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

ERSIGROUP is an international group specialising in detailed engineering, supply, transformation of corrugated steel reinforcement and the installation of reinforcement cages for reinforced concrete structures in large-scale infrastructure projects. With more than 60 years of experience, the company has developed an integrated service model that combines the technical optimisation of reinforcement solutions with industrialised manufacturing and prefabrication processes, enabling it to respond effectively to particularly demanding construction requirements and accelerated execution schedules in complex civil works such as metro systems, bridges, tunnels, and hydraulic and maritime infrastructure.

ERSIGROUP’s value proposition is underpinned by a clear focus on the detailed engineering of structural reinforcement, aimed at improving constructability, structural efficiency and cost control during the construction phase. This approach has positioned the group as a long-term technical partner for leading international contractors involved in highly complex infrastructure projects.

In Panama, ERSIGROUP has been actively involved in the development of the Metro system since the commencement of its infrastructure construction. The company has contributed to Line 1 and Line 2 and is currently participating in the execution of Line 3, consolidating a continuous presence in one of the most significant urban transport projects in the region.

Through ERSIGROUP PANAMA, the group operates as a regional hub for major infrastructure projects in Central America. Line 3 of the Panama Metro—an elevated monorail system approximately 25 kilometres in length, connecting Albrook with Ciudad del Futuro in Panama Oeste—has been awarded to the HPH Joint Venture and represents a strategic milestone in the expansion of the metropolitan transport network. Within this project, ERSIGROUP plays a key role in the execution of deep foundations and major structural elements forming the load-bearing core of the new transport corridor.

ERSIGROUP is responsible for the development of detailed engineering, the manufacture, prefabrication and installation of reinforced concrete piles of up to 18 metres in length and 2.8 metres in diameter, reaching foundation depths in excess of 50 metres. In addition, the company supplies reinforcement for diaphragm walls (D-walls), tunnel lining segments and track beams, all of which are produced in ERSIGROUP’s own facilities and assembled on site under stringent quality control procedures, ensuring high dimensional accuracy and full material traceability.

ERSIGROUP’s involvement in Line 3 of the Panama Metro reflects its ability to integrate into large-scale infrastructure projects, delivering reliable technical solutions, industrialised processes and execution aligned with the international standards required for mass transit systems.

Built on a passion for mining, and a commitment to deliver value to its customers, it’s no surprise Elphinstone has led the way in machinery innovation for over half a century.

 
The Elphinstone name is synonymous with the mining industry, designing and manufacturing specialised equipment for both underground and surface operations for over 50 years.

From underground mining support vehicles to off-highway extended-distance haul trucks and mine extraction equipment, the company is also a well-established Caterpillar OEM Solutions customer

With machines operating in over 25 countries across six continents, Elphinstone continues to strengthen its capabilities and expand its presence in multiple heavy-industry sectors.

A passion for mining

It was in 1975, when Dale was modifying Cat surface mining equipment for underground mining applications out of his father’s shed in Burnie, Tasmania, that Dale B Elphinstone Pty Ltd was established.

The sale of the company’s first underground machine, the Elphinstone 79C (a modified Caterpillar 769C), soon followed in 1976 and 1977, respectively, with innovation quickly expanding beyond expectations.

After pioneering a series of underground support vehicles, Elphinstone’s first purpose-built underground dump trucks, the AD13 and AD17, entered the market during the early 1980s.

An economic downturn followed in the mid-1980s, with mining companies deciding to reduce their tunnel size which would require smaller machines with equal capacity.

In 1986 Elphinstone rose to the challenge and in just seven months produced and sold its first fully designed and manufactured load haul dump loader (LHD), the R1500.

The following year, Elphinstone sold its first R1500 overseas to Freeport McMoRan’s Henderson mine in the US.

Dale recalls, “Someone said to me, ‘You realise that your machine price is double your competition’, and I said back to him, ‘I had no idea what the price of our competition was, because we sell the value of our product and what it will do for you’,” he said.

Elphinstone replaced 36 of the competitions’ loaders at Henderson with ten Elphinstone R1500 LHD loaders.

Innovation, growth, philanthropy

New developments followed with the release of the R2800 LHD (1988), the R1700 LHD and AD40 dump truck (1991), and the first R2900 LHD in 1994, delivering more than 200 LHDs globally by the end of that year.

The company’s success drew the attention of Caterpillar, and the two parties established a 50/50 joint venture in 1995, creating the business known as Caterpillar Elphinstone Pty Ltd. 

Caterpillar later purchased the remaining 50 per cent of the business replacing the Elphinstone name with the Caterpillar trademark.

After the sale of its underground mining business to Caterpillar, Elphinstone accelerated its philanthropic efforts.

Initiatives included a 50 percent contribution towards the purchase of an MRI scanner, the purchase of a linear accelerator, local university scholarships for aspiring radiographers, and a partnership with the State Government to establish a state-of-the-art, regional cancer treatment facility.

