The partnership between Southern Pumping and Orbit Pumps is defined by a shared ethos of service and product excellence.
Australia’s mining sector continues to lead the way in adopting smarter, more efficient technologies. Now, an emerging partnership is set to raise the bar even higher.
Orbit Pumps, part of Franklin Electric, has joined forces with national specialist Southern Pumping to launch the cutting-edge VIGA range across the country.
This collaboration means mining operators will have access to a next-gen solution that is backed by a nationwide service offering and decades of real-world expertise.
“We’re excited and welcome the opportunity to partner with Franklin Electric on Orbit Pumps and the new VIGA range,” Southern Pumping Director Michael Wallace told Mining.
“We’re well positioned to represent this product Australia-wide, given our knowledge of the industry, the requirements of clients, and our history with the Orbit brand.”
Southern Pumping has worked with Orbit equipment for more than three decades. With the VIGA range making its Australian debut, that relationship has evolved into something much larger – a nationwide distribution and service alliance that combines Orbit’s global engineering with Southern Pumping’s boots-on-the-ground capability.
At the heart of this collaboration is the VIGA pump and its intrinsic ability to boost performance while meeting mine-site demands. Wallace said it redefines and expands the scope of what progressive cavity pumps can achieve.
“The VIGA design is revolutionary,” he said. “They’ve come up with a way of manufacturing the rotor and engineering the pitch to produce a smaller-footprint pump that delivers more flow with less power.”
Built for space-constrained sites and thick, abrasive fluids, VIGA was developed with mining in mind. From slurry and dewatering systems to gland service, the pump is designed to continually deliver efficiency and durability.
With up to 60 per cent more flow per revolution, it offers greater output without increasing system size. Lower starting torque also allows for the use of smaller motors to help operators cut energy consumption and reduce overall power costs.
In addition, it offers what is said to be the smallest footprint in the market, making it ideal for installation in tight pump rooms or on skid-mounted systems.
For miners, these features all translate directly to lower costs and greater uptime.
“VIGA is compact, tough and designed for real-world conditions,” Wallace said.
“Its low power requirement and quick-swap rotating assemblies mean it’s not just easier to run – it’s easier to keep running.”
Beyond performance, the VIGA pump is also built for ease of maintenance in the field.
“The wearing parts can be removed and refitted faster than other pumps,” Wallace said. “All of this represents a highly engineered rotor pump that’s virtually unbreakable but relatively simple to service.”
With its national service network and extensive inventory of spare parts and assemblies, Southern Pumping is prepared to get pumps – and mine sites – back online fast, even in Australia’s most isolated regions.
“In another division of our business, we already supply to some of the most remote locations in the country,” Wallace said.
“We’ll be leveraging that network to ensure we can get spares and support to where it’s needed at a faster pace.”
Mining operations are already seeing the benefits, with Southern Pumping teams working with major sites to integrate the VIGA pumps into existing infrastructure.
“We’re already working with major mine sites on pump upgrades, using VIGA’s compact size and efficiency to reduce infrastructure costs while increasing throughput,” Wallace said.
With the launch of VIGA, Southern Pumping and Orbit Pumps have a focus on providing long-term value.
“Orbit and Southern Pumping share a vision: resilient infrastructure, smarter engineering and support you can count on,” Wallace said.
In an industry where the cost of breakdowns can run into the millions and efficiency is everything, the VIGA range offers something rare: reliability backed by service that’s just as tough.
According to Wallace, when it comes to Australian mining, that’s a combination worth investing in.
“We’re excited to bring this revolutionary product to customers that demand more from their pumps,” he said.
This article appeared in the Spring edition of Mining Magazine.
