Part 2 of the 2-part article. Click here to read Part 1.
RUD's manufacturing expertise includes a diverse range of conveyor and drive systems engineered for specific material handling challenges. Our objective is to provide perfectly coordinated systems, including individual components, that are high-performing, energy-efficient and require minimal maintenance. We understand that every minute of downtime costs money in industries like mining, power generation and recycling. Our systems are built to run continuously, reliably and safely.
We are known for our comprehensive range of chain-based conveyor systems. All our systems can be customised for specific materials handling as required. We use a variety of traction mechanisms, including round steel chains, forged link chains and high-tensile central chains. This versatility allows us to convey everything from fine powders to large, abrasive materials. Our bulk materials handling systems, such as the BULKOS conveyor, are specifically designed to face challenging and corrosive conditions in the fertiliser, potash, salt, and cement industries.
Our extensive range of specialised conveyor systems includes:
- Drag Chain Conveyors: They are cost-effective and designed to convey materials horizontally or on an incline or in a combination of both. These systems are a go-to solution in all sectors, such as cement, fertilisers, power, steel and mining. They are built to manage high volumes of abrasive and hot materials with ease, ensuring continuous operation in harsh environments
- Apron Feeder Conveyors: Found primarily in the mining and recycling industries, these conveyors feature overlapping, interlocking plates or aprons mounted on a chain. They are a crucial component for the precise and controlled feeding of primary crushers and screens, ensuring a smooth and consistent flow of material
- Bucket Elevators: These elevators are an ideal solution for industries that require vertical transport. They provide a high-capacity, space-saving method for lifting materials to heights, commonly used in silos and bulk storage facilities
- Screw Conveyors: These conveyors use a rotating helical screw blade to move granular materials or sludge within a compact space. They are often used for feeding materials at a controlled rate and can be configured to operate horizontally or on an incline
Beyond our product offerings, RUD provides a complete partnership experience. Our services include project planning, system commissioning and ongoing servicing. We collaborate closely with our clients from the initial concept phase to the final implementation, ensuring that the selected system perfectly matches their operational needs. This holistic approach, combined with our in-house manufacturing capabilities, is built to perform, built to last and built to solve the toughest conveying challenges in Australia.
RUD Australia celebrated 40 years in November 2024. From humble beginnings in 1984 in a garage on the south side of Brisbane to a 6000m2 facility in Larapinta QLD, including an office and warehouse in Perth, we have come a long way as one of the most trusted companies in the conveying, lifting, lashing and material handling industry.
If you want more details of our conveyor and drive systems, email us or call us on 07 3809 1300.
Article copyright to RUD Australia. This information is accurate at the time of publication, and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise.
This is a 2-part article.
For over 150 years, RUD has been a global leader in chains and conveyor technology. We leverage our extensive history and expertise to provide tailored, high-quality material handling solutions for Australian industries. With a state-of-the-art facility in Brisbane, we combine global knowledge with excellence in local manufacturing to ensure reliability and safety in every product.
Starting with humble beginnings as a blacksmith in 1875, the RUD group has expanded worldwide into chain technology innovations with a history of quality products. This innovative legacy has continued into RUD Australia, which operates from a state-of-the-art, 6,000m² facility in Brisbane, a testimony to Australian manufacturing and engineering excellence.
The Brisbane facility is a testament to RUD's commitment to local expertise and global standards. It is a fully integrated production hub designed to manage every stage of the manufacturing process, from raw materials to a finished, tested product. RUD Australia has invested in innovative technology which sets us apart from our competitors. Our production floor includes a SEVERT robotic welder with positional capabilities to ensure precision welds. This robot performs complex, repetitive welds with consistency, ensuring the structural integrity of every component. This is complemented by our advanced laser scanning capabilities, which allow our engineers to capture highly accurate 3D data of parts and assemblies. This precision is critical for quality control, reverse engineering and ensuring that every component fits together, reducing the risk of errors and costly delays.
Our commitment to quality extends beyond automation. Our highly qualified and experienced tradespeople bring expertise to our manufacturing process, allowing us to tackle custom and complex projects. By controlling the entire end-to-end process in-house, from design and manufacturing to assembly and testing, we can maintain a high level of quality control, minimise lead times, and ensure that every piece of equipment is built to exceed industry standards.
Our specialised engineering team is highly skilled and collaborative in every project. We share our knowledge, experience, insights, technical ability and best practices with other RUD subsidiaries around the world. This global knowledge network allows us to tap into a collective pool, optimising our processes to meet the unique and often challenging demands of Australian industries.
