Duratray International: A Truly Unique Force in the Mining Industry – Valued by discerning mines

In the world of mining equipment, a few global players seem to dominate every corner of the industry. With extensive product catalogues, decades of brand recognition, and operations spanning continents, companies like Caterpillar, Komatsu, and Hitachi are often seen as the default choice.

But Duratray International has taken a very different path. And it’s worked.

Instead of trying to compete on every front, Duratray has focused on solving one major problem better than anyone else – how to get more out of a mining truck while reducing long-term costs, environmental impact, and operator fatigue.

The result is something quite special. Not just a clever product, but a powerful position in the market. One that’s been carefully built around real results, measurable performance, and a refreshing willingness to do things differently.

1. Rethinking the Dump Body

Duratray’s standout product is its Suspended Dump Body (SDB). On the surface, it may not sound revolutionary. It’s still a tray attached to a haul truck. But the way it’s built and what it does for mine operations is a genuine game changer.

The SDB isn’t made from a single steel structure like most conventional trays. Instead, it combines a high-strength steel frame with a rubber wear mat suspended by high-tech ropes. This design absorbs shock, resists wear, and offers a number of practical benefits that go far beyond what most operators expect.

To list just a few:

• Vibration and impact forces inside the cab are significantly reduced, making the driver’s experience safer and less exhausting.
• Noise drops by several decibels, reducing the risk of long-term hearing damage and fatigue.
• Because the tray is lighter, the truck can carry more payload without additional strain.
• Maintenance becomes simpler and faster, with many repairs requiring just a few days instead of several weeks.
• Carry-back – that stubborn load that sticks to the tray – is dramatically reduced, improving fuel efficiency and productivity.
• The reduced wear extends the life of the tray, tyres, suspension and even the chassis.

This is a case where a clever piece of engineering has turned a basic truck component into a source of competitive advantage. And it’s not just theory – Duratray has the data to prove it.

2. Focus Over Scale

Duratray doesn’t offer bulldozers, graders, or excavators. It doesn’t sell engines or loaders. Its entire business revolves around a single component – and that’s exactly why it’s so effective.

By concentrating on one product category, Duratray has become a true specialist. While OEMs have to spread their attention across dozens of product lines, Duratray pours its energy into refining, customising, and improving its trays.

This narrow focus allows the company to:

• Respond more quickly to client feedback.
• Tailor each tray to site-specific requirements.
• Innovate without getting bogged down in corporate layers.
• Provide highly informed technical support backed by years of experience in one field.

In practice, this means customers aren’t just buying a tray. They’re getting access to a team that knows how to make it work in their exact environment – whether it’s thermal coal in Mpumalanga or copper in the Atacama Desert.

3. Results You Can Measure

In mining, performance has to be backed by numbers. Promises don’t mean much unless they show up in fuel savings, higher payloads, fewer breakdowns, and better uptime.

This is where Duratray’s position becomes very difficult to ignore.

Independent tests and site-level data have shown:

• Fuel use reduced by up to 15% due to the lighter tray.
• Payloads increased by between 5% and 30%, depending on the site and truck.
• Vibration levels cut in half, making a big difference to health and safety.
• Tyre life extended by over 15%.
• Maintenance costs cut by as much as 50%.
• Carry-back reduced to almost zero in some cases.

And this isn’t isolated to one commodity or one region. These results have been reported in coal, iron ore, gold, copper and other sectors across Australia, Africa, South America, and more.

For procurement managers, this means a clear return on investment. For operations managers, it means better throughput and less downtime. For ESG teams, it supports their goals around fuel efficiency, safety, and lifecycle management.

4. Fits Any Fleet

Most OEMs build ecosystems that are designed to keep you locked in. If you have a Caterpillar truck, they want you using Caterpillar bodies, parts, and service. The same applies to Komatsu, Hitachi, Liebherr, and others.

Duratray’s approach is different. Its trays are designed to fit on a wide range of chassis – regardless of the original manufacturer.

That includes:

• Caterpillar
• Komatsu
• Liebherr
• BELL
• BILAZ
• Hitachi
• Volvo
• Terex

This gives mine operators the freedom to upgrade a key performance component – the dump body – without having to overhaul their entire fleet. It also makes Duratray an excellent choice for mixed fleets, where multiple truck types are in operation.

Instead of being boxed in by OEM limitations, customers can optimise productivity and reduce fuel use across the board.

5. Built for a Changing Industry

Around the world, mining companies are under growing pressure to operate more sustainably. Emissions targets, water conservation, health and safety regulations, and ESG reporting requirements are shaping investment decisions like never before.

Duratray’s design directly supports these priorities.

• Lower fuel consumption reduces carbon emissions.
• Reduced cabin noise and vibration improve health outcomes for drivers.
• A longer tray lifespan means less steel is manufactured, transported, and disposed of.
• Lighter bodies reduce wear on infrastructure and vehicle components.
• Fewer maintenance interventions mean fewer stoppages and lower risk of injury during repairs.

Duratray may not use buzzwords, but its impact lines up closely with modern sustainability goals. And unlike many ESG claims, its benefits are built into the engineering – not added on afterwards.

6. A True Partner, Not Just a Supplier

One of the quiet strengths behind Duratray’s success is the way it works with clients.

Instead of operating like a large corporate vendor with rigid procedures, Duratray behaves more like a specialist partner. The team works closely with mine operators, technical teams, and site engineers to understand what’s actually happening on the ground.

If an operator is dealing with excessive tyre wear, carry-back, or delays during tipping, Duratray will find a solution that works – often customising the tray to suit the site’s terrain, material, and haul cycle.

This responsiveness builds trust. Over time, many clients come to rely on Duratray not just for trays, but for strategic insights that help them run more efficient operations.

7. Proven at the Highest Level

Duratray’s trays aren’t just used on small or experimental sites. They’ve been adopted by some of the biggest names in the global mining industry, including:

• Anglo American
• BHP
• Glencore
• Vale
• Sibanye-Stillwater
• AngloGold Ashanti
• Kumba Iron Ore

These companies don’t make equipment decisions lightly. They rely on evidence, cost-benefit analysis, and performance guarantees.

The fact that Duratray is not only in use, but expanding within these operators, speaks volumes about its reliability and long-term value.

8. A Global Footprint with Local Support

Although headquartered in Australia, Duratray is present in more than 30 countries, with support teams, service agents, and fabrication partners on nearly every continent.

This global reach means:

• Faster lead times on parts and replacements.
• Technicians who understand local conditions.
• Support available in multiple languages.
• Confidence that supply won’t be interrupted by distance or delays.

Clients benefit from the scale of an international business, while still enjoying the responsiveness and accountability of a focused engineering company.

Final Thoughts

Duratray International hasn’t tried to be all things to all people. Instead, it has taken a single product – the dump body – and made it smarter, lighter, safer, and more cost-effective than anything else on the market.

In doing so, it has created a unique position in the mining sector. Not as a competitor to OEMs, but as a trusted partner that enhances and upgrades fleets across the board.

Its success comes down to clear thinking, deep expertise, and a product that delivers what mining operations need right now: less downtime, lower costs, safer environments, and measurable performance.

For anyone looking to improve their fleet without locking themselves into one brand, Duratray offers a practical, proven, and remarkably smart solution.