Custom Winches
Custom winches are purpose-built lifting and pulling machines engineered for one job — yours. Australian Certified Winches designs and manufactures custom winches in electric, hydraulic and diesel drive, built to AS1418 in our Yatala, QLD workshop and supplied across Australia.
Custom Winches for Various Industries
Custom Winches Are Engineered Around Your Job
Custom winches are designed and built from the ground up for a specific load, duty cycle and environment, rather than adapted from a catalogue. Every dimension, material and control is chosen for your application.
Our project record runs from a 1 kN plumb-bob hoist for a 2,000 m mine shaft to a 1000 kN longwall recovery winch on 60 mm Dyneema rope, across electric, hydraulic, electro-hydraulic, pneumatic and self-contained diesel drives.
That range includes slipway hauling winches from 30 to 90 kN, six-point barge mooring systems in a space-saving waterfall layout, 316L stainless steel builds for chemical plants, and air-cooled diesel skid units for remote tower sites.
Every custom winch is engineered and tested in-house by RPEQ-registered engineers at our Yatala, Queensland workshop, delivered with full documentation and backed by local Australian support.
Bespoke RPEQ Design
Engineered to your exact load, duty and environment by RPEQ-registered engineers, from 1 kN hoists to 1000 kN recovery winches.
Any Power Source
Electric, hydraulic, electro-hydraulic, pneumatic or self-contained diesel drive, including single-phase and spark-free builds.
Built to Your Spec
Chain drives, dual-rope drums, declutchable drums, capstans and windlasses, with rope, gearbox and controls matched to the job.
Full Compliance
AS1418 as a minimum, plus MDG33, DNV, ISO, Lloyd's and project standards as required.
Local Manufacture
Designed, fabricated and tested in our Yatala, QLD workshop for faster delivery.
Lifetime Support
Installation, commissioning, training, spares and ongoing maintenance for the life of the winch.
Custom Winches Types & Applications
Six families of custom winch drawn from our project record across mining, marine, construction, utilities and energy.
Custom Winches Features & Benefits
Engineered for performance, safety and longevity. Discover why leading industrial operations choose Australian Certified Winches.
Precision Load Control
Fully proportional control via wandering pendant or radio, with variable speed drives for exact positioning and no shock loading.
Self-Contained Power
Sound-proofed water-cooled or air-cooled diesel power packs on skid frames for sites without mains power.
Automation Ready
Touch-screen control with digital line-tension display and data recording, ready for PLC and remote monitoring integration.
Safety & Redundancy
Automatic fail-safe brakes in the drive train, high-holding manual band brakes and footswitch controls that protect the operator.
Custom Engineering
Chain drives, dual-rope drums, waterfall layouts and declutchable drums, designed with your team by RPEQ-registered engineers.
Local Australian Support
Manufacturer-direct support from Yatala, QLD, with spares, servicing and on-site assistance across Australia.
Custom Industry Requirements?
Our RPEQ engineers can design specialised equipment for any industrial vertical.
Industries Served | Global Solutions
From 2,000 m mine shafts to river ferries and offshore barges, ACW provides the engineering and certified reliability that specialised markets demand.
Mining Industry
Longwall recovery, conveyor hauling, take-up and blast-door winches, including a 1000 kN recovery unit, with MDG33 & AS1418 compliance.
- Longwall Recovery
- Conveyor Hauling
- Blast-Proof Doors
Marine & Offshore
Slipway hauling winches from 30 to 90 kN, anchor windlasses to Lloyd's rules, landing barge gear and six-point barge mooring systems.
- Slipway Hauling
- Anchor Windlasses
- Barge Mooring
Construction
Hoisting and hauling winches for site duties, pumped hydro construction and pontoon work, plus 316L stainless builds for chemical plants.
- Site Hoisting
- Pontoon Hauling
- Stainless Builds
Manufacturing
Electro-hydraulic multi-purpose winches for conveyor maintenance, plant hire fleets and material handling, with proportional pendant control.
- Conveyor Maintenance
- Hire Fleet Winches
- Load Positioning
Utilities
Self-contained diesel capstans for underground cable hauling, ferry cable changes and remote telecommunication tower installation.
- Underground Cable Hauling
- Ferry Cable Changes
- Tower Installation
Oil & Gas
Pneumatic hoisting winches for refinery maintenance in explosive atmospheres, with automatic fail-safe brakes in the drive train.
- Refinery Hoisting
- Explosive Atmospheres
- Fail-Safe Braking
Renewable Energy
Mooring and hoisting winches for pumped hydro projects, including 140 kN dam mooring winches and Snowy Hydro construction hoists.
- Dam Mooring Winches
- Pumped Hydro Hoists
- Remote Power Options
Commercial Fishing
Hydraulic trawler try winches and deck equipment for commercial fishing vessels, built for continuous saltwater service.
