Leading Caterpillar dealer WesTrac will help Orange-based mining services company PYBAR celebrate a landmark anniversary in style by handing over the latest Cat underground mining truck in a special ceremony.

With PYBAR this year celebrating 25 years of operation, WesTrac NSW/ACT Chief Executive Greg Graham will this Friday deliver PYBAR Executive Chairman Paul Rouse and CEO Brendan Rouse with the latest Cat AD45B articulated truck, as well as a commemorative memento. The ceremony will take place at PYBAR’s headquarters in Orange.

“We are extremely proud to have played a supporting role in helping PYBAR grow to become the extremely impressive mining services company it is today,” says WesTrac’s Greg Graham. “We value the close working relationship we share with PYBAR and we hope to continue helping the company to grow for the next 25 years and well beyond.”

Established in 1993, PYBAR was initially a one-man consultancy service run by founder Paul Rouse. In 1995, the company took over the management of the Mineral Hill Mine in the Cobar Basin. The first piece of new equipment it bought was a Cat R1500 underground loader.

Brendan Rouse explains that in the years that have followed, PYBAR has rapidly expanded, and now employs more than 1,000 people and is active at 12 mining sites across most Australian states and in the Philippines. “We provide all underground hard-rock mining services,” he says. “Our ideal project is one where we operate the whole underground mine for a company, doing everything from development to drill and blast, and load and haul. But we’re also happy to handle any of those components on their own.”

Brendan Rouse says one of the secrets of PYBAR’s ongoing success has been a willingness to take on new challenges and invest in quality equipment for the business. “Over the years, we have said ‘yes’ to the opportunities that were presented to us,” he says “We borrowed money and bought equipment when we had the opportunity for it. In 2004, we picked up a contract in Ballarat and we doubled in size every year for the next four to five years.”

Pybar celebrates 25 years

PYBAR’s relationship with WesTrac stretches back to 2006 when the company bought two Cat articulated underground mining trucks from WesTrac representative Neil Roberts. PYBAR has since bought a further 36 pieces of equipment from WesTrac.

“We see our relationship with WesTrac and Caterpillar as a partnership,” says Brendan Rouse. “There are benefits in it for both parties and reasons for both to contribute significantly. They help us out in terms of availability of stock, and we help them out with rentals and product development.”

PYBAR recently helped Caterpillar’s Tasmania-based Underground Mining division to fine-tune the new R1700 underground mining loader by trialling it at an operation in Western Australia.

“All of our operations rely on equipment, so efficient, reliable machines are key to everything we do,” says Brendan Rouse. “The majority of our load and haul fleet is Caterpillar because they have been consistent over time, you can always get an operator who knows the equipment and there’s good resale value. Buying equipment is one thing, but we also get good after sales support, availability of parts, and technical support.”

WesTrac Mining Business Manager Western Region NSW Neil Roberts says WesTrac’s relationship with PYBAR has gone from to strength to strength, with WesTrac eager to provide new solutions and equipment.