Specialists in winches, winders & heavy engineering – Australian-owned since 1974
A specialist winch, winder and heavy engineering company based in Smithfield, Western Sydney. From our 7,800 m² workshop we’ve been building, hiring and overhauling hoisting equipment since 1974 for mining, tunnelling, marine, offshore and defence projects.
When you’re sinking a shaft, cutting a tunnel, running a dredge or holding a vessel on station, the hoisting system can’t let you down. AWH combines practical engineering, a workshop built for heavy gear and a large winch and winder hire fleet to keep projects moving and in spec.
We’re not a general machine shop. Everything revolves around winches, winders, power units and the steelwork that goes with them – man-riding and kibble winders, dredge winches, headframes, reelers and sheaves. Our team of project managers, engineers, equipment managers, fitters and machinists know both the workshop and site, so we can own the full hoisting package, not just loose components.
Proven on tough Australian projects
Over the years AWH has supplied hoisting equipment and services to many major operations, including:
• Shaft sinking and upgrades – friction, emergency egress and kibble winders, headframes and guides for underground mines.
• Underground gold and base-metal mines – projects at Ernest Henry, Cadia, Olympic Dam and Tanami.
• Marine, defence and offshore – constant-tension dredge winches, mooring, mine-sweeping, anchor-handling and luffing winches with dedicated power units.
Tanami Expansion 2 – Koepe hoisting for a remote gold mine
A recent key project is Tanami Expansion 2 (TE2) for Newmont Mining Services. In 2024 AWH was awarded a major contract for the manufacture and supply of Koepe winder skips and a personnel cage for the remote underground gold operation.
The work brought together AWH’s full capability – detailed mechanical and structural design; heavy fabrication and machining in the Smithfield workshop; shop testing under our ISO 9001 quality system; and the supply of critical spares to support long-term operation. TE2 shows how AWH approaches modern hoisting work in Australian conditions: start with the duty, engineer the equipment around it, and keep as much of the process as possible under one roof.
On every job AWH takes the work from engineering through to testing and site support, so there is one party responsible for the hoisting system from top to bottom.
We excel at these services
Winch & Winder Hire
• Shaft and kibble winders
• Man-riders and service winches
• Constant-tension and mooring winches
• Power units, control cabins and ancillary equipment
Available for short- and long-term projects in mining, tunnelling, marine and offshore environments.
Project Hoisting Systems
• Complete hoisting packages – winch or winder, headframe, sheaves and power units
• Temporary and permanent shaft equipment
• Emergency egress systems
• Engineering, fabrication, assembly, testing and commissioning support
Manufacturing & Heavy Fabrication
• Design and manufacture of winches and winders
• Headframes, reelers, sheaves and custom steelwork
• Very large fabrications, including Sub-Arc welding
• Overhead crane capacity up to 60 t for heavy assemblies
Equipment Overhauls, Rebuilds & Upgrades
• Strip, inspect and rebuild existing winches and winders
• Brake, drive and control system upgrades
• Life-extension and compliance modifications
• Dynamic testing of winches up to 100t
Workshop Services
• Large-capacity lathes, vertical and horizontal borers
• Heat treatment – stress relieving and normalising
• Grit blasting and large enclosed paint booth
• Electrical cabinet construction and fault-finding
These capabilities allow AWH to keep critical project equipment in service and performing as designed.
Where we work
• Underground and surface mining
• Shaft sinking and tunnelling
• Dredging and marine construction
• Offshore oil & gas and mooring systems
• Defence and naval support
• Heavy civil and infrastructure projects
Capability & compliance
• ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system
• Fabrication in accordance with MDG41, DNV, Lloyd’s, ABS, MIL and AS 1418 requirements
• Accredited and qualified welders to AS 1554
• 7,800 m² factory plus 1,000 m² office and stores in Smithfield, NSW
• Large overhead crane coverage and heavy machining capacity
Contact
Planning a shaft, tunnel, dredging or offshore project?
Talk to the winch and winder specialists first.
Australian Winch & Haulage Co. Pty Ltd
227 Woodpark Road, Smithfield, Sydney NSW 2164, Australia
Tel: +61 (0)2 9725 2772
Email: sales@auswinch.com.au
