Austin Engineering (ASX:ANG) has announced that its South American business unit has completed a significant order for a Chile-based customer. The company successfully manufactured and delivered a Cat 7495 model dipper bucket. Austin Engineering partners with mining companies, contractors and original equipment manufacturers to create innovative engineering solutions that deliver productivity improvements to their operations.
The electric rope shovel order, valued at $2.5 million, was produced at Austin Chile’s facility in La Negra. A dipper bucket is a large, heavy-duty bucket attached to a power shovel used for digging and loading materials such as rock, ore, or coal. This marks the first time Austin Chile has manufactured a Cat 7495 dipper bucket for local delivery, although the company has previously produced dipper and other buckets for South American customers.
The dipper bucket weighs 86 tonnes and can move 100 tonnes of material per pass. CEO David Singleton stated that this delivery is a milestone, achieved while also expanding the manufacturing facility to accommodate increased throughput expected in FY26 and beyond. Singleton noted the growth in the bucket business following the acquisition of Mainetec, extending into international markets like Chile.
Austin Engineering acquired Australian bucket manufacturer Mainetec in 2022 to broaden its bucket offerings and market high-value dipper buckets internationally. Since the acquisition, Austin has expanded its bucket services abroad, including builds, rebuilds, and other services. The company sees further sales opportunities in South America’s growing mining industry, particularly in copper, lithium, and other critical minerals, positioning its local operations as a key strategic partner for the region.
