Conveyor Components from Nepean - The Global Specialists

Nepean's David and Miles Fuller at the Smeaton Grange business. Picture: Simon Bullard.

From Narellan to the World;
Nepean Conveyors Continues its Expansion Around the Globe
Luisa Cogno, Macarthur Chronicle Camden

A family-owned business, which started in Narellan 43 years ago, and has grown to become one of the largest specialists of conveyor components globally, is expanding its international dominance through the purchase of two businesses in Finland.

While many Australian manufacturing businesses are going offshore, Nepean, which is now based in Smeaton Grange, is bucking the trend and growing from strength to strength.

Rollers and pulleys, for conveyor systems from Nepean
Workers at Nepean's manufacturing business at Smeaton Grange. Pictures: Simon Bullard.

One of its companies, Nepean Conveyors Pty Ltd has now finalised negotiations to buy the two companies. One of those companies is Sandvik's International Conveyor Components which manufactures rollers, pulleys, frames and idlers for conveyor systems. Through this acquisition, Nepean will gain 195,000 square metres of world-class manufacturing operations located in Perth, Germany, Brazil and Finland.

Nepean Conveyors Pty Ltd has also bought Sandvik's Specialist Conveyor Systems, based at the same site in Hollola, Finland. This business works with customers to design, manufacture and install bulk materials handling systems. Details of the transaction are not disclosed. The acquisitions will give Nepean the capability to produce many thousands of large engineered pulleys and millions of conveyor rollers annually to service customers in 66 countries.

Nepean chief executive officer Miles Fuller, whose father David established Nepean Engineering in 1974, said the acquisition was a great fit with the organisation's existing conveyor businesses.

"Nepean will gain significant facilities in Europe, Scandinavia, Brazil and Western Australia in addition to our existing operations on the east and west coast of Australia and Africa," he said. "We will also gain a broad range of advanced technology, leading products and associated IP."

The acquisition will also see around 340 Sandvik staff members join Nepean. The acquired Sandvik businesses include the Prok, Gurtec and Roxon brands.

Mr Fuller, of Camden, said the conveyor business was core to Nepean.

Frames and idlers for conveyor systems from Nepean
David Fuller (pictured with son Miles) started as a tool-maker and has watched his business grow from strength to strength.

"Since 1985, our growth and success has been due to our customer focus, local support capability, passionate employees, leading engineering, and empowered managers with the authority to get things done," he said.

From his beginnings as a tool-maker, Miles' father David Fuller has grown Nepean into an internationally successful company employing more than 1100 people, through the acquisition and successful management of businesses complimentary to the core engineering capabilities.

Miles Fuller joined Nepean in 1994 launching start-up venture Vehicle Inspection Systems. Following early success in Australia, Mile took VIS to the United States and Canada, where Vis Inc. became the market leader in brake, suspension and steering testing equipment for the heavy vehicle market in North America.

He also established VIS-Polish, a fully robotic patented wheel polish solution for the heavy vehicle industry, which is now the market leader in North America and Australia/NZ.

Miles Fuller returned to Australia in 2007 and was appointed Nepean CEO. In 2011, he led the re-branding and restructuring of all 25 Nepean Group entities into four divisions under the Nepean brand.