Treotham rolling for efficiency: igus energy chains in practice for mine operators
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

First reported on Australian Mining
30 Second Briefing
Treotham has installed an igus roller chain energy supply system for a Shark Bay, Western Australia operation where mobile machines travel long distances, cutting drag forces by up to 75 per cent compared with conventional cable carriers. The polymer roller chain runs in a low-friction trough with integrated rollers, allowing longer travel strokes with reduced drive power and lower wear on cables and hoses. For mine operators, the system offers scope to downsize drive motors, extend maintenance intervals on travelling equipment and improve reliability on long conveyor and reclaimer runs.
Technical Brief
- Treotham supplied igus roller chain to a Shark Bay bulk materials handling conveyor installation.
- Polymer chain and trough design targeted abrasive, saline coastal conditions typical of Shark Bay operations.
- Layout accommodates long linear travel of mobile equipment servicing a conveyor run along the shoreline.
- Lower dynamic loads on cables and hoses were central to extending service life in the marine environment.
Our Take
Within our 2030 Product/Projects-tagged pieces, Western Australia dominates coverage, so Treotham’s activity in Shark Bay fits a pattern of OEMs targeting WA operations as early adopters of efficiency-focused kit.
Shark Bay’s remote coastal setting in Western Australia typically drives high logistics and maintenance costs, so product solutions that reduce on-site servicing or extend component life can have outsized economic impact compared with metro or East Coast sites.
Treotham’s appearance in Australian Mining’s product-focused stream suggests it is positioning more as a systems integrator for mining projects in Australia rather than a niche component supplier, which can influence how contractors specify equipment packages at feasibility and early design stages.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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