Meet Peter Copley, CPS Engineering Manager
Posted at August 31, 2023
Question: What is your position/title at CPS?
Answer: I am the Engineering Manager at CPS.
Question: How long have you been with the company?
Answer: I have been with the company for 7.5 years.
Question: What does a typical day look like for you?
Answer: When I’m not engaged in meetings with customers or suppliers, you’ll usually find me at our Welshpool office. A typical day kicks off with a catch-up session, given the round-the-clock production at CPS and the global support we provide to our teams and customers—there’s a lot that happens overnight! Following this, I ensure that my team has all the necessary assistance for the day, diving into any significant challenges I have set. These challenges might involve tackling complex engineering issues on behalf of our customers or identifying areas for potential enhancements.
Question: What do you find most challenging and rewarding about the role?
Answer: Engaging in the support of an Australian manufacturing facility is a source of immense daily reward. Often, engineers may wait for years to witness the realization of their efforts. However, at CPS, the rapid pace of design and manufacturing allows products to materialise within days. I’m also always learning and solving problems—customers like to set us difficult challenges and it’s very satisfying to find that one piece of geometry, metallurgy or materials science that lets you achieve a solution that is a win for everyone. Moreover, my role involves offering guidance across a wide spectrum—spanning from bolt dimensions to the optimisation of startup procedures for overland conveyor systems.
Question: Can you share a particular project you enjoyed working on, and how did it deliver value to the client?
Answer: It would always be the next one. Since I started at CPS, our ability to execute projects and the scale with which we can do it has increased dramatically. With each project, we’re able to bring the best from what we’ve done before, so our products and execution is always improving. Through my role, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to a multitude of mining projects in Western Australia and on the global stage over the past eight years, making it challenging to select just one highlight. The realm of materials handling extends far beyond mining—it’s truly rewarding to have engaged with some of the longest and highest-capacity conveyors in the iron ore industry, while also playing a role in facilitating the transportation of grains to market within our agriculture sector.
Question: Tell us about life outside CPS. What do you enjoy doing?
Answer: Outside of CPS, you’ll likely find me taking my children to their various activities or out somewhere interesting with our family, the kids keep my wife and I on our toes!
