A new chapter for Mackay
Mining operations are becoming more connected, more automated and more production-driven than ever before. Equipment populations are growing, ranges of parts are expanding and downtime tolerances are shrinking.
For customers operating in high-risk environments like mining, parts availability is not a back-of-house function — it is a production enabler.
Recognising these shifts, Hastings Deering made a strategic decision to strengthen and futureproof its Mackay operations through a consolidated, technology-enabled fulfilment and branch model.
For more than 90 years, Hastings Deering has supported mining, construction and energy customers across Queensland and the Northern Territory. As one of the world’s largest Cat® dealers, the company supplies equipment, parts, service, technology and integrated solutions to operations where reliability is directly linked to production performance.
Hastings Deering is expanding this support to Mackay — the heart of Queensland’s mining regions — with the development of the Mackay Parts Fulfilment Centre (MPFC). The MPFC will not only be a modernised parts distribution platform, but as Hastings Deering’s new customer-facing branch it will reshape the supply chain backbone and the front-of-house customer experience for the region.
The development of the MPFC reflects a deliberate and disciplined investment in long-term capability, not just for parts supply to customers but also to its service operations, the Component Rebuild Centre (CRC) and its equipment overhaul workshops.
Hastings Deering has undertaken structured planning, operational design and detailed supply chain analysis to ensure it delivers a solution that strengthens customer experience, enhances employee safety and positions the Mackay operations to support the evolving needs of mining and construction industries.
“Our customers operate in environments where downtime has immediate production impacts,” says Chief Operating Officer Tiffany Kirkwood.
“We need infrastructure, systems and customer spaces that reflect the scale and importance of the industries we support.”
The journey underway
Global supply chain volatility has reinforced the importance of certainty in parts availability. For mining and construction operators, predictability and responsiveness are essential to sustaining production.
The MPFC represents a step-change in how parts are stored, managed and fulfilled — and how customers interact with the business.
At about 17,500m2, the facility will be three times the size of the current footprint to house a broader parts range and more dynamic inventory management.
Advanced warehouse management systems, digitally orchestrated workflows and automation technologies are being introduced to enhance visibility, accuracy and control across the fulfilment process.
The intent is to deliver greater real-time inventory transparency, improved picking precision, more consistent delivery performance and structured inventory governance.
“MPFC is not simply an automation project — it’s a digitally enabled fulfilment platform,” says Technology and Automation Solutions Executive Manager Wes Reibel.
“We are building the architecture to support scalability, data visibility and integration with the evolving operating models of modern mining customers.”
Importantly, this transformation is being delivered as an operational journey — strengthening governance, digitising processes and embedding new capabilities in parallel with physical infrastructure development.
A new experience for Mackay
Beyond the fulfilment centre, the region will benefit from upgraded retail including a new equipment showroom and trade customer areas, improved counter layouts and clearer service zones designed to simplify ordering, collection and enquiry processes.
Customers can be confident parts will be available when required, they will have clarity in ordering and collection processes as well as consistency in fulfilment performance.
The investment also reflects a commitment to Hastings Deering’s people.
The new facility incorporates a 4,000m2 undercover loading zone, a purpose-built hose manufacturing facility, modernised offices and meeting rooms as well as digitally supported workflows designed to reduce manual handling risks
Automation within the facility, supported by digitally enhanced workflows, will reduce repetitive strain, improve picking ergonomics and create a more structured operational environment.
“For our Mackay team, this represents a step change in capability,” says Mackay Operations Regional Manager Andy Watson.
“It strengthens safety, improves workflow clarity and provides an environment designed for long-term performance that enables our teams to enhance how we support our customers to keep their Cat® equipment running every day.”
More than a facility, MPFC represents a long-term commitment to regional capability, operational excellence and customer partnership to strengthen supply chain capability.
As the mining and construction sectors continue to evolve, Hastings Deering is evolving with it.
