Tag Archives: GHH

GHH extends dealer network with Türkiye-based Marubeni Dağıtım ve Servis pact

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , ,

GHH, the German manufacturer of machines for mining and tunnelling industries, has agreed a partnership with the Japanese machine and truck distributor Marubeni Dağıtım ve Servis, in Türkiye, opening up growth opportunities for both companies far beyond the country’s borders.

As one of the major distributors of heavy machinery in Türkiye, Marubeni Dağıtım ve Servis has already established a network of six locations with 270 employees and 50 sales and service centres, reaching as far as Azerbaijan and Georgia. Founded in 1983 and based in Istanbul, the company is part of the Marubeni Corporation of Japan, one of the world’s largest distributors of its kind with 45,000 employees in 463 companies.

This constellation of skills, experience and footprint is highly interesting for GHH, it said. As one of the world’s leading brands in the industry, the company already serves a significant amount of customers in Türkiye. However, the need for a stronger network for consulting, sales and service was identified as a key milestone to support the expansion of its product portfolio in the region.

LHDs, dump trucks and other vehicles, specifically designed for mining in soft and hard rock, are the domain of GHH, which aims to combine cost-effectiveness with robustness, ease of maintenance and driver ergonomics.

GHH, which is preparing to become part of the Komatsu family as part of a December 2022 agreement, is also strengthening its dealer network with this partnership. Marubeni Dağıtım ve Servis is already a strong Komatsu dealer in the Turkish region, having worked with Komatsu in the Turkish market since 1983.

“GHH is very pleased to have reached an agreement with Marubeni Dağıtım ve Servis in Türkiye; we are really looking forward to strengthening our position in the Turkish market together,” Matthias von Buzay (pictured on the left), CEO & CFO of GHH Group, said. “Marubeni Dağıtım ve Servis has extensive experience in product sales and service and is therefore an ideal partner for us.”

Eşref Zeka, Chief Executive Officer of Marubeni Dağıtım ve Servis A.S. (pictured on the right), and Burçak Birand, Marubeni Dağıtım ve Servis Construction and Mining Machinery COