From Problem to Solution: How BBCP’s Agility Drives Innovation

 

One BBCP customer used to shut down once every 8 weeks for scheduled conveyor maintenance. Today, the duration between these shuts has been stretched to 26 weeks, thanks to BBCP’s agile, hands-on, site-driven approach.

 

We sat down with Managing Director Daniel Weekes to talk about how this, and other innovative solutions, came about.

---

Seeing Issues Firsthand

At BBCP, innovation starts on the ground. “Most ideas come directly from what we see on customer sites. Whether it’s weight reductions, longer life, or other issues customers have on the site, we respond,” Weekes explains.

 

“We’ve got engineers, site supervisors and service crews on site. The customers come to us. We like to know their conveyors more than they know themselves!”.

Lightweight alloy poles for cleaners were developed after OH&S concerns were raised. “In response, we’ve now come up with an alloy that maintains the strength of the cleaners and the poles. There was a 40% reduction in weight, which has been appreciated by many people’s backs!” Weekes says.

 

Identified spillage issues were tackled with 3D laser scanning, allowing the BBCP team to map an entire conveyor and design guards that prevent material from spilling onto cabling or other critical areas.

 

Another challenge was the damage rollers can do to conveyor belts. “The belts are the customer’s most expensive asset. We moved to HDPE rollers which reduce weight while protecting the conveyor belt” explains Weekes. “If they do fail, they don’t damage the belt”.

 

These examples have come from a collaborative approach. “Once we bounce the ideas between ourselves and the customer, we can manufacture it and install it,” Weekes adds, highlighting the speed and responsiveness that comes from being privately owned and agile.

---

Delivering Measurable Results

The impact is measurable. Weekes points to one long-term customer:

“They went from 8 to 12 weeks between shuts, then around 20, then 26. They now want to go from 26 to 52 weeks. “With the engineered products we supply, we’re confident they’ll reach that,”.

Looking ahead, BBCP is committed to providing complete materials handling solutions, expanding its site-based offerings to encompass in-house design, manufacturing, and installation, whilst also actively exploring new technologies to stay ahead of evolving operational needs.