While ABC Bullion is the official manufacturer of the Lexus Melbourne Cup, the making of the cup is a true team effort for the Pallion Group, as the precious metals pass through the specialist Pallion subsidiaries while being turned into the trophy of the race that stops a nation.
It starts with the doré (golden) bars. These are blocks of semi-pure gold and silver, with those destined for the Melbourne Cup produced at the Newcrest Cadia Mine and then shipped to ABC Refinery, located in Sydney's inner-west
Pallion CEO Andrew Cochineas notes that even semi-pure, doré bars have an incredibly high value. So on arrival, each bar is inspected, weighed, photographed and given a unique description so it can be formally entered onto a proprietary tracking and security system.
The bars are then melted and homogenised, and the metals analysed to accurately determine their purity before being separated into their elements using a world-leading electrolytic process. This results in 99.99% pure gold granules.
Because gold of this purity is too soft to work with, ABC Refinery metallurgists developed an 18-carat alloy of gold, silver and copper to allow for successful spinning of the cup.
As Andrew Cochineas explains, form here the alloy is transported from ABC Refinery to sister company Palloys. There it is rolled and re-rolled into sheets at the thickness needed for crafting by the master gold and silversmiths at WJ Sanders – another subsidiary of the Pallion Group.
And while the latest technology has taken the cup this far, from this point on it is still made by hand – just as it was over 100 years ago.
That is not an excuse. The most exacting standards are demanded of the W.J. Sanders team to create the trophy worthy of being called the Melbourne Cup. And those standards are driven from the top, as Andrew Cochineas enthuses:
"Making The Melbourne Cup showcases the end-to-end processes available within the Pallion Group on the biggest stage in Australia. Quite simply, it has to be perfect."
Andrew Cochineas, Pallion Group CEO
Valued at over $600,00 and with millions of people watching the presentation, perfection is not an unreasonable demand.
Darren May, General Manager of W.J. Sanders, revels in the challenge. On receipt of the metal as sheets, it takes his team 250 hours to fashion the cup – spinning the bowl, making the handles, polishing and engraving. The trophy base is also hand-turned, using Australian Jarrah – completing an all-Australian production.
Finishing the Melbourne Cup is just the start for the team. There are 58 different cups made for each Melbourne Cup race, including those for the jockey, trainer, strapper, breeder, the starters, and the Melbourne Cup global tour.
The race is on to make those.
About Andrew Cochineas
Andrew Cochineas is CEO of Pallion Group, the largest Precious Metal Services Group in Australia. Pallion, led by Mr. Cochineas, is comprised of eight industry leading companies providing the following jewellery related services: Precious Metal Refining, Bullion Production, Distribution & Trading, Precious Metal Fabrication, Precious & Base Metal Casting, CAD/ CAM, Wedding Rings, Custom Design Jewellery Manufacture, & Jewellery Findings.
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About Andrew Cochineas
Andrew Cochineas is CEO of Pallion Group, the largest Precious Metal Services Group in Australia. Pallion, led by Mr. Cochineas, is comprised of eight industry leading companies providing the following jewellery related services: Precious Metal Refining, Bullion Production, Distribution & Trading, Precious Metal Fabrication, Precious & Base Metal Casting, CAD/ CAM, Wedding Rings, Custom Design Jewellery Manufacture, & Jewellery Findings.
