Globally, just five brands control 85% of the heavy equipment market, meaning the same excavators, loaders, and trucks are used across mine sites everywhere. Despite this, equipment users had no formal way to share knowledge, report safety issues, or solve technical problems — many relied on scattered Facebook groups to connect. Torqn set out to change that by building a dedicated platform for operators, maintainers, and regulators to connect, learn, and stay safe.
Objectives
Build a Scalable Platform: Design and develop a mobile app that connects users of the same machinery across industries and geographies.
Enable Real-Time Safety Communication: Allow urgent equipment alerts to be shared directly with users based on the machines they use.
Design for Global Use: Ensure the app’s UX was intuitive and flexible enough to work across regions, languages, and industries.
Support Cross-Industry Expansion: Create a scalable architecture that could expand beyond mining into construction, aviation, agriculture, and more.
Challenges
No centralised network existed for equipment users, despite shared challenges.
Safety alerts couldn’t reach the right users quickly and reliably.
Operators relied on informal, unmoderated forums like Facebook groups for technical advice.
As a startup, Torqn had no internal engineering resources and needed full build support.
The platform had to scale across Android and iOS from a single codebase.
Approach
1. Human-Centred Discovery
UX and product specialists collaborated with Torqn and real equipment users to uncover pain points, validate assumptions, and define value propositions. These insights shaped early prototypes and informed a detailed product roadmap.
2. Technical Architecture
Endava’s solution architects designed a scalable cloud-based platform built on React Native, enabling the app to deploy across both Android and iOS from a single codebase. This approach ensured future scalability while speeding up time to market.
3. Full-Service Delivery
As a startup without internal engineers, Torqn relied on a fully embedded squad. Endava handled everything from UX and design through to development and project management, delivering a polished MVP and roadmap for future growth.
Solution
Torqn is a purpose-built social media app that connects equipment users based on the machines they operate. Rather than following people, users follow equipment — making every interaction hyper-relevant to their daily work.
Key features include:
Loop-Based Networking: Users join ‘loops’ based on equipment type, role, or sector, instantly connecting with peers who share their focus.
Crowd-Solved Issues: A living knowledge base where users post and solve technical problems together.
Real-Time Safety Alerts: Targeted notifications keep users informed about safety issues for the specific gear they operate.
Rich Content Feed: The app offers the depth of a technical forum with the scale and usability of a social platform.
Outcomes
40,000+ Active Users and growing
4.7 Star Rating on the Apple App Store
9,104 Equipment Issues Posted and Solved
Cross-Industry Expansion: Now scaling into Construction, with Aviation, Agriculture, and Medical sectors launching next
Data as of September 13, 2024
Conclusion
Torqn filled a crucial gap in the mining and heavy equipment world — bringing structure, speed, and safety to a space previously reliant on word-of-mouth. From strategy to launch, the project delivered a high-impact, scalable platform with real-world value for operators around the globe. And it’s just getting started.
