When a major Australian mining and chemicals company updated its transport fleet, the cyanide loading arm that had served the site for years no longer reached. Treloar built a new arm to retro-fit the existing post. No gantry replacement. No structural work needed.
Background
A leading Australian provider of mining, explosives, specialty chemicals and digital solutions had been running a Treloar-supplied loading arm for years without issue. However, the operational landscape shifted when its transport partners updated their fleet, and the arm that had worked fine suddenly couldn’t reach the new trucks. This seemingly minor change created an immediate operational bottleneck.
The challenge
It’s a problem that comes up more than people expect: perfectly functional infrastructure suddenly becomes incompatible as the equipment it services evolves.
The new fleet demanded a reconfiguration of the original folding-stair access system. With the access platform modified, the original loading arm – already stiff in operation and prone to nuisance trips from its proximity sensors – simply could not reach the new working envelope. The core issue was geometry, and the potential solution – a full gantry replacement – was immediately ruled out as a disproportionate expenditure of capital and time.
The customer turned back to Treloar, the original equipment manufacturer, seeking engineering judgement on whether the existing arm could be modified or if a new custom system replacement was necessary.
Why off-the-shelf wasn’t going to work
Off-the-shelf arms could not accommodate the required reach and operator ergonomics while fitting the existing post and pipework. For hazardous products like sodium cyanide, the priority was a reliable system with a clear, safe operating procedure.
The Treloar solution
After a comprehensive review of the modified access arrangements and the existing pipework, Treloar’s engineering judgement was clear: a new, custom-engineered loading arm, purpose-built to retro-fit the existing post. This solution avoided the massive cost and complexity of structural change, focusing instead on precision engineering:
- New geometry designed from scratch for the updated truck profile and reconfigured access system.
- Custom locking strut with positive, manually engaged park position, so the arm stays where you put it.
- Multiple proximity sensors to confirm correct arm position and engagement before loading begins, reducing the risk of product loss.
- Materials and seal selected for sodium cyanide service.
- Workshop-built and tested on Treloar’s Rutherford, NSW test gantry – every custom arm is tested here before it leaves the workshop.
- Designed to retro-fit the existing post and structure, minimising cost, downtime, and the need for new approvals.
The result
The result was a safer loading bay that worked, and worked better than before:
- A purpose-built arm that fits the current fleet and the modified access system.
- Smoother manual operation in both axes – noticeably easier for the operator to position than the legacy arm.
- Improved sensing and locking, with fewer nuisance interruptions during filling.
- Minimal disruption to the loading bay – the existing post and surrounding infrastructure was back in service without a rebuild.
- Designed and built in Australia, local engineering support, and continuity with the Treloar equipment already on site.
Why the customer came to Treloar
When this problem presented itself, the customer turned to Treloar. Having designed and built the original arm, they felt confident that Treloar understood the constraints of the existing installation, and could be relied on to deliver an Australian-engineered solution that would actually fit. The same Treloar team that built the arm remains accessible by phone for technical support, modifications and spares.
What this project reflects
When standard solutions no longer fit – whether due to hazardous product requirements, geometry constraints, or changes around existing equipment – Treloar provides engineering judgment rather than catalogue supply. Designed and built in Australia, supported by the people who built it for the full service life.