For over 27 years, Crusader Hose has manufactured layflat hose in Bayswater, an industrial area in Melbourne. This singular focus has enabled continual innovation in the product and Crusader is regularly called upon to supply quick and customised hose solutions in situations from bushfires to mine dewatering. This development has also resulted in a 100{87a03eb4327cd2ba79570dbcca4066c6d479b8f7279bafdb318e7183d82771cf} Australian-made product being exported to many countries around the world.
Crusader Hose is 100{87a03eb4327cd2ba79570dbcca4066c6d479b8f7279bafdb318e7183d82771cf} Australian-owned, and the benefit for local industry is that many materials and tooling is sourced from suppliers in the area. When Crusader gets an order, this has a flow on effect through whole range of local businesses.
While so much manufacturing has moved offshore, Crusader has maintained their position by being able to offer customised products for many situations. Each customer’s requirements is different and may require hoses of varying lengths, diameters, different fluids and meeting different specifications. By producing all products locally, Crusader can quickly adapt and customise to the project’s exact needs. Francois Steverlynck, the Managing Director, commented “If we were importing product, we’d need a pretty huge shed to store all the varieties needed, it just wouldn’t be possible – there is no one-size fits all.”
Customisation
Francois feels that being local, plus the innovation philosophy, has been a big factor in the company’s success. Crusader staff rise to the new challenge that each specific project presents, and they enjoy nothing more than delivering above expectations and seeing the client happy.
Past and future
Crusader has continually innovated and adapted since it started manufacturing woven canvas fire hose in 1985. As demand for fire hose waned, the company developed new products which today has placed it at the forefront of the worldwide capability of layflat technology.
The process of innovation is continuing to this day and the latest product under development is a 12” layflat hose for mine dewatering. This development will service the needs of customers who otherwise would have required fixed lines, such as HDPE poly pipe, in order to transfer water.
Manufacturing process
The hose is manufactured in a two-step process in Bayswater. First, the weaving looms interlock yarns of tight polyester fabric. The tight polyester fabric is designed to handle high pumping pressures with minimal friction loss. Second is the extrusion process to cover woven fabric with polyurethane. This PU cover and liner ensures maximum abrasion, corrosion and chemical resistance. The cover is also UV treated so that the hose can be left outdoors without concern for cracking.
The client therefore gets a hose that is easy to roll up, handle and move around during pumping operations.
Case Study – Deep Submersible Pump Installation
Around 2009, Think Water , from Bunbury Western Australia, secured the major project of extracting ground water from 40 bores on behalf of Wesfarmers Coal in Collie, WA. The bores at the mine were all of various depths which ranged from 200m to 250m and submersible pumps of 90kW to 150kW were used to lower the groundwater at this site.
Dilemma: Non standard depths & varying pump sizes
Solution: Flexibore 125mm Diameter extra heavy duty developed and manufactured
Crusader Hose developed an extra high pressure hose for this application and had it tested at an independent NATA laboratory for verification and quality purposes. Once all tests passed, the hose was approved by the consultants for use at the mine.
Wesfarmers were very pleased to get the hose in customised lengths for each bore, as this eliminated any wastage.
