Winners announced at Australian Bulk Handling Awards

Over the course of a gala dinner, and with MC Paul Martell keeping the audience entertained, the winners of eight categories were announced, with three categories also generating a highly commended runner-up.
 In the Bulk Handling Facility of the Year category finalists were: a joint nomination from North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation, Aurecon Hatch and John Holland Group; Viterra; another nomination from Aurecon Hatch; and a joint nomination from SEW-Eurodrive and Alex Fraser Group.
 The winner was the joint nomination from North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation, Aurecon Hatch and John Holland Group for the expansion to 25mtpa of the Abbot Point Coal Terminal.
 The judges also awarded a highly commended certificate to Viterra for its $147m state-of-the-art deep sea grain terminal at Outer Harbor in Port Adelaide, South Australia.
 In the Innovative Technology category, the finalists were OMC International, Minprovise, BFM Global and Corradini Engineering.
 The winner was BFM Global for the company’s ingenious BFM Fitting. This is billed as “the world’s first snap-in flexible connector” and a superior alternative to conventional hose clips.
 OMC International was highly commended for its Dynamic Under Keel Clearance software and technology which has had a huge and beneficial impact on ports handling bulk commodities such as coal, iron ore, and bauxite.
 BMT WBM, a joint nomination from Anglo Coal Australia and DuPont Australia, and BFM Global were the finalists in the Dust Control Technology, Application or Practice category.
 The winner was the joint nomination from Anglo Coal Australia and DuPont Australia for their addressing of fugitive coal dust from rail wagons running from the Callide mine 120kms to Gladstone.
 BFM Global was also highly commended in this category with its snap-in connector guaranteeing a 100% dust tight seal.
 In the Supplier of the Year category the larger field of entrants was eventually whittled down to a head-to-head battle between SEW-Eurodrive and Veyance Technologies Australia with the former company emerging triumphant.
 The judges praised SEW-Eurodrive for its local assembly, comprehensive range of spares, 24-hr support and products like its X-Series.
 In the Environmental Project of the Year category, the finalists were CS Energy Callide Power Station, and a joint nomination from SEW-Eurodrive and Alex Fraser Group.
 CS Energy Callide Power Station won the award for its installation of a high concentration slurry disposal system at the expanding power station.
 The finalists for the Best Practice in OH&S category were Minprovise, Anglo Coal Australia/DuPont Australia and JS Melbourne Controls, with Minprovise winning for its Dugless 900 remote-controlled compact crawler.
 The Excellence in Transport and/or Conveying category was contested by finalist comprising OMC International, Corradini Engineering, Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia and Wallace & Sons Research.
 In an unprecedented move, the deadlocked judges announced dual winners in the shape of Corradini Engineering and Wallace & Sons Research.
 Corradini built an innovative Cane Transporter for Tully Sugar which allowed the latter company to efficiently move sugar cane in areas lacking rail infrastructure.
 The award to Wallace & Sons Research recognized Peter Wallace’s development of a range of products – including the Uni-Chute and Uni-Trap – aimed at high capacity conveyors.
 The Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling presented its personal award to Stephen Wiche, general manager of TUNRA Bulk Solids at the University of Newcastle.
 The Awards were sponsored by Bonfiglioli Transmission Australia, Laing O’Rourke, and Tenova-SEMF and TAKRAF.
Contact: charles.macdonald@informa.com.au

The January/February edition of ABHR will include a special, commemorative booklet on the awards. “The Winners” will comprise a 24-page summary of the awards night, with pictures of the winners and the gala dinner.