Koch Solutions head of sales Luke Bennett sat down with ABHR to discuss why companies are refurbishing existing assets rather than purchasing new machines.
A simple but effective focus has kept Koch Solutions relevant and competitive for more than 80 years: aftersales service and refurbishment.
An original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Koch Solutions maintain a large portfolio of installed machines under its brand, many of which have been operating for decades. Rather than viewing these assets as nearing the end of their usefulness, the company sees them as long-term investments that, with the right expertise and support, can continue to deliver strong performance well beyond their original design life.
Koch Solutions head of sales Luke Bennett said the business has earned its reputation as a premier OEM in bulk handling solutions, through its commitment to robust machine design and flexible delivery options.
“Our new chief executive officer, Paul Jackson, has a clear, globally driven vision that Koch Solutions will collaboratively partner with our customers to understand their reliability or production challenges,” he said. “We can find unique solutions to maximise the return on their large investment through enhancements or refurbishing their existing equipment long after installation.”
“We’ve got over 150 machines just in Australia, and thousands globally, that have ongoing reliability and maintenance requirements,” Bennett said. “So, as a first-case business, we are about keeping our machines running and keeping our customers satisfied.”
Bennett oversees sales initiatives across both new-build equipment and aftersales services, working closely with clients operating in iron ore, bauxite, and other bulk commodities. He said the scale of Koch’s installed base naturally drives a strong focus on aftermarket support.
“When you look at the makeup of our business, the weight is clearly in the existing assets,” Bennett said. “There might only be one or two new machines coming into Australia each year, but there are hundreds already operating that need to perform every single day.”
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The focus is becoming increasingly relevant as customer attitudes and focus shift to capital efficiency and away from full equipment replacement and toward refurbishment and life extension. According to Bennett, many operators are reassessing the true cost of new machines, particularly in a capital-conscious market.
“We’re seeing cases where a client has a future project in the pipeline maybe 10 years down the track,” Bennett said. “If they replace a machine now, it could end up being a pre-mature investment and a waste of money because they’ll likely need to replace it again when that future project comes around.”
Instead, operators are asking a more fundamental question: do they really need to replace the machine at all?
“Our answer is often no,” Bennett said. “If the machine satisfies the design requirements and is structurally integral, then Koch can come in and decide what needs to be maintained and refurbished to keep the equipment running for a determined period”
Beyond the upfront cost of new equipment, Bennett said replacement projects can often carry hidden impacts that can escalate quickly.
“Replacing a machine isn’t just the cost of the machine itself,” Bennett said. “There’s the downtime, the loss of production, and often major changes in the surrounding infrastructure like rail, electrical systems, and land/sea foundations. What might look like a straightforward replacement can turn into a very complex and costly project.”
Refurbishment programs allow operators to extend asset life while minimising downtime and disruptions to operations. This approach is particularly critical for stockyard equipment such as stackers, reclaimers, and shiploaders, which form essential links between process plants, rail systems, and export terminals.
“These are 25- to 30-year assets, and they’re absolutely critical to the supply chain,” Bennett said.
“If a reclaimer goes down, material stops moving. Fixed plant is not like mobile plant where you’ve got options and dozens of truck/excavator backups from multiple locations within the business.”
In iron ore operations especially, maintaining consistent throughput remains a priority. Bennett said many producers continue to rely on iron ore as a key cash generator to support diversification into other commodities, placing even greater importance on the reliability of existing infrastructure.
“The focus is on production tonnes out the door,” Bennett said. “Operators aren’t necessarily looking to increase their installed capacity; they want to get the best possible performance out of their existing assets.”
Koch Solutions designs its own machines, retains decades of historical design data, and employs engineers who understand how each asset was originally intended to operate.
“We know these machines inside and out because we designed them and we understand where the opportunities are,” Bennett said. “That gives us the best insight into fault finding, refurbishment, upgrades, and life extension.”
This OEM capability is supported by global spare parts supply, dedicated service teams, specialised tooling, and OEM-backed warranties. Bennett said this full-service approach sets Koch apart from generalist service providers.
“These are highly specialised machines,” Bennett said. “You need to understand them properly to work on them properly.”
Bennett provided examples of when operators have drifted from OEM support, only to experience increasing failure rates and reduced asset life.
“We’ve seen parts that once lasted six years suddenly failing in six months,” Bennett said. “When that happens, it’s usually not just the part, it’s the whole operating model that needs to be reassessed.”
In those cases, Koch Solutions has worked with clients to stabilise performance and restore confidence in critical assets through structured refurbishment and ongoing OEM involvement.
Ultimately, Bennett said Koch’s approach to aftermarket services is about long-term partnership rather than short-term fixes.
“These machines are going to be around for decades,” he said. “Our role is to collaborate with and help clients plan, maintain, and refurbish their assets so they can meet today’s production demands while staying aligned with their future projects.”