Background

Treloar is an engineering company specialising in critical fluid transfer solutions in mining, petroleum, and hazardous gases. Known for innovative, tailored solutions, Treloar also provides folding stairs for accessing high platforms and vehicles. When Animal Welfare League NSW (AWL) approached them with an OH&S issue around their Animal Care Truck, Treloar stepped up to the challenge.

Animal Welfare League NSW (featured on Channel 10’s The Dog House) is a non-profit dedicated to protecting abandoned, neglected, and surrendered animals through adoption services, veterinary care, and community programs.

Project Outline and Challenges

AWL required folding stairs for their Animal Care Truck, which travels throughout NSW offering complimentary veterinary services. Their previous flat-pack stairs were cumbersome, requiring four people to set up and tow in a separate trailer. This posed significant OH&S risks with some injuries being caused, and created logistical headaches.

AWL had approached several companies seeking help, but none were willing to take on the project, labelling it "too hard." When they approached Treloar, the team gladly accepted the challenge despite it being outside their core expertise. According to AWL’s Animal Care Truck Coordinator, Derek Thompson, “Treloar were on top of the process the whole time. They kept me informed and were excellent to deal with.”

The Solution

What began as a seemingly simple project quickly became more complicated. It required hydraulic automation and battery backup, areas beyond Treloar’s usual skillset. However, the team adapted and devised a solution where the folding stairs could be deployed at the push of a button. The stairs fold down from the truck with precision and ease, reducing the need for multiple staff members and resolving AWL’s OH&S issues.

Paul Walton, Engineering Manager at Treloar, shared his thoughts on the project: “Personally, I've got a passion for animals, and I’d seen The Dog House on TV, so I knew of the work that AWL did. I was interested in seeing how we could help.” 

“Our typical stairs are installed on top of gantries, but having them connected to a truck was quite different. There were a lot of modifications required, but we love a challenge!”

AWL noted that “We approached other companies for help, but they all said no. Treloar was willing to help, and the result is much better than our previous solution.”

Key Takeaways

Problem Solving: Treloar can solve problems even outside their core business expertise, taking on challenges others won’t.

Community Commitment: They give back to the community, finding satisfaction in helping worthy causes.

Adaptability: Treloar adapts to shifting requirements, creating innovative solutions in challenging situations.

Conclusion

Despite the complexity of the project, Treloar's collaboration with AWL demonstrates their ability to apply innovative engineering solutions to unfamiliar problems. They provided folding stairs that met AWL’s needs perfectly, embodying their ethos of creating certainty from uncertainty.

See Treloar’s folding stairs in action on the Animal Welfare League NSW’s Animal Care Truck in our latest video.