As the plane banked over the turquoise waters of the Kimberley coast, Koolan Island came into view - its rust-red cliffs rising from the ocean glistening in the early morning sunlight. The approach was breathtaking, more reminiscent of a tropical escape than a remote mining site. But for Sam Turnbull, CEO and inventor of FlipScreen, this visit ended up being something far more meaningful than a product commissioning trip - it provided an opportunity to connect with the people who keep the Australian ore mining industry moving.

Over the course of a full day and through a night shift, Sam worked closely with operators and managers, delivering on-site training in the usage of a FlipScreen all while observing workflows, and exchanging experience with staff and hearing their stories. What struck Sam most wasn’t the machinery or even the scale of the operation - it was the people.

“There’s something special about sites like Koolan,” Sam reflected. “You meet operators who’ve been there over a decade - some pushing upwards of 11 years. That sort of dedication doesn’t come from just showing up for a paycheque. It comes from an exceptional work culture, comradery, mutual respect and a strong sense of pride in their projects.”

Following standard site protocols - safety inductions, alcohol and drug screening as well as gear checks; Sam was welcomed in without a fuss. After shift, a couple of mid-strength beers were shared, where the more ‘personal experience’ type conversations around mining operations flowed. Not about sales or specs, but about the realities of life on site, what has been working well - and what could be made better.

Though this trip was to commission the ever-popular WL185 screening bucket; it sparked broader conversations around site-specific challenges and the innovations that can solve them.

A recent visit to Tomingley mine, not far from FlipScreen’s headquarters in Central West NSW, had recently led to the development of a custom FlipScreen modification - designed to catch wire mesh bundles and tangled wire waste in similar environments (sometimes balled up to the size of a wheelbarrow). The innovative modification was built without relying on magnets (due to tangled wire having a very limited contact area; and has now become solution being considered for use at many other mine sites facing similar contamination issues.

These types of modifications and product designs come from insightful communications coupled with a deep understanding of the challenges FlipScreen’s clients are frequently faced with – which constantly perpetuates FlipScreen’s original core purpose and values the company originally built its foundations on - solving industrial grade problems through the manufacture of innovative solutions - precisely engineered to work in the real world.

From the Pilbara’s massive iron ore hubs to the vast gold operations in regional New South Wales, the company has built its reputation through these kinds of direct relationships - grounded in respect, hands-on support, and a willingness to adapt. At Christmas Creek, a Fortescue site, where a Wl280 Screening bucket was recently commissioned, it’s been reported to have processed over a million tonnes in its first month of use - a testament to what’s possible when good operators and the right tools come together.

Among the many sites visited over the years, Koolan Island stood out, not just for its dramatic setting, but for the professionalism and camaraderie of their teams. It’s also one of several operations run by Mount Gibson Iron Limited, a respected Australian producer of high-grade iron ore with assets across the Kimberley and Mid-West - who are now also expanding into the remote gold sector.

It’s at the coalface and on the ground - boots dirty and sleeves rolled up - where the company really gains its edge. Sam’s grassroots approach, walking the yard with supervisors and managers as well as sitting in the cab with seasoned operators - has opened up critical conversations that might otherwise be missed in a boardroom or a reading though a brochure.

One such moment came during a recent site visit, where Sam came to the realisation that the utilisation of a FlipScreen bucket would not just perform as expected – it would be exceeded. Initially believed to be capable of screening around 1,000 tonnes per hour at the ROM, further discussions with operators and data crunching revealed that FlipScreen’s newest screening bucket - The WL3000 (the largest screening bucket ever built on the planet) would actually screen through 1,500 tonnes per hour.

As per all screening applications; the larger the aperture - the faster the operation. In FlipScreen terms this directly relates to number of rotations. In the case of a mesh accordingly sized to be capable of screening microwave oven sized material - it meant that the WL3000 would need only do three quarters of a rotation to process a full 18 tonne. Putting it at almost identical rates to that of a loader feeding the primaries with a standard bucket.

“You don’t get that sort of insight unless you’re there, talking to the people who live it every day,” Sam noted.

These discoveries are feeding into the ever-expanding part of FlipScreen’s mining sector - as more operations across Australia recognise the value of adaptable, high-output tools that don’t just claim results - they prove them. For Sam, every hour of travel and every mine gate signed into, is another step forward in making the company not only a leading innovator and manufacturer, but a trusted partner in industrial productivity.

“Every site is different,” Sam said, “but they all share a common quality - experienced people who take pride in what they do, who know their rock and ground and are always open to doing things better when the opportunity arises. “That’s the foundation of any strong industry - and for FlipScreen and me personally - it’s what makes these trips worth every kilometre.”

From the remote red heartlands to Australia’s never ending coastal ranges, FlipScreen’s journey through Australia’s mining sector continues to be defined by more than just its cutting-edge innovations. It’s about the partnerships that are built face-to-face, a shared pursuit of better outcomes and goals and a deep respect that grows from being invited in - not just as a manufacturer and supplier, but as part of the wider industrial ecosystem that keeps Australia’s mining sector ahead of the game.