- Trawler Try Winches
- Deck Equipment
- Saltwater Duty
Custom Winch Standards & Certifications
Removing operational risk through rigorous engineering accountability and adherence to global regulatory standards.
AS1418 Compliance
Australian Standard for Winches
Australian Standard for Winches: Mandatory design factors and safety protocols for cranes, hoists and winches used in Australia, published by Standards Australia.
- 4:1 Static Load Factor
- Fail-safe braking req.
- Certified load testing
ISO 13849-1
Machinery Safety Systems
Machinery Safety Systems: The global standard for safety-system integrity; our winches typically achieve SIL2/SIL3 levels.
- Redundancy logic
- Control system reliability
- Performance Level (PL) rated
DNV 2.22 / Marine
Offshore Lifting Appliances
Offshore Lifting Appliances: Strict maritime safety requirements for vessel-mounted winches and offshore operations.
- Corrosion resistant specs
- Marine-grade electronics
- Offshore duty ratings
- Pre-Delivery Testing Protocols
Factory Load Testing
125% of SWL dynamic testing on our certified test beds.
Brake Verification
Confirmation of static load holding and emergency-stop response.
Control Logic Validation
End-to-end testing of PLC, sensors, and remote monitoring integration.
Safety Redundancy Check
Validation of dual-channel safety systems and overload protection.
- Documentation Package
Every system is delivered with a comprehensive technical documentation package required for site compliance and insurance verification.
- Certified Load Test Report
- RPEQ Design Calculations
- Material Certificates
- Full CAD Drawing Package
- Operating & Maintenance Manual
- Risk Assessment Documentation
Custom Winch Projects
Built for Performance, Reliability, and Durability
We design and manufacture winching solutions for demanding applications across mining, marine, construction, utilities, renewable energy, oil and gas, manufacturing and commercial fishing. The projects below show the range of custom work delivered from our Yatala workshop, from a 1 kN shaft hoist to a 1000 kN underground recovery winch.
25 kN 316L Stainless Steel
150 kN Electric Mooring Winches
30 kN Dual Rope Push/Pull
30 kN Hydraulic Trawler Try
30 kN Studlink Anchor Windlass,
120 kN 12T Electro-Hydraulic Hauling
60 kN Self-Contained Diesel Cable
1000 kN Underground Recovery Winch
Custom Winches FAQs: Common Questions Answered
Everything procurement teams and engineers need to know before specifying a custom winch system.
COMPLIANCE & STANDARDS
Are your custom winches certified ?
Yes — built to AS1418 as a minimum, with ISO 13849-1 and DNV 2.22 where relevant, and full documentation supplied with every system.
What standards do you meet?
AS1418 for cranes and hoists, ISO 13849-1 for safety systems and DNV 2.22 for marine and offshore duty.
Do you provide load-test certificates?
Yes — 125% of SWL factory load testing with a certified load-test report supplied for every unit.
CAPACITY & PERFORMANCE
What capacities can you build?
From light precision winches under 5 kN up to 1000 kN recovery systems — any capacity, custom-engineered.
How fast are your custom winches?
Speeds are matched to the duty and customisable within safety and duty limits, with variable-speed control available.
Can you increase capacity or speed?
Yes — within safe design limits; we re-engineer and re-certify capacity or speed changes to AS1418.
CUSTOMISATION & LEAD TIME
How long does a custom winch take to build?
Typically 8–12 weeks from order to delivery, with expedited options for urgent projects depending on complexity.
Can you modify existing winches?
Yes — retrofit upgrades, capacity increases and modernisation of any make of equipment.
Do you offer standard (non-custom) mining winches?
Yes — every system is RPEQ-engineered and custom-built to your load, duty cycle and environment.
SUPPORT & MAINTENANCE
What support do you provide after installation?
Installation, commissioning, operator training, maintenance scheduling and ongoing technical support.
Do you stock spare parts?
Yes — critical spares are stocked and custom components can be manufactured quickly, with preventative-maintenance plans available.
Can you service winches from other manufacturers?
Yes — we repair and maintain winches and machinery regardless of make, with fabrication and machining available.
SAFETY & COMPLIANCE
How does fail-safe braking work?
Spring-applied brakes engage automatically on power loss, and redundant systems hold 100% of load in any emergency.
Can you build for hazardous or marine environments?
Yes — pneumatic spark-free builds for hazardous areas and 316L stainless for marine and wash-down service.
Still Weighing Up Your Custom Winch?
Every winch we build starts with a conversation. Tell us the load, the site and the deadline, and our RPEQ engineers will map out the drive, drum and controls that fit the job, with a straight answer on lead time and cost.
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Contact
Address
2/14 Freight Street, Yatala, QLD 4207