When Schlam set out to build a new Hercules truck tray for Glencore’s Collinsville Open Cut mine, they knew this one would be unlike any other.
Painted in a striking shade of hot pink, the tray was designed not just for durability and performance, but to raise awareness and funds for Mater Chicks in Pink – a not-for-profit organisation that supports women undergoing breast cancer treatment at Mater Private Hospital Mackay.
Developed in collaboration with Glencore and the Mater Foundation, the initiative transformed a piece of heavy mining equipment into a moving message of community, care, and resilience. The truck tray is now operating at Collinsville Open Cut, where it will serve both as a hard-working haulage asset and a highly visible reminder of the fight against breast cancer.
Schlam said the project was about more than just manufacturing another world-class truck body. It was an opportunity to stand behind its client Glencore and help deliver a message that resonates far beyond the mine site.
“Our engineers and fabricators poured the same precision and pride into this tray as they do with every Hercules body,” the company said. “But this one carries an extra layer of meaning – it represents the strength and resilience of those fighting breast cancer, and the collective support of the industry that stands with them.”
Glencore’s Collinsville workforce has long been a strong supporter of the Mater Foundation through events such as the International Women’s Day Fun Run and Breasties Brunches, raising more than $40,000 to date.
The idea for the pink truck tray came from within that team, who wanted to create something lasting and visible to build on their fundraising efforts. When the concept was brought to Schlam, its team worked closely with Glencore and Mater to design and construct a truck tray that was both technically robust and symbolically powerful.
The pink Hercules tray was officially unveiled at Hastings Deering in Paget, where Glencore announced an additional $5000 donation to Mater Chicks in Pink.
Nurses from Mater Private Hospital Mackay attended the event to thank the company for its support, noting that more than 300 local women undergo breast cancer surgery at Mater each year.
The hospital’s nurse unit manager, Elly Engstrom, said the funding directly supports vital patient care, including new equipment such as a Faxitron radiography system that improves surgical precision and reduces the need for secondary operations.
For those who have benefited from Mater’s services, the project’s message is deeply personal.
Mackay woman and Hastings Deering employee Raelene Brown, who was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in 2020, said being able to receive treatment close to home made all the difference.
“Everything was done in Mackay, so there were no long travel times and I didn’t have to stay in an unfamiliar place while dealing with everything else,” she said. “The nurses were brilliant. They were with me every step of the way and I felt so supported.”
Mater Foundation chief executive Andrew Thomas said the initiative demonstrated how industry partnerships could have a meaningful social impact. “A hot pink truck tray is a first for Mater Foundation – but we absolutely dig it,” he said. “This initiative will fund personalised breast cancer services and potentially life-saving research.”
For Schlam, the project reinforces its belief that engineering can do more than move material – it can move people. The pink Hercules tray stands as a symbol of what’s possible when innovation, compassion, and community come together for a common cause.
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