Enduring partnerships build extra tough and super reliable vehicles for mining
Vehicles used in mining and remote area transport are subjected to some of the harshest conditions and usage imaginable. They need to be built extra tough, have improved ground clearance, improved gross vehicle mass (GVM), and be super reliable to meet the extraordinary off-road demands of remote and difficult terrain travel.
Based in Carrum Downs Victoria, EnduroCo provides 4×4 conversions for the Toyota Hiace and Toyota Coaster buses and vans. These vehicles offer the perfect 4×4 minibus or van transport solution for mining sites with the ability to traverse all harsh and difficult-to-navigate terrain in absolute safety and confidence.
From the outback to sand and beach environments, whether it be for passenger transport, tourism, off-road ambulance, disaster recovery, search and rescue or even law enforcement vehicles, the EnduroCo 4×4 conversions provide the build quality, reliability, comfort and affordability which has been tried, tested and manufactured to withstand the harshest Australian conditions.
EnduroCo’s impressive customer list includes mining operators such as BHP, BMA, Golding, Harmony Gold PNG, Glencore and Thiess.
All the components for the EnduroCo 4×4 conversions have been designed locally by EnduroCo and manufactured in a collaborative partnership with Alfred Lewis Engineering. This partnership enabled the design, R&D development, manufacture of a diverse range of components, component testing and Federal Government approval of EnduroCo’s 4×4 conversions and products in record-breaking time.
Established in 1966, Alfred Lewis Engineering has built its business through a commitment to quality, service and partnering with clients across markets as diverse as low-pressure gas distribution hot tap fittings, medical instruments, industrial process equipment, transport components, mining and packaging equipment and the automotive aftermarket.
Alfred Lewis purchased their first Mazak CNC machine from John Hart in 1981, a Mazak Quick Turn 10 which was only just replaced in 2021 with a new Mazak Quick Turn 250, coinciding with the 40th birthday of the Mazak Quick Turn series and the introduction of the world’s first conversational CNC system for lathes – the MAZATROL T-1.
Fittingly many years of reliable service from this first and subsequent Mazak CNC machines as well as the long-term partnership with John Hart and Mazak, parallels the reliability and endurance designed and manufactured into the EnduroCo 4×4 conversions.
The company’s world-class manufacturing facility, located in Braeside Victoria, boasts 17 state-of-the-art Mazak CNC machines including the following three most recent new Mazak investments.
A Mazak HCN-6800 optioned with a 6 pallet changer for unmanned operation over extended periods, delivering unsurpassed performance, precision, reliability and production value for high-volume large heavy part operations with a maximum workpiece diameter of 1,050mm, a height of 1,300mm and a maximum load on a pallet of 1,500kg.
A Mazak Quick Turn 250 is a high output, high rigidity machine designed to meet a wide range of production requirements, combining productivity, accuracy, and reliability, while providing excellent performance and unsurpassed production value.
A Mazak Integrex i-400 advanced multi-tasking machine delivering maximum versatility, high precision, and throughput for medium to large complex parts. The machine combines the capabilities of a high-powered turning center and a full-function machining center to produce parts in single set-ups.
Alfred Lewis is a quality endorsed company and relies heavily on a proven quality system combined with state-of-the-art Mazak CNC machinery to deliver on-time quality products such as cast iron differentials and C-end weldments to suit, cast iron steer knuckles for both vehicle conversions, cast iron brake caliper brackets, heavy duty dual flange, dual bearing serviceable ABS wheel hubs for both vehicle conversions, torque arms, Panhard rods, tie rods and shock mounts, just to mention a few parts required for the EnduroCo 4×4 conversion kits.
John Ellis, the Managing Director of Alfred Lewis Engineering, cited a number of critical challenging factors that many Australian manufacturers would identify with, however the most important is the ability to deliver quality components and deliver on time.
“Aside from the performance, precision, and reliability, Mazak’s own Mazatrol programming language together with expanded tool magazines is a significant aid to expediting production of small batch lots and assists enormously in simplifying team member operator and programming training,” said Ellis.
“The Mazaks were purchased for their ease of programming, setting and prove-out features,” Ellis continued. “We considered other brands but the ease of operation and the programming language made the choice simple.”
The successful partnership between EnduroCo 4×4, Alfred Lewis Engineering, and John Hart is behind the creation of a world-class transport solution for mining sites. The partnership will continue to benefit from the leading-edge technology provided by Mazak and the strong training and ongoing support from John Hart.