While a downturn in the job market for engineers was at first a cloud over the career ambitions of a newly graduated Pat Caputo, it became the silver lining that has led to a multi-decade career with Elastomers Australia.

According to Pat, who was earning his keep serving drinks at Moonee Valley Racecourse while he searched for an engineering role, a chance encounter with Elastomers Australia founder Ron Letten in the Members Cocktail Lounge was the catalyst that launched him into the world of screen media in 1994.

While his education in engineering had not exposed Pat to the mining or mineral processing industries, Ron’s persistence and determination in luring Pat into an Engineering role at Elastomers Australia, coupled with some product mentoring by R&D Manager Gus Woodgate, ignited an interest that has kept burning.

And 28 years after starting with Elastomers Australia, Pat has not looked back.

“I was eager to learn about the industry and to really understand more about screening applications and also the product development side of things” Pat said.

“I spent a lot of time on site gaining knowledge and engaging with customers to gain a better insight into their requirements. I brought this knowledge back to the ‘engineering office’ and worked alongside Gus and the team in the ‘tool room’ and manufacturing areas to come up with concepts and develop new products for the industry. The practical knowledge and the ability to perform onsite installations and condition monitoring also enabled me to gain a greater understanding of the equipment and materials.”

The time on site and ‘on the tools’ was invaluable for Pat, helping him understand what mattered to Elastomers Australia’s clients. He says it provided the perfect foundation for his current role as General Manager Business Solutions.

“The benefit of working closely alongside the founder of the business and other people in senior roles was key to better understand and continue to build on the strong team environment already established at Elastomers Australia. Taking people on the journey and enabling them to grow and develop in their respective areas of the business is an integral part of maintaining and continuing to grow the unique culture at Elastomers Australia, which ultimately helps deliver better overall outcomes for our clients and the industry” Pat said.

”We’re not a ’hard sell‘ organisation, but a solutions focused one and the team has a genuine interest in understanding particular client applications to help develop purpose-built solutions.

“We customise solutions around our customers’ needs, which I believe is our unique point of difference in the market.”

Pat has seen the mineral processing industry change and evolve over the years he has been involved, with safety, plant optimisation and ESG being key areas of focus.

“Customers are looking for efficient solutions to suit the current environment and marketplace,” he said.

“We have come in leaps and bounds in terms of safety in the mining industry and shifted from a ’just do it‘ mindset to a methodical approach with greater collaboration to deliver better outcomes.

The business is constantly looking for new ideas with a focus on continuous improvement in all areas. “When it comes to ESG, our joint venture with Novum Energy Australia, for example, is a positive step forward, allowing us as a supplier and our customers to reduce and offset carbon usage through effective disposal and recycling, which was one of the key issues the industry had to contend with.

“Community engagement is another important facet to the business. Being recently awarded the 2022 Leader in Diversity and Inclusion award at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards is testament to our people and culture.

“Culture comes from the top-down and always an encouraged line of thinking for our management team.

“It’s important to us to be able to listen and work with our staff and ensure they are challenged in the right ways.”Pat is particularly proud of what the Elastomers team have achieved to-date and to have been involved in the company’s phenomenal growth over the years he has worked there.

“A fond memory was the company being awarded a preferred vendor status and contract to supply screen media globally for a tier one miner in the mid-late nineties, which was a significant milestone for us,” he said.

“That event essentially put us on the map all those years ago and enabled us to make strategic, informed decisions about the markets we were going to service into the future.”

The more recent development and roll-out of Elastomers Australia’s Armalast fire shield® screen media solutions is another company highlight Pat rates as a significant part of the business’ history.

“Our screen media panels delivered a major improvement in fire mitigation to enhance safety and protection of assets at multiple iron ore sites,” Pat said.

With the right people who have a passion for the industry, Pat says Elastomers Australia is well placed to continue to grow and achieve great results with a constant focus of delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients.