Engineering and performance plastics specialists, E-Plas, with the assistance of Mitsubishi Chemicals Advanced Materials, collaborated on a marine retrofit project.
From the belly of a bulk carrier to the floor of a Melbourne manufacturing facility, E-Plas is proving how homegrown innovation, local machining capabilities, and hands-on problem-solving can deliver exceptional results for complex, large-scale ship loading applications.
When E-Plas SA team was approached to assist with a major marine materials handling project, the scope was far from simple. The task required replacing wear liners aboard an older ship – not a straightforward retrofit, but a highly technical, made-to-measure installation performed in a confined and unpredictable environment.
“It wasn’t a brand-new ship with clean surfaces ready for liners. We had to remove the existing liners, prep the old surfaces, measure the chutes ourselves, and determine hole positions and sheet sizes on the fly. There was no room for error,” E-Plas national operations manager Rupin Joshi said.
Precision materials
The installation called for high-precision wear lining using materials sourced from Mitsubishi Chemicals Advanced Materials (MCAM) – specifically TIVAR 88 and TIVAR 88-2.
“It simply wouldn’t have been possible without MCAM’s expertise,” Joshi said. “They provided the support and the know-how that helped us improvise in real time, measure everything on site, and machine and install the components with accuracy. The first few days were the hardest, but once our teams got into a rhythm, we were able to execute the project smoothly.”
Unlike land-based conveying systems, where gapping between liner sheets is often acceptable, shipboard applications demand a much more robust and tailored approach. The flow of bulk materials inside a ship is immense and subject to far more intense wear and tear.
“In ship applications, if material gets behind the liner, it can pull it out completely – which defeats the purpose of installing it in the first place,” Joshi said. “That’s why we used an overlapping installation method and connecting hedge bars designed by MCAM. This approach eliminated the need for welding and significantly improved performance.”
Leveraging local manufacturing
E-Plas didn’t just apply imported solutions; its local manufacturing facility in Ravenhall, Victoria played a critical role in the project’s success. Though the ship lining task was distinct from the conveyor and machine components the company typically machines, the flexibility of E-Plas’ in-house setup proved indispensable.
“We have engineers expert in plastics manufacturing, our machines include CNC Routers, Lathe, Milling Machine, and Spindle Moulder – so when customers come to us with drawings, our engineering team can immediately begin planning and machining,” Joshi said. “Unlike overseas suppliers who will only produce tens of thousands of standard parts, we offer flexibility. If you can draw it, and it fits within material boundaries, we can machine it.”
Improvisation on the job
This flexibility is especially vital in applications like marine loading, where conditions are rarely ideal. Joshi explained that almost every section of the ship required its own measurements and a bespoke lining solution.
“Every single sheet had to be cut to a different size. You couldn’t take a measurement from one spot and reuse it elsewhere,” he said. “We had four teams out there, each with a supervisor who could measure and cut accurately. About 90 per cent of the job was improvised on-site – only 10 per cent was known beforehand.”
Smart material selection
Another unique challenge involved material selection. Because the lining is exposed not only to wear but also to environmental conditions such as ultraviolet radiation, the selected material needed to be UV-stabilised while offering superior flow characteristics to ensure rapid material discharge.
“People assume wear resistance is the main factor, but flowability is just as important. This is where TIVAR 88-2 excels. It is also a weldable liner providing additional advantages. The faster the product can be unloaded, the sooner the ship can be refilled,” Joshi said. “Our collaboration with our material supplier MCAM helped us select a product that balanced wear and flow, and that made a big difference.”
Reflecting on the broader importance of E-Plas’ Australian manufacturing capability, Joshi was quick to highlight both customer satisfaction and national economic benefit.
“Being Australian made is a huge part of what we do,” he said. “There’s a big difference between waiting 10 to 12 weeks for parts from overseas and being able to produce something locally within a week or a few, depending on complexity.”
Speed and responsiveness
Local production also allows E-Plas to be more responsive and adaptable to client needs.
“We’ve had clients using the same design for years suddenly request a small tweak – maybe a new radius on a wear strip – and we can turn that around quickly,” Joshi said. “Try asking an overseas factory for that kind of change, and it’s not going to happen.”
Joshi, who has been with E-Plas for over a decade, has witnessed first-hand the growth of the company’s local capabilities.
“There’s been a big evolution in how much we can do locally,” he said. “It’s not just about machining more parts – it’s about offering smarter, faster, more flexible solutions that are made right here in Australia.”
