On March 2, 2023, Epiroc Iberia celebrated the opening of its Service Center in Aljustrel, Portugal. The event was attended by clients, partners, representatives from the Aljustrel Municipal Council, and Luis Araneda, the President of Epiroc Parts & Services Division.
Strategically located in the heart of the Iberian Pyrite Belt, Epiroc says the centre is equipped with all the necessary equipment to provide excellent service to customers. Installed on a 10,000 square metre site, the Service Center is capable of servicing all Epiroc equipment, also including a training room, warehouse, and offices, as well as a team of technicians, specialists, and support staff dedicated to answer customer’s requests.
Jaime Huidobro, General Manager of Epiroc Iberia, thanked everyone for their presence and trust, recalling Epiroc’s history and origin and reinforcing the company’s commitment to its customers and the local community, which is also reflected in the strengthened presence of the Aljustrel Service Center.
Sebastian Bengoechea, Director of After Sales at Epiroc Iberia, highlighted the importance of this Service Center for Epiroc’s local operations and its customers, as well as for the development of automation, digitalisation, and electrification solutions that are increasingly required by the industry. “We are very proud to inaugurate the Service Center with our customers, reinforcing our continuous investment in the Iberian market and our commitment to presenting innovative solutions and high levels of service to our customers.”
Huidobro added: “We are very pleased to mark this moment with our customers and partners, as this is a reflection of our commitment to them in particular and to the mining industry in general.” The Aljustrel Service Center is an addition to Epiroc’s global service network and provides a fast and reliable response to mining customers in Portugal and Spain.
The area has a number of important mining operations including Somincor’s (owned by Lundin Mining) Neves Corvo copper-zinc mine, which operates a large fleet of Epiroc equipment including an autonomous 18 t class ST18 loader; plus the Aljustrel copper-zinc mine itself, operated by ALMINA – Minas do Alentejo which operates Epiroc equipment including 60 t class MT6020 trucks. Then just over the border in southern Spain other major mines include the Sandfire Resources’ MATSA copper mine near Huelva.
The comment on electrification is important – Epiroc Iberia has been a world leader in battery conversion of underground equipment. An ST1030 loader conversion was completed in 2022 and a MT436 truck is in the process of conversion. These are being carried out at the facility of Epiroc’s service partner Hidráulica y Mecánica Sallentina SL (HIMESA), based in Catalonia. But looking ahead, larger models will likely be converted at the new Epiroc Aljustrel facility, reflecting the models working in mines in that region, while conversions will continue with HIMESA for the rest of the models.
