Global mining equipment manufacturer MacLean Engineering says it has taken a series of important steps to reinvest and reposition its operations for long-term support of the Australian, Indonesian, and Mongolian mining sectors. The hiring of global mining industry executive, Jari Tuorila, is chief amongst these recent moves.
Tuorila comes to MacLean from previous senior management roles with underground mining vehicle manufacturers out of Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney, as well as Singapore, Shanghai, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. “With 30+ years in the mining and tunneling sectors around the globe, Jari brings a broad and deep expertise that will bolster MacLean’s support of its customer base in Australia as well as the company’s international sales strategy.”
MacLean has also recently relocated its Perth branch to increase its parts support and mining vehicle repair capabilities in-country. The current staffing contingent in Western Australia includes aftermarket and technical support, and account and product management, along with parts and sales support out of locations in Broken Hill and Brisbane.
To go along with these investments in leadership and infrastructure, MacLean is actively working on product development initiatives specific to the Australian mining sector, notably the company’s newest offer in its utility vehicle product line, the LR3 Boom Lift with 4.5 t Fan Handler and Heavy Duty Pipe Handling Baskets. There are currently four units working underground at minesites across Australia and one unit in Mongolia, for which new, application-specific attachments and configurations are being designed and rolled out through close customer engagement.
Secondly, and just as notable for Australian mines, is the upcoming launch of MacLean’s latest generation shotcrete sprayer, also available in battery electric drive, which MacLean says delivers best-in-class productivity, reliability, safety, and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). This unit will be available to Australian mining companies by the fourth quarter of 2020.
“With the hiring of Jari, the reinvestment in our Perth branch, and the focus on product development that is purpose-built for mining in Australia, we are saying to the industry that we are here to stay and scaling up to provide not only the right products for the right application, we also have the service and support structure in place to ensure customer success,” notes Patrick Marshall, MacLean’s Vice President of Product Management. “The best product design and technology need the best support structure – this is our tandem growth strategy in Australia.”