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Dale Elphinstone

Executive Chairman and Founder

Dale Elphinstone has never been afraid of a challenge. In fact he often tells people “we did it because we didn’t know we couldn’t”.

Dale's relationship with Caterpillar began in 1966 at the age of 15 as an apprentice with Victorian and Tasmanian Cat Dealer, William Adams. He then went on to be employed as a Field Service Mechanic across Tasmanian and King Island mine sites and later worked for Canadian Cat Dealer, Finning for a period of 2 years.

Now, just 40 short years later, Dale has established Elphinstone as a recognised Cat OEM, manufacturing Haulmax 3900 series off highway haul trucks, Railmax RMT15F road-rail excavators and Elphinstone underground support vehicles.

Kelly Elphinstone

Managing Director

Kelly Elphinstone is the daughter of Dale and Cheryl Elphinstone, founding owners of the Elphinstone Group of companies.  Her career began in 1993 at the age of 13, when she commenced working for her parents in their first business, Dale B Elphinstone Pty Ltd.

In 2014, Kelly accepted the position of Managing Director at Elphinstone Pty Ltd (formerly Haulmax).  She is responsible for overseeing the consolidation of the Group’s Tasmanian manufacturing entities and the company’s return to the global underground mining industry.

Kelly is passionate about Australian manufacturing and the significant role Tasmania is able to play in growing this industry.

Ben Sandow

General Manager

Ben holds tertiary qualifications in Engineering and Business Management, and has over 20 years of experience in Operations Management, Project Management and Engineering across a range of industries. He has had broad experience with Lean methodologies, and the benefits these can bring to the wider business.

Ben joined Elphinstone in 2018 as General Manager of Operations, overseeing all operational aspects of the business.

Paul Viney

Chief Financial Officer

Paul is a finance and corporate governance professional with over 25 years of experience in senior management and board roles in various industries including mining and manufacturing. He specialises in strategic financial management and finance team development.

Paul has returned to Tasmania after some years working overseas to join Elphinstone in August 2019.

Tim Mitchell

Global Sales and Marketing Manager

Tim holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and has over 20 years of experience in Senior Management, Project Management, Engineering and Business Development roles in the mobile mining equipment industry. Tim’s broad level of experience will bring benefits to many areas of the business and his international experience working in South America will assist Elphinstone in the development of our business in this mining rich region.

Tim joined Elphinstone in March 2019 as Global Sales and Marketing Manager, overseeing all sales and marketing aspects of the business.

Jason Whiteley

Product Development Manager

Jason is a trade qualified Fitter & Machinist, with 30 years of experience. Since joining Elphinstone in 2009 as Product Manager, Jason has also fulfilled the role of NPI Manager.

In his former role as Surface Product Manager, Jason took the Railmax hi-rail vehicle from concept stage right through to production. He has played a key role in developing various surface and underground concepts into working prototype/test products.

Scott Hilder

Senior Operations Manager

Scott holds a Masters of Business and is a 6 Sigma Blackbelt.  He commenced with Dale B Elphinstone Pty Ltd in 1995 and continued with the company fulfilling various roles through the transition of ownership to Caterpillar.

In 2009 Scott commenced with Southern Prospect Pty Ltd joining a small team involved in servicing wind turbines in South Australia.  Scott joined Specialised Vehicle Solutions Pty Ltd (now part of Elphinstone Pty Ltd) manufacturing specialised underground mining machinery servicing both local and international mining companies for a period of approximately 2 years commencing in 2011.

Returning to Southern Prospect Pty Ltd (now part of Elphinstone Pty Ltd) as the General Manager Operations in 2013, Scott has focused on successfully implementing a continuous improvement culture within the manufacturing business to improve safety, quality and reduce non value added waste.

Mal Watkinson

Product Support Manager

Mal began his career in 1987 with the Caterpillar Dealer for Victoria and Tasmania, William Adams Pty Ltd. Over the last 30 years Mal has continued his strong association with Caterpillar and the Elphinstone Group, successfully holding roles in product health/support, product development, manufacturing, marketing and management.

Before returning to Elphinstone in June 2016, Mal was 50% owner and Managing Director of a private business that designed, manufactured and marketed underground service vehicles, which now continue to form part of the Elphinstone Underground Support Vehicle product line today. In 2017 Mal took on the role of Product Development and Operations Manager - Underground Support Vehicles, responsible for the development and manufacture of our range of underground support vehicles..

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From humble beginnings

Dale Elphinstone has never been afraid of a challenge.  In fact he often tells people “we did it because we didn’t know we couldn’t”.

Since modifying Cat surface mining equipment to suit underground applications out of his Fathers shed on their Mooreville Road, Burnie farm in 1975, the Elphinstone name has been synonymous with underground mining.

Elphinstone’s first fully designed and manufactured underground mining product was a 13 tonne articulated dump truck, which was sold to Agnew Mining in 1983.  Three years later, in 1986, the first Elphinstone designed and manufactured underground load haul dump (LHD), the R1500, was sold.  One short year thereafter, in 1987, the Company exported its first machine overseas to the Henderson molybdenum mine in Clear Creek County, Colorado.

The Caterpillar OEM continued to develop and refine their underground mining equipment range, which led to their specialisation in LHDs and articulated dump and ejector trucks.   All products were built around Cat components and sold via Cat Dealers globally.

Between the years of 1975 and 1995, Elphinstone had delivered underground mining machines to over 50 locations around Australia and more than 35 global export sites across 5 continents.

Elphinstone’s success quickly drew the greater attention of Caterpillar and the two parties established a 50/50 joint venture in 1995, creating the business known as Caterpillar Elphinstone Pty Ltd.  Five short years later, Caterpillar exercised their option to purchase the remaining 50% of the business in 2000 and eventually replaced the Elphinstone name with the world famous Caterpillar trademark.

Not that Caterpillar has ever been far removed from the Elphinstone story.

Dale Elphinstone’s relationship with Caterpillar began in 1966 at the age of 15 as an apprentice with Victorian and Tasmanian Cat Dealer, William Adams. Following his trade qualification came employment as a Field Service Mechanic across Tasmanian and King Island mine sites, and for a period of two years, with Canadian Cat Dealer, Finning.

Some 20 years after commencing his apprenticeship with the Cat Dealer, Dale's progressive thinking and entrepreneurialism enabled him to realise his life long dream of becoming a Cat Dealer Principal - cemented with his 1987 purchase of the same Victorian and Tasmanian dealership, William Adams.

Now, just 40 short years later, Elphinstone is once again a recognised Cat OEM, manufacturing Haulmax 3900 series off highway haul trucks, Railmax RMT14D road-rail excavators and Elphinstone underground support vehicles.

Together, Elphinstone and Caterpillar have manufactured more than 5000 underground and surface mining vehicles from their collective facilities in Burnie over the past 40 years.