her extensive involvement in the contract sales side of CBC’s Western Australian business arm, which frequently caters to the OEMs involved in the production of equipment for heavy industrial plants, ore mining, refineries, and quarrying processes.  “A fair few of my clients manufacture heavy mobile equipment like dump trucks, diggers and excavators that dominate the heavy industrial equipment market here in Perth,’ says Sheree.  Not surprisingly, many of Sheree’s clients are looking to invest in premium level products for their manufacturing processes — and that’s exactly where CBC comes in.  According to Sheree, with some of the more recent challenges procurement managers have been facing, this has created a kind of convergence of opportunity to showcase the different capabilities that Motion Australia’s business possesses in terms of inventory, supply and distribution.  ‘I recently had the procurement manager from a reputable OEM reach out to me,” says Sheree. “He wanted to discuss accessing hydraulic and gear oils for their batches of massive heavy earth moving loading trucks. Essentially, his hands were tied in terms of accessing supply due to difficulties with long lead times sourcing offshore products and he was looking for a premium quality onshore alternative that would be more readily available.” Sheree deferred to her multi-branded solutions basket of contacts to source lubricants from their range of available premium oils. She also suggested the OEM manager enter into a procurement contract with CBC to benefit from their massive network of stock facilities and distribution channels.  The client ended up ordering a range of Shell products from our supplier Viva Energy Australia, including items from the Tellus T2 hydraulic oils and the Omala industrial gear oil ranges. Since then, it has been full steam ahead with continuous ordering and supply.  “The client quickly made us their preferred onshore supplier,” says Sheree. “And the relationship has been ongoing for about a year now. We monitor it quarterly and regularly check in on the client’s needs to make assessments and offer oil samples for their team to trial.” 
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green clean
 Features

A green clean for heavy duty mining equipment

Due to the nature of large-scale extraction and excavation operations, the risk of doing damage to the environment is always high, crystalised as an ongoing discussion for heavy industry. Acting based on these concerns has been on the forefront of the collective hive mind in recent years, with environment, health, and safety (EHS) issues reaching their tipping point around the globe. According to CBC’s Steve Keown, energy companies are particularly well-positioned to address these concerns. “In an effort to mitigate these risk factors and address these concerns, leading energy companies like Viva Energy, Shell’s Macro-Distributor have been working to develop products with a low environmental impact,” he says. “As a result, the mining and quarrying sectors have been taking the lead on some of the most innovative products in the zero-impact space, including the production of biodegradable cleaning agents for heavy equipment.” The CBC Product Manager for Cleaners, Solvents and Degreasers discusses in detail, CBC’s dedication to providing market leading biodegradable products to customers. “In Australia, CBC has been working with some of their key suppliers like Viva Energy for the Shell brand, along with the reach of our distribution channels to take the lead on delivering these products to market,” he explains. Viva Energy Australia has mandated a commitment to what they call ‘Goal Zero’ in their Statement of Commitment to Health, Safety, Security and the Environment, proposing a stop in operations if the fundamentals of the commitment are not being met.1 CBC aims to assist in meeting the Goal Zero target by providing exceptional knowledge on the monitoring and measuring of product performance against Viva Energy guidelines. “We have a vested interest in working with the team at Viva Energy as a trusted supply partner and also an industry leader on tested and certified standard biodegradable products.” One such product is the Viva own Dobatex range. Currently CBC locations stock three key products in the Dobatex range network-wide: Dobatex Aqua Degreaser, Gold and Platinum. According to Steve, Dobatex are some of the most premium biodegradable products on the market right now. “Most companies are looking for a product that can be used over a wide range of applications,” says Steve. “Dobatex is an organic water-based cleaning compound developed specifically for heavy duty industrial and automotive applications in the mining and quarrying segments. It can be used on mobile equipment such as diggers, dozers, and trucks.” Dobatex meets the Australian standard for Biodegradability, compliant with AS 4351.2 and allows for concentration rates from 1 percent through to 30 percent, depending on application that the products are being used for.
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fluid
 Features

Fluid mobility

Mobile machines on mine sites are essential workers, and similar to human resources, they need fluids to run efficiently. However, the quality of those fluids are integral to performance – which is why customers seek assurance from BSC in regards to their lubrication needs. According to Steve Keown, BSC Australia’s National Product Manager for Lubricants, customers stand to benefit from BSC’s partnership with Shell by Viva Energy Australia, in terms of both the supply of quality products, and in having access to local expertise. “Shell is the number one brand globally and we are providing a top-of-the-line solution to our customers that is unsurpassed in the market,” enthuses Steve. “Shell has a long history of research and development when it comes to lubricants for mining and quarry applications – they work very closely with equipment manufacturers to ensure the lubricants will provide operational efficiency for equipment.” Of course, preventing downtime is high on the agenda. “Shell has been providing lubrication products to this sector for nearly 100 years,” explains Steve. “They have a very long history of tailoring lubricants to a specific application and providing a cost effective solution to prevent the unforeseen downtime of equipment.” Importantly, Steve says BSC work together with Shell to match the right products to suit each customer’s application and can ensure the lubricants are complying with OEM warranty requirements. “Customers can be confident in the quality of the lubricants and assured that their manufacturer’s warranty is in place – which is very important,” expands Steve.  “As a national distributor of Shell products, we can also offer customers access to services such as the Shell technical help and Lube Analysis, which tracks how a lubricant is working on a particular piece of equipment.” Having this support and analysis offers customers peace of mind. “It takes the arduous work out of the customer’s hands knowing that they have local technical backup,” explains Steve. “In addition to that, dealing with a brand such as Shell hand-in-hand with BSC, they can be secure in the fact that they have premium support in place.” This is where BSC’s partnership with the global Shell Brand proves particularly beneficial for customers. “We are currently working closely with a customer where we are facilitating with Viva Energy’s Shell Lubricants technical engineers to perform trials on some of our customer’s equipment,” Steve expounds. “It’s a very open line of communication between BSC, our customer and Shell, who is a global leader. Essentially, we are providing high-level global assurance on a local level.” Moreover, customers can rely on BSC to help them manage their inventory and lubricant usage. “In our experience, customers want to use a brand and product that is suitable to their application and minimise inventory as much as possible,” explains Steve. “The Shell Lubricants range often ticks all the boxes, as it covers all major mining equipment needs, however, we will work with our customers to select and match the right lubricant to their application.”
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Features

CRC products for safer, more sustainable mines

Both safety and environmental sustainability are pivotal issues for any successful mine management strategy. Mines are constantly under pressure and scrutiny to improve their workplace safety practices. Similarly, the pressure on mines to step up their environmental sustainability goals has never been greater.  The Deliotte ‘Tracking the Trends in 2021’ report, which tracks key trends in the mining industry each year, notes how it’s important for mines to balance short-term economic factors with long-term environmental impacts. It also points out to the importance of comprehensive environmental protection plans in bridging the trust gap between mines and their communities.  Read More