Austmine’s Champion of Innovation, Bob Muirhead. Photo: Courtesy of Austmine
RCT’s Founder Bob Muirhead was awarded Champion of Innovation for 2017 at the Austmine Industry Leader’s Dinner and Awards Dinner held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre recently.
The prestigious award is Austmine’s acknowledgement of individuals who have pioneered and championed innovation to help make the mining industry what it is today, and it’s safe to say Bob has played a big part in the journey throughout his illustrious career.
The Australian mining icon has been instrumental in driving mining safety and productivity through the development of innovative solutions including the Muirhead® Smart Protection and ControlMaster® remote control systems – both of which are highly regarded within the industry today.
Bob Muirhead and Austmine’s CEO, Christine Gibbs Stewart
Bob’s career began in 1962 as an electrical fitting apprentice at the Great Boulder Mines on the Golden Mile before he started an electrical contracting business.
By 1972 Bob’s focus was on creating systems and products for heavy duty machines.
“Many of the machines on mine sites had poor electrical systems which would cause endless problems and result in unnecessary downtime,” he said.
Bob saw the opportunity to improve systems and protect machines operating in harsh conditions and the Muirhead® Smart Protection systems were created.
“They would have to be one of my favourite innovations to date; simply because it is where it all started,” said Bob.
Bob’s focus soon shifted to encompass a broader range of products which saw the establishment of technology manufacturing business, RCT. Today, RCT has solutions spanning five industry proven brands that are distributed globally to improve mine production, safety and deliver overall measurable improvements.
Bob is well-known for undertaking any challenge with unwavering enthusiasm which is both contagious and inspiring to everyone he meets including RCT’s research and development team, in which he is still actively involved with today.
The Champion of Innovation award has only been bestowed twice previously in Austmine’s history and Bob was worthy of this recognition having devoted his life to innovating in the mining industry.
“It was a humbling experience to be recognised by others in the industry for something that has been a lifelong interest and passion,” said Bob.
The modest award recipient added that the recognition was not just a reflection of his vision, but also of the talent, dedication and hard work of the entire RCT team.
During his acceptance speech, Bob also thanked his wife and acknowledged how instrumental Austmine has been in recognising the value of the METS sector to the Australian economy.
Read more about Bob’s career here:
RCT’s Executive Chairman and founder Bob Muirhead has been a true innovator from day one and as a result he has had an illustrious career in the mining industry spanning decades.
Bob’s career began as an electrical fitting apprentice at the Great Boulder Mines on the Golden Mile before starting an electrical contracting business. A year later, he branched out to begin the Muirhead Auto Electrical business – focussing on heavy duty machines and creating machine systems and products.
It was during this time Bob saw the potential for machines to improve – to run longer and more efficiently to significantly reduce downtime. It was through this observation, innovative thinking and hands-on approach that Bob designed, created and developed Muirhead® Smart Protection Systems which he marketed to the mining industry successfully.
In the late 80s he moved into the radio remote control space, introducing the ControlMaster® remote control systems for mobile mining machines. By the mid-90s machines were operating via ControlMaster® Teleremote from a cabin in a safe location away from the work face. His relentless drive for safety, productivity and continuous improvement led to the development and release of Guidance technology, allowing machines to navigate at greater speeds through the mine tunnels without collisions.
As the years passed, Bob, his Muirhead® Smart Protection solutions and ControlMaster® automation and control technologies built a renowned reputation, and before long they were highly regarded names in Australian mining.
He established RCT as a technology manufacturing business to encompass an even larger range of solutions spanning five industry proven brands that are now distributed globally to increase mine production, safety and deliver overall measurable business improvements.
On top of all this, throughout his career, Bob has mentored many apprentices; passing on his knowledge, wisdom and way of thinking. The majority of these apprentices are still at RCT today in senior roles.
Bob’s unwavering enthusiasm is both contagious and inspiring to all. Even today, he is still providing leadership to drive innovation with the R&D team.
Throughout his impressive career, Bob has encompassed the definition of innovative – constantly striving to make things better, to see things differently and to never give up! He has always made an effort to understand problems experienced on site and used his pragmatic thinking to create quality solutions to solve them; his mind is always open to every possibility imaginable.
He has been a pivotal force in the success of RCT over the years, propelling it into the successful international business it is today.
About Austmine
Austmine is the leading industry body in Australia for the mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector. We exist to develop the METS sector and provide growth opportunities and value to our members so they can achieve greater success. We now have over 400 members, reflecting the entire spectrum of METS companies, from major OEMs, contractors and EPCMs, through to SME software, equipment manufacturers, consultancies, and technology and support services.
Austmine is proud to celebrate over 28 years of advocating for Australia’s METS sector. In that time, the METS sector has become a key economic driver contributing over $90 billion in gross annual revenue to the country’s prosperity. The Australian METS sector exports over $15 billion of products and services to every corner of the globe, and invests $4 billion in R&D. Australia preserves its leading position as the global innovator in the resources industry.
With the current resources upswing, it has been imperative for Austmine to invest every effort to effectively respond to our members’ needs and ensure a competitive and sustainable future for our industry. In the past 12 months, we have invested in new resources, new strategic partnerships and have strengthened our relationship with the mining industry and government. We have also enhanced our service offering to bring our members better networking opportunities, new contacts and greater support around their marketing and branding.
ABOUT RCT
RCT is an innovative smart technology company with the expertise to evolve entire industries. We design, manufacture and deliver technology and service solutions to support clients around the world in multiple sectors including mining, industrial, agricultural and civil. With over 45 years of success, RCT leverages knowledge and insight to provide clients the advantage of measurable value – increased profitability, productivity, efficiency and safety.
Since the 1970s, RCT has traversed all corners of the globe. Our team has grown to 150+ committed people working with clients in over 64 countries worldwide, from Australia to Africa, Asia, Russia, North America and Latin America.
With our unique way of viewing the world, intelligent solutions and backed by exceptional support, service and training, RCT is a global leader in smart Guidance, Teleremote and Remote Control automation solutions for the mining industry.
We continue to listen, see, think, create and evolve solutions that lead to better profitability, productivity and safety for our clients.