Fenner Invests in Factory of the Future with Third Press Line

Fenner Conveyors has invested $23.5 million into its Kwinana facility in WA, boosting local manufacturing of steel cord and ply conveyor belts.
The strategic location around 40km south of Perth helps support the nearby iron ore and boarder mining industry. Local manufacturing means lower freight costs and drastically lower lead times, as shipping the belts is only required from the plant to the site.
The $70 million facility originally opened in 2009 and primarily produces Fenner's steel cord belting. At the time, the move was one of the largest investments into conveyor belt manufacturing made in Australia by a single company.
In 2020, the company partnered with German-based Siempelkamp as part of a $23.5 million expansion to the Kwinana facility. A third press line was to be installed to increase Fenner’s steel cord capacity by a further 50%.
The facility already housed two of the world’s largest steel cord press lines, measuring 18.5m in length and having the capability to produce steel cord and rubber ply belts up to 3200mm wide and 50mm thick.
Due to an increasing demand for steel cord belts, Fenner needed to significantly expand its production facility.
Siempelkamp technology provides Fenner's third press line with enhanced visibility over the manufacturing process. It allows for an increased level of automation and provides more control over the production of custom-made belts.
The third press line is now fully operational, and Fenner welcomes customers to visit the site and see how the steel cord belts are made.
The installation of this state-of-the-art equipment allows Fenner to continue investing into the latest technologies, as well as make operations more efficient, sustainable and safe for the future.