As outlined in IM‘s April 2020 issue, Revathi Equipment Ltd (REL), the India-based blasthole drill manufacturer, is making moves outside of the domestic market into the global market with an initial focus on Africa.

Naveed Shaikh, REL Global Manager – Sales & Marketing, says REL has always wanted to get into the global business but the large Indian market has kept it occupied until now. “We started exporting in the year 1991 with a few drills to Jordan Phosphate Mining Company, and in 1993 we sold 168 drills to the USA in the space of three years, after which we exported 8 to 10 drills every year, and in 2003 the REL BE collaboration happened. When the tie-up was over, we decided to concentrate on our Indian market and increase our product range in the surface track drills and exploratory drills.”

In 2019/2020 the company once again decided to look globally, this time with a dedicated global team. In the Southern and Sub Saharan African market, Paramount Equipment represents REL as its sales and service partner. Through this partnership, REL has established offices and service facilities in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, DRC, and Ghana.

Last year REL also inked a partnership with Basil Read Mining’s subsidiary Blasting and Excavating to supply them with remotely operated semi-autonomous drills. “REL will be closely working with them to deliver autonomous drilling solutions to their mining clients; and we strongly believe that such partnerships with clients is the future and we hope to have similar associations with other mining companies as well.”

REL produces a high power range of blast hole drills for mining, deep core drilling exploration rigs, track drills for construction and allied products and has been in business for more than four decades. It has a 50% market share in India with clients like Coal India Ltd, NMDC, Dangote Cement, Vedanta and Tata Steel.

Today REL has its representation in Africa but also in Mexico and is looking to expand in Russia/CIS, Latin America and Indonesia.