Austral Bricks: Deploying Autonomous Cleaning in an Industrial Environemnt

The Client

Mark, the Site Operations Manager, is charged with the safety and efficiency of the Austral Bricks Wollert Plant, one of Victoria’s premier manufacturing hubs.

In a heavy industrial setting like this, keeping the floor clean isn’t about appearance—it is a matter of strict regulatory compliance. With Australia’s rigorous OHS standards regarding crystalline silica dust, Mark’s priority is maintaining a hazard-free environment without disrupting the relentless flow of production logistics.

Challenges

The facility generates a punishing mix of debris, ranging from heavy brick shards to airborne particulate matter.
However, the critical issue was risk exposure. Relying on manual sweeping or traditional ride-on machines created a "dual hazard" scenario:

Respiratory Risk

Conventional sweeping often agitates fine silica dust rather than capturing it, endangering the lung health of the workforce.

Collision Danger

Placing cleaning staff on foot in the same corridors as fast-moving forklifts and heavy trucks significantly increased the likelihood of workplace accidents.

Furthermore, sharp gravel on the transport paths was acting as a "tire shredder," leading to frequent, costly replacements for the forklift fleet. Mark sought a method to sanitize the floors that would remove humans from the danger zone entirely.

Solution

Following a comprehensive site safety audit, The site demanded a contactless, industrial-grade autonomous solution.

We deployed the Greendorph YJ130, configured specifically to deliver on four industrial demands:

Dust Containment

To neutralize the silica threat, the YJ130 utilizes a unique dust collection system paired with active water misting. This ensures dust is trapped at the source, preventing secondary airborne contamination.

Safety Co-existence
Equipped with LiDAR & 3D Cameras, the unit proactively detects heavy machinery. It is programmed to yield instantly to forklifts, ensuring zero disruption to logistics flows.
Heavy Debris Intake
Unlike urban models, this unit’s intake system is reinforced to ingest 50mm stones and shards, clearing the path to protect forklift tires.

All-Terrain Mobility

To handle the facility's uneven surfaces and ramps, the powertrain offers 20% gradeability, allowing seamless transitions between the yard and the loading docks.

Results

 

Upon deployment, our engineers mapped the facility to prioritize high-risk dust zones and heavy traffic lanes.
The operational shift was immediate. The Wollert Plant has successfully decoupled cleaning from human risk. The YJ130 now executes continuous cleaning loops, ensuring the ground remains free of tire-damaging debris while the staff remains at safe distances.
Mark highlights the safety dividend: "It creates a physical buffer between our people and the hazards." The solution has effectively transformed a high-risk maintenance task into a background automated process.