In 2010, Caterpillar advised of its intention to relocate its underground mining manufacturing operations to Rayong, Thailand.

To retain the employment of skilled employees and local supply chain, Elphinstone worked with Caterpillar to “buy back” its brand and in 2016 launched a new range of specialised underground hard rock support vehicles.

A bright future

In his own words, Dale would say “one person doesn’t do very much” and attributes the Group’s 50-year success to its valued team of people. 

Since re-entering the market in 2016, Elphinstone has designed and developed more than 20 underground support vehicle configurations which include both centre- and front-mounted three-person cabs hosting several utilities, such as concrete agitators, delivery trucks, scissor lifts, water cannons and tilt trays. 

“The company will continue to invest in electrification projects driven by our customer’s applications, requirements and appetite for decarbonisation,” Elphinstone global sales and marketing manager Tim Mitchell told BE Infrastructure.

To this day, the Elphinstone brand is recognised as a pioneer of underground mining heavy vehicle solutions.

Elphinstone and Newmont

Since re-establishing its business in 2016, Elphinstone has developed strong relationships with world-renowned global mining customers.

The valued relationship between Newmont and Elphinstone began overseas in 2018 with the sale of three Elphinstone WR810 Scissor Lifts into Newmont’s Cerro Negro operations in Argentina.

Then in 2019, the same operation purchased a WR810 Fuel & Lube which has just logged over 22,000 hours. Additionally, the site purchased two WR810 6m3 Agitators and UG20K underground grader. In 2023 an order for a second UG20K was received followed by a WR810 Lube truck in 2024.

Meanwhile, Elphinstone’s support vehicle range began to draw interest from Newmont’s Australian operations

In 2019, Newmont’s Cadia operations in South Australia (formerly Newcrest) took delivery of four WR820 10m3 Agitators, and another three in 2024.

In the Northern territory, Newmont Tanami purchased a WR820 10m3 Agitator and E10 Water Cannon which piqued interest in Elphinstone’s range of highly configurable, class-leading E15 support vehicles. In 2024 they purchased an E15 Delivery [Flat Deck] and are soon to receive a new E15 Tilt Tray, and MED360 mine extraction device on-site.

If your tyres and wheels stop, your production stops – and that’s exactly where OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles fits into the picture at Fortescue’s Iron Bridge Magnetite Project.

Proudly Australian-owned and Australian-based, OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles is run by people who’ve spent decades in the WA mining tyre game. The business now delivers a complete “ground contact” package – OTR tyres, wheels, rims and axles – all specified, supported and serviced for tough Australian conditions and demanding haul profiles.

For Iron Bridge and other major iron ore operations, OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles focuses on the things that really matter on site:

• The right tyre and wheel selection, backed by haul profile studies.
• Safety and compliance, with inspections, repairs and certification to Australian Standards.
• Fast, local support, helping to reduce failures, cut downtime and keep trucks moving.

The long-standing relationship with Fortescue reflects a straightforward value proposition: reliable, safe performance that supports high production targets in remote, high-temperature environments.

While OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles roots are firmly in Australia, its capability is not confined by borders. With integrated product, engineering and service expertise under one roof, the company is well placed to support projects beyond Australia, including growth markets such as Africa and other mining regions that demand the same blend of reliability, safety and practical, on-the-ground know-how.

From the Pilbara to projects abroad, OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles is ready to keep heavy fleets rolling – safely, efficiently and profitably – on solid Australian expertise.

If you would like to learn more on how OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles can help your business, visit www.otrtyreswheelsaxles.com or phone 1300 CALL OTR today.

If your tyres and wheels stop, your production stops – and that’s exactly where OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles fits into the picture at Fortescue’s Iron Bridge Magnetite Project.

Proudly Australian-owned and Australian-based, OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles is run by people who’ve spent decades in the WA mining tyre game. The business now delivers a complete “ground contact” package – OTR tyres, wheels, rims and axles – all specified, supported and serviced for tough Australian conditions and demanding haul profiles.

For Iron Bridge and other major iron ore operations, OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles focuses on the things that really matter on site:

• The right tyre and wheel selection, backed by haul profile studies.
• Safety and compliance, with inspections, repairs and certification to Australian Standards.
• Fast, local support, helping to reduce failures, cut downtime and keep trucks moving.

The long-standing relationship with Fortescue reflects a straightforward value proposition: reliable, safe performance that supports high production targets in remote, high-temperature environments.

While OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles roots are firmly in Australia, its capability is not confined by borders. With integrated product, engineering and service expertise under one roof, the company is well placed to support projects beyond Australia, including growth markets such as Africa and other mining regions that demand the same blend of reliability, safety and practical, on-the-ground know-how.

From the Pilbara to projects abroad, OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles is ready to keep heavy fleets rolling – safely, efficiently and profitably – on solid Australian expertise.

If you would like to learn more on how OTR - Tyres Wheels Axles can help your business, visit www.otrtyreswheelsaxles.com or phone 1300 CALL OTR today.