When you’re designing and manufacturing fit-for-purpose solutions for complex liquid containment, floatation on liquid, and liquid movement projects, more than just a solid product is required.
Projects within the industrial, commercial and resources sector carry a high degree of unknown risk, which makes solving water management problems that little more challenging.
Imagine unboxing a thousand-piece puzzle then finding out there’s one piece missing. In the case of liquid management, the missing piece is sometimes a specialist partner with the capability and proven experience.
Liquid control specialists Coerco are major players in industrial circles. The company understands the importance of a carefully curated project delivery pathway that is de- signed to de-risk a project.
It’s certainly not by chance they achieve the success they do when it comes to devising high-spec engineered solutions that meet different client applications and specifications.
Whether you’re engineering a floating mine pontoon or heavy-duty access walkway, a bespoke fuel storage tank for truck maintenance, or managing dam tailings, mine site dewatering, sludge pond reclamation and dredging, the right expertise matters.
Coerco applies strict planning, design, and manufacturing methodologies across their unique ‘Discover, Develop, Deliver’ frame- work. This aims to address one of three problems clients experience when it comes to a major project.
First, time pressures on design where clients are looking to save time on the design aspects of a project, so they can focus on other priorities. Second, skill gaps leading to cost and compliance and risks where an inability exists to implement a project using internal resources. Third, managing multiple suppliers that adds unnecessary time and money to the equation.
As a one-stop-shop, Coerco delivers solutions that are designed to solve these problems. With an in-house product design and engineering team responsible for managing the end-to-end process from planning to execution, you can be assured Coerco is strategically positioned to accommodate any challenge.
The Australian Mining Review caught up with Coerco Division Manager, Gareth Wallis, to gain insight into the company’s project delivery pathway and how they cohesively approach liquid management projects of all sizes.
AMR: When you tackle a new project, what’s the first step the Coerco team takes and what are some of the key elements in the process?
GW: Due to the nature of water management, understanding the potential risks of the project delivery and how to mitigate them is critical. We need to ensure any de- sign errors are avoided, particularly if in the instance you get to the end of a project and find yourself with that missing puzzle piece, which becomes a significant issue from a time and cost perspective.
That’s why the discovery stage is so import- ant. Clients only have to deal with a single supplier, and combined with a methodical planning approach, we can bypass a series of complex moving parts as we progress through the project process.
Discovery involves project analysis, design and drawing, and client review. This is essentially the stage of the process where the client approaches us with a problem, and we then explore every angle, analysing all their requirements to devise a solution. A design concept is provided by the client, which is then passed on to our engineering team for assessment of all design parameters.
The next stage is design and drawings where Coerco conceptualises the design, produces general arrangement drawings, and presents these to the client for review and feedback.
AMR: Once the initial planning is done, what’s next in the process?
GW: The development stage comes next, which effectively brings together the engineering, client sign-off and manufacture of the agreed solution.
Firstly, the engineering team create detailed designs using our 3D modelling capabilities to produce Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) re- ports if required by a client. This ensures each product is fit-for-purpose and will de- liver on its life expectancy for a specific project.
Once the design is signed-off by the client, the fabrication team get to work. We obviously ensure our product is made to the highest Australian standards with strict quality assurance procedures.
The majority of our manufacturing processes are in-house, which guarantees complete project control from start to finish.
AMR: The project pathway sounds like a well-oiled machine. Can you provide some detail of what’s involved in the final stage?
GW: The final stage is delivery, which consists of quality assurance, product delivery and documentation. Products are handed over to the client once our operations division has completed final product assembly and testing.
Transporting directly to site is coordinated by Coerco’s in-house logistics division. We use our specialised fleet of trucks for deliveries across Australia, and international carriers for projects around the world.
Coerco’s documented ISO9001 certified quality management system is integrated into all aspects of our operation. This ensures our products conform with relevant Australian and International standards, including all non-destructive factory acceptance testing.
Finally, product dispatch coincides with the client receiving project specific documentation. Our documentation includes a manufacturers data report (MDR), inspection and test plans (ITP), installation, operating and maintenance guide (IOM), material data sheet (MDS), hydrotest certificates, and certificate of compliance. This documentation also provides traceability and security to the client that all specifications and quality assurance deliverables have been met.
AMR: Are there any recent projects which reflect your Discover, Develop, Deliver approach in action?
GW: Coerco were contracted by the world’s largest mining company to engineer a fit- for-purpose diesel storage tank for use when servicing their fleet of haul trucks during maintenance.
Previously, diesel had to previously be re- moved and offloaded into chemical or hazardous waste storage tanks if close to full capacity. This resulted in significant diesel wastage and servicing inefficiencies.
Our engineering team then devised an alternative solutions. This led to the development of a 5,000 Litre diesel transfer tank for use in the client’s onsite workshop, which allowed 4,00 Litres of fuel to be transferred and stored in an external skid, before pumping it back into the fuel tank when the truck was ready to be utilised back on site.
The new solution featured a single hose reel with two pumps on a skid. This enabled Users to control the valve and select the right pump simultaneously, avoiding the need for two independent systems. The modified de- sign also included the integration of forklift pockets, enabling the fuel tank storage skid to be lifted and moved around the client’s workshop, either empty or at full capacity.
A collaborative effort between both parties resulted in a solution that had not previously been developed, but still adhered to all Australian standards, particularly for combustible and flammable liquids.
The new fuel storage system was designed and manufactured within budget, and com- missioned onsite ahead of schedule without any delays. Ultimately, Coerco’s solution has saved the client thousands of Litres of diesel that would otherwise have been wasted.
If you’re ready to take control of your liquid management project, call 1800 646 277 or visit www.coerco.com.au
