Ten Terex TA400 articulated haul trucks have been proving their worth removing overburden from a coal mine in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

The trucks are being used by local mine owner PT Tambang Berkat Karunia for a five-year project in Batuah.

“We have the machines working for up to 18 hours a day, removing overburden and transporting it across the soft terrain,” said Bhisma Dian Resnadi, Operation Manager for PT Berkarya Abadi Selalu, a subsidiary of TBK tasked with undertaking the work.

The Terex Trucks TA400 is perfectly suited to perform in large-scale construction projects, quarries and mine sites, according to Terex. With a maximum payload of 38 t, TBK’s 10 TA400s can collectively haul 380 t, which is equivalent to the weight of around 70 Asian elephants.

“With the ground being so soft at the Batuah mine, we needed trucks that could perform in challenging conditions – and TBK’s TA400 haulers enable us to do just that,” Bhisma said. “Some of our operators had never used a TA400 before. They’ve said that they are very impressed with the performance features – especially the engine – as well as how advanced the technology is.”

Established in 2018, TBK is still relatively new to the industry. It purchased the Terex Trucks haulers from PT United Equipment Indonesia, the official Terex Trucks dealer in Indonesia since 2009.

Bhisma said: “We decided to go with Terex Trucks machines because they are known for being strong and reliable. Price factored into our decision, too. Given the quality of the TA400, the cost is very reasonable. As the project progresses, we might decide to purchase additional Terex Trucks haulers.”

The TA400 is powered by a six-cylinder Scania DC13 engine that is both fuel efficient and delivers low cost of operation, Terex says. It also comes fitted with a modulating transmission retarder, teamed with an efficient exhaust brake and fully enclosed oil-cooled multi-disc brakes, resulting in optimum control and increased safety.

In addition to this, all three axles are in permanent (6 x 6) all-wheel drive, which enables the TA400 to achieve great traction with minimal driveline impact and wheel spin. This results in reduced tyre wear.

To ensure servicing the TA400 is quick and easy, it comes with ground level test points and a fully tilting cab, as well as an electronically raised hood, which also results in reduced downtime.