Jevons Robotics has forged an important strategic alliance with a leading Australian designer and manufacturer of specialised mining and construction vehicles, Ausroad, which has been making inroads into key offshore markets.
Jevons, launched in 2022 by former Orica business leaders, Todd Peate and David Crosbie, specialises in battery-electric, autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles that can carry payloads ranging from mine explosives and stemming materials, water and drilling fluids, to geophysical sensors and cable reelers. Its first robotic BEV has been demonstrated at Western Australia’s Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct, north of the capital, Perth, and other locations.
Further commercial trials are understood to be imminent.
The start-up attracted equity funding last year and Ausroad has now come on board as a “strategic investor”.
The company is a family-owned manufacturing anomaly that produces customised heavy vehicles for niche applications – highly successfully if its 30-plus-year history and current client base are good gauges – with road maintenance and mine stemming trucks among the top-sellers.
A joint statement by Jevons and Ausroad says they aim to “embark on a series of collaborative projects in the coming years”. The former wants to focus on refining its machine utility and performance and alliances with payload owners and specialists make clear commercial sense.
Ausroad managing director Toni Dunlop said last year at a major mining show in Chile the company wanted to help make mine blasting safer and more cost effective.
“We found that very few companies actually specialise in blast and support vehicles,” he said at the time. Getting a blast right first time was key to maximising the value of minerals extracted, he said.
Market reception in South America, as in Australia, is said to have been positive for unique vehicle designs that support better and safer blasting.
The connection with Jevons is a further step in this direction.
“It is clear to us where the industry is moving, to automate and decarbonise their operations over time,” Dunlop said this week.
“Our decision to invest in Jevons is built on the fact that under this model, the two organisations will focus their core capabilities and the clear vision that the team at Jevons have.”
“Ausroad will bring our extensive experience to Jevons this will also continue to improve both of our market offerings into the future.”