For example, a solution developed for a potash mine in Germany might be adapted and enhanced to solve a material handling problem in an Australian coal mine. This flow of information ensures that our clients benefit from the best of both local manufacturing and global expertise. This end-to-end flow in the design and manufacturing process minimises lead times and ensures reliability and safety for clients across the country, making RUD Australia a trusted partner for those who demand quality in every step.
RUD Australia celebrated 40 years in November 2024. From humble beginnings in 1984 in a garage on the south side of Brisbane to a 6000m2 facility in Larapinta QLD, including an office and warehouse in Perth, we have come a long way as one of the most trusted companies in the conveying, lifting, lashing and material handling industry.
To be continued ...
If you want more details of our conveyor and drive systems, email us or call us on 07 3809 1300.
Article copyright to RUD Australia. This information is accurate at the time of publication, and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise.
Founded in Germany in 1875 and celebrating 150 years in 2025, the RUD Group is a global leader in chain technology and lifting solutions. It currently employs over 1,700 employees and sells products in more than 140 countries. RUD was founded by the Rieger family, which continues to blaze a path with a strong legacy of innovation, quality, and technical excellence.
RUD Australia was established in 1984 and has been led by the Nuttall family since its inception. For the past 40 years, it has been supporting the crane industry with innovative lifting and lashing solutions through local offices across Australia and New Zealand.
RUD's focus on safety is exemplified by the quality of its products, especially the ICE 120 chain slings, which are manufactured to meet the highest safety standards for crane operators and on-site staff. Mark Read, Director of SureLift Crane Hire, a long-term RUD customer, attests to the quality of RUD's chain slings, testifying that they are the "best chains in the industry". SureLift Crane Hire, which started with one crane in Moranbah, Queensland, now operates over 16 cranes and exclusively uses RUD products because of their performance, which Mark believes "embodies the message of safety."
RUD Australia has an advanced 6000m2 engineering and manufacturing facility in Brisbane, which offers bespoke lifting and material handling solutions for the crane industry. The production facility includes expanded positional robotic welding technology and multiple 200/500-tonne test beds, ensuring quality work that exceeds industry standards.
RUD provides customised lifting kits and lashing solutions for the crane industry. RUD’s ICE Grade 120 chains can be tailored to meet specific site requirements. The ICE Grade 120 chain is 30% lighter than Grade 80, a critical safety factor. Additionally, when used with a balancer, a RUD ICE 16 mm chain can lift up to 48 tonnes, which is the highest in its capacity class. Mark Read of SureLift Crane Hire highlights the balancer as a "huge point of difference" that allows them to lift at a higher capacity while maintaining safety.
Brisbane-based Hulk Lifting consistently turns to RUD for lifting and lashing solutions. “Knowing that we’re using RUD’s products provides us with a sense of comfort and reassurance,” says Ben Rose, Director of Hulk Lifting. “RUD really are ‘best-in-show’ for us: through the design, manufacturing and final build stages; everything is simply top-notch.”
RUD designs and manufactures a range of lifting and spreader beams locally, specified to customer applications. We also offer over 700 boltable and weldable lifting points featuring load ranges all the way up to 250 tonnes.
RUD Australia is known for its unrivalled after-sales service and support, which customers highly value. As Mark Read of Surelift Hire notes, “RUD is always available to provide advice on maintenance, new products and different lifting solutions”, which is similarly echoed by Ben of Hulk Lifting, “Whenever we get something in from RUD, there’s always an engineer coming afterwards to inspect the product and ensure that it’s performing exactly as it should.”
The New RUD Sling Configurator
Configuring lifting chains for applications can be time-consuming and complex. Multiple factors influence safety, complicating the choice of the right sling chain. The new Sling Configurator from RUD makes it easier to configure the perfect chain sling for any lifting application in only six easy steps.
In addition to choosing between a VIP-100 and an ICE-120 chain, you also get a choice of components, information on the lifting accessories, tips on lifting and the option to save your chain configuration as a PDF or CAD file and email it to RUD.
The benefits of the RUD Configurator
- Calculate lifting means in 6 easy steps
- Get a 3D view of the final configuration
- Compare components and parts
- Download a CAD file that can be used in lift plans
The Sling Configurator gives you a list of the parts in your configuration, which makes it easy to discuss the sling chain with your team and contact us to place an order or for more information.
https://configuration.au.rud.com/
By combining a long-standing legacy of quality with cutting-edge technology and a strong focus on customer service and safety, RUD aims to be a preferred partner for crane operators seeking a safe and reliable investment.
RUD is holding an open event on 15 October at 12 Commerce Place, Larapinta, QLD 4110. We will showcase our lift technologies for the crane industry, including break tests for chains, lifting beams, and lifting points. We will also demonstrate our new robot and ICE Tensioner load cell technology. Limited spaces, so call us to book your seat!
Interested in our lifting, lashing and chain solutions? Call us on 07 3809 1300 or enquire here.
Copyright to RUD: This information is accurate at the time of publication, and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise.
This is taken from the article published in Cranes & Lifting Oct 2023 issue. Click here to read the original article.
Director of SureLift Crane Hire Mark ‘Chopper’ Read discusses his business and why the company consistently chooses RUD.
“They’re the best chains in the industry,” says Chopper. “All of RUD’s lifting and lashing equipment consistently performs on safety and durability measures; it’s because of the way we’ve seen RUD’s products perform that we don’t buy anything but RUD.”
Chopper himself holds an extensive career in the mining industry; working in and around shutdowns in the mining industry before starting Surelift; he’s seen it all; and that’s why when he labels RUD’s chains and slings as the “best”, he’s worked with, there’s an added element of legitimacy to his words.
SureLift Crane Hire was conceived in the mining town of Moranbah and began its operations with just one 20-tonne Franna crane. Since then, the Queensland-based company has expanded its fleet to include seven Franna P&C cranes, seven all-terrain cranes, a 280-tonne crawler crane and a variety of truck and trailer combinations.
“Initially, when I started the business, I reflected on my time in the shutdown industry and I saw the potential for more crane hire in the market,” he says. “I decided to try it out, and we’ve eventually grown into the business we are today.”
At the core of its operations, SureLift provides crane hire and transport services to businesses and individuals in Moranbah and its surrounding regions. Frequently employed by contractors working in the mining, construction, maintenance and industrial sectors, Surelift’s team of 48 full-time employees is well-versed in the crane and logistics industry, thanks to the company’s 17 years of experience.
“The biggest problem that we experienced when starting SureLift was just attracting the work,” says Chopper. “But we kept our heads down and worked hard, and eventually, things fell our way; today, we own over 16 cranes and operate across a range of projects.”
Part of working across a range of projects in the crane industry requires versatile, durable, safe lifting and rigging equipment.
“Although we’re general hire, the chains consistently stand up for us no matter what environment they’re placed in,” he says. “I initially came across RUD’s chains early on in my career and they have not disappointed me.”
The other blatant testimony to the working capacities of RUD's products is the industries in which they appear. According to Chopper, working with a range of clients in the defence, infrastructure, energy and engineering industries, RUD’s chains offer “capacity, versatility, and unique features” that other chains “just don’t have”.
RUD ICE Grade 120 range of lifting chains weigh 30% less than the next nominal grade chain but possess 60% higher breaking force than the Grade 80 chains. Also, when used with a balancer, a RUD ICE 16mm chain can lift up to 48 tonnes, the highest in its class.
“The balancer is a huge point of difference when compared to other options on the market,” says Chopper. “It allows us to lift at a higher capacity with the same level of safety.”
Aside from using its range of lifting chains and slings, Chopper is also highly complimentary of the lifting and lashing points that RUD supplies to SureLift. The German manufacturer offers more than 700 tested boltable and weldable lifting point variants with load ranges all the way up to 250 tonnes. Stringently tested and certified according to LEEA and NATA standards, Chopper says the versatility offered by the products is “incomparable”.
“Working in the shutdown industry, it’s imperative to get things right with dependable, durable products,” he says. “The weld on lift-points that we use are exactly that; having versatile gear that holds many applications at many ranges is essential.”
All these products collectively feature for Chopper are safety and excellent post-sale service and support. Talking about his relationship with RUD Chains and its after-sale service, Chopper says no stone is left unturned for RUD when it comes to ensuring the company supplies the right product according to Surelift’s needs.
“Their post-sale service is excellent; anything you need to talk to them about – whether it be the maintenance of the product, a new range that’s just come out, or different lifting solutions – they’re there,” he says. “Additionally, if we need any advice for setting up new slings or purchasing any new items, RUD are always on the other end of the phone, ready and willing to give us a helping hand – or, in this case, a sling.”
For the team at Surelift, since RUD’s products are manufactured, tested and maintained in accordance with Australian Quality, Environmental, and OH&S standards, including LEEA and NATA accreditations, this is more important than RUD’s high-quality post-sale service. Chopper believes RUD’s products tick all these boxes.
“At the start of the day, everyone’s got a right to go to work; at the end of the day, everyone’s got the right to go home safely,” says Chopper. “We feel that using RUD’s chains embodies that message of safety.”
RUD will be exhibiting at the Crane Industry Lifting Conference - CICA 2023 from 26-28 Oct 2023. Visit us in Booth #27/28 at the Perth Convention Centre to discuss our Lifting and Lashing Solutions for the crane industry.
Article copyright to Cranes & Lifting; this information is accurate at the time of publication and RUD Australia takes no responsibility for any errors, inadvertent or otherwise.
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