Nivek is at the forefront of providing solutions that ease the physical demands of laborious and dangerous maintenance work.
Founded with a sole focus on protecting workers at the coalface, Nivek launched a groundbreaking innovation in 2011 – the Tracked Elevating Device, also known as TED.
It was a world-first solution born from of Nivek founder Kevin Cant’s near-death experience in 2008.
As a mechanic and fitter working in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Kevin narrowly escaped being crushed by a half-tonne belly plate during a routine bulldozer maintenance task.
The weight of these plates, which can be hundreds of kilograms depending on debris accumulation, posing a significant safety risk.
Motivated by this life-threatening close call, Kevin spent three years designing and developing TED.
Following its launch, TED introduced a new standard for safety on mine sites – eliminating the need for fitters to work beneath suspended loads, reducing dangerous manual handling as a result.
With its low-profile scissor lift design, remote-control operation and all-terrain capabilities, TED became the ideal tool for navigating tight spaces and lifting heavy components without putting workers at risk.
The system quickly gained traction across Australia’s mining sector and was soon adopted internationally.
A growing range of attachments, from fork tynes and front jibs to extension blocks and custom trailers, further extended TED’s versatility, making it a crucial asset for workers aiming to complete their shifts safely.
But Nivek didn’t stop there.
More than a decade later, the company continued to expand its offerings, developing another set of equipment solutions that would address the physical challenges of high-risk mines.
One particular standout is Big TED – a larger, more powerful version of the original.
Aptly called the “bigger brother” of its predecessor, Big TED was built to manage bulkier components and more complex tasks.
It can lift up to 3000kg while operating continuously for up to two hours on battery power.
Despite Big TED’s increased capacity, it retains the low-clearance design and manoeuvrability that made the first TED so popular and effective. It also integrates smoothly with Nivek’s suite of attachments and features joystick control for exact precision.
Another one of Nivek’s key innovations is the Lift Assist (LA40), a compact arm that gives workers a safer, strain-free way to handle heavy tools such as rattle guns and impact drivers weighing up to 40kg.
Easily mounted on a mobile stand or attached to TED, the LA40 is designed to reduce fatigue and musculoskeletal injuries on the job.
Nivek Industries general manager Derrick Cant said cutting down exhaustion has been a game-changer.
“There are some well-documented links between fatigue and serious accidents, particularly in high-risk industries,’’ he said. “We’re hearing from fitters and safety workers that the fatigue reduction they’re experiencing using the system is huge.”
That kind of input also plays a vital role in how Nivek approaches design.
“Feedback from engineers, fitters and safety personnel is incredibly valuable to us, given they are the people who will ultimately be using the system,” Cant said.
“This gives us the parameters to work within and get the design right straight up, meeting some pretty tough criteria.”
Looking ahead, Nivek’s focus is on expanding the capabilities of its current suite of products, especially the attachments, in order to boost flexibility and on-site efficiency.
“Essentially, our products are tracked power units, with unique attachments that deliver true value,” Cant said.
Since Nivek handles design and manufacturing in-house, the company also develops custom-certified attachments tailored to specific customer requirements, without raising concerns around intellectual property or warranty limitations.
Beyond improving safety, Nivek’s technology is having a wider impact across the mining industry.
By removing the need for brute strength to manage tools and components, the company’s products are helping make the sector more inclusive and accessible to workers of all physical builds.
“When you consider the tools themselves weigh 30kg to 40kg just to do up a nut or a bolt, our equipment has taken the weight out of the job – that physical requirement has been eliminated.” Cant said.
“It opens up the mining industry to a broader range of people.”
Guided by the principles of safety, accessibility and innovation, Nivek is continuing to redefine what’s possible in the industry.
This feature appeared in the July–August edition of Safe to Work.