AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND: The first quarter of this year is shaping up to be a busy one for Scott Mining, the mining division of automation and robotics solutions provider, Scott Technology Limited (NZX: SCT), as the business continues making waves in the Australian mining sector.

This month marks two years since Rio Tinto awarded Scott Technology a multimillion-dollar contract to design and build an automated mine laboratory for their Gudai Darri iron ore project in the Pilbara, Western Australia.

Once completed and in production, the Gudai Darri laboratory will be the safest, most productive, highest quality iron ore facility in the world. The project highlights Scott’s evolution in the mining sector from a world leading supplier of sample preparation equipment to a complete end-to-end automation and analysis solution provider.

While the Rio Tinto project continues to track positively, the Scott mining team is deeply embedded in the ramp-up and commercialisation of another large and complex automated laboratory system in West Australia for mining services provider, MinAnalytical.

The project has moved into the operational phase which now sees the Scott team providing ongoing support and service to MinAnalytical, who were recently acquired by global mining services company ALS.

John Kippenberger, Scott Technology CEO, says the company’s commitment to the mining industry is second to none and projects such as Gudai Darri and ALS-MinAnalytical demonstrate Scott’s competency in this sector.

“We’re delighted to continue partnering with such respected organisations to deliver successful automation projects in the mining sector. This gives us a platform to further grow the mining arm of the Scott business, evolving our global strategy to design and build the latest in sample preparation equipment to serve the growing needs of our customers, markets and industry trends,” says Kippenberger.

To support the significant growth ambitions in Scott’s mining strategy and the development of this area of the business, Scott has appointed Ian Enright as the company’s Global Director of Scott Mining.

Enright is based out of Perth, Australia, and will take the lead on new business, looking at opportunities across various geographic markets and metal industries that fit Scott Technology, as well as meeting the technology needs of customers as they adjust to a low carbon future.

“While acknowledging that COVID-19’s impact on the global business environment has been disruptive, particularly when moving people and technology across borders, it is motivating to see how Scott Technology has moved with positive momentum throughout this period to support their customers. I’m looking forward to growing our business across the mining industry and having the right structure and investment in place to support the changing needs of our customers .

“As we continue our growth in automation and systems, we will maintain the development and evolution of premium products such as Rocklabs, while also developing products in other areas to expand our exposure and impact in the mining industry,” says Enright.

Prior to joining Scott Technology, Enright held senior positions in several large industrial companies including Thyssenkrupp, Worley and BOC / Linde Group, and operated from several locations around the world. His primary focus over recent years has been on the Miningand Metals industries, with substantial experience engaging executives across business cultures and geographies; including America, Asia, Africa, Europe, United Kingdom and Australia.

Encouraged by Enright’s experience and leadership, Kippenberger is excited to have Enright join the company and looks forward to working with him to support Scott Technology’s mining customers on their Digital and Automation journey.

“Enright’s experience lies in truly understanding customer issues and developing insights to deliver a focused and strong strategy. We’re confident that he will be instrumental for driving key projects in our mining business and furthering our promising forward work plan for 2022 and beyond,” says Kippenberger.

With new leadership and several significant projects both on the horizon and nearing successful completion, Scott Mining is ideally positioned for growth in Australia.