For Graham Wippell, Peppercorn Quarry was never meant to become the biggest operation in Queensland. It was, in his words, a practical way to diversify a large rural property and make use of a resource already underfoot.

“The Peppercorn property in total covers 8700 acres, but the quarry only sits on about 20 to 25 acres,” he says. “It’s just about diversifying out a bit from grazing and other activities. We’ve got a good supply of gravel here, so we decided to give quarrying a go and it’s been very successful.”

Now in its second year of operation, Peppercorn Quarry supplies white rock product to Council for local road-making work around Balonne Shire, approximately 460km inland from Toowoomba.

Graham says the Peppercorn aggregate meets Main Roads Type 3.2 and Type 4.2 road base specifications, with product used on country roads and beneath highways. Some material goes down as gravel road base, while higher-order applications may ultimately sit beneath bitumen. It’s a lean, hands-on operation that takes a measured approach to supply.

“I have a licence for 100,000-tonne, but I don’t want to do any more than that anyway,” he says. “I’m not a big-time operator but I’m probably as efficient as any other quarry. There’s just me and an occasional volunteer helper here, but we work hard for clients.”

In order to ensure client commitments are met, Peppercorn Quarry relies on machinery with enough capability to handle the job without demanding a large support crew. On site, Graham’s Porter Equipment-supplied fleet includes a Hyundai HX350L excavator, Hyundai HL970 wheel loader, Sandvik QI341HS impactor and Sandvik QA335 screen.

Together, the four machines form the backbone of a mobile crushing and screening spread suited to the quarry’s road-base production.

The Hyundai HX350L excavator and Hyundai HL970 wheel loader appealed to Graham for straight forward business reasons: warranty, finance and support.

“I went for Hyundai primarily because of their warranty, which is very good. Porter Equipment also offered good finance at the time too, so that won me over on the brand.

“My thought is that if a machinery supplier offers a solid warranty on their gear, then they must stand behind its abilities on the job. Hyundai gear has proven to be very reliable over the years for plenty of operators, so there’s something in that. I’m not all about the brand name on the side of the machine: reliability is first and foremost for me.”

For Porter Equipment Australia, Graham’s fledgling quarry operation presented the opportunity to help a relatively new quarry operator put together a plant set that would suit the material, the output target and the size of the team.

Jason MacDonald, Porter Equipment Australia’s National Crushing and Screening Manager, says that while Peppercorn Quarry isn’t a massive operation, he knew it was still vital to Graham to get both the best value for money and the appropriate equipment for the job.

“We worked with Graham to make sure he got the best set-up,” Jason says, pointing to areas such as mesh selection and crusher settings relevant to the aggregate being pulled from the site.

“Our team was with Graham through the machine selection process, which including taking him to see comparable equipment operating in the field before any key purchase decisions were made. The aim was to ensure his crushing and screening package was fit for purpose rather than over- or under-specified.”

“Both the impactor and screen are very good machines, and the set-up works beautifully for us,” Graham affirms. “They’re easy to startup, operate and, compared with other crushers and screens I’ve seen, they’re quiet when running too.”

Peppercorn Quarry’s Sandvik QI341HS impactor and Sandvik QA335 screen are also both mobile tracked machines, giving Graham flexibility to move the plant where it’s needed around the quarry. That mobility suits an operation where the work front, stockpile areas and material preparation can change, and where the small crew needs to keep handling each step as efficiently as possible.

“It doesn’t matter about the size of an operation,” continues Jason. “If Graham has clients like the local Council relying on him, he still needs his equipment to work consistently. It’s up to us as the Hyundai and Sandvik distributor to work with him to make sure the gear’s achieving what he needs it to achieve.”

The support during the purchasing process has continued after delivery. Jason recalls a screen mesh choice that looked right on paper but didn’t perform as well with Peppercorn Quarry material. Replacement mesh was ordered, and a field support technician returned to site and changed it out.

For Graham, the willingness to keep working with the customer after the machines arrive on-site is one of the biggest advantages of dealing with Porter Equipment.

Graham says Andrew Lawson, Territory Manager for Brisbane South and West Queensland, has also been instrumental in ensuring he had all the necessary information before purchasing his Hyundai machines. And making sure everything has been running smoothly since.

“I have to hand it to Andrew: he’s also been fantastic to deal with. You’ve got to have a good man to give you good advice and not just talk you into a machine for the sake of dollars,” he says.

Another attribute Graham appreciates for his operation is having one point of contact and one supplier across multiple critical machines. He says investing in Hyundai and Sandvik equipment through Porter Equipment has simplified servicing and reduced downtime concerns.

“You’re dealing with one company and, if you’ve chosen right, then you’re expecting one consistent level of service,” he explains. “If a technician is on site for a first service, they can look over our other gear at the same time. We’re reasonably remote here, but that’s not an issue. Parts all come from Brisbane and it’s only an overnight service. Generally speaking, anything we need can be ordered for the next morning.”

Graham says Jason has been particularly proactive, even checking in while away. “He sent me a text the other day to say, ‘I’m on leave, Graham, but if you have any problems, don’t hesitate to ring me."

For a small operator protecting a major capital investment, that service culture counts.

“I like to look after my gear. It’s too valuable to treat casually," Graham concludes.

Peppercorn Quarry may not be chasing output records, but it’s building a sustainable niche by producing reliable road-making material with a fleet matched to the job.

With Hyundai earthmoving equipment, Sandvik crushing and screening plant, and Porter Equipment Australia’s guidance and backup behind him, Graham has found a formula that helps keep Peppercorn Quarry productive.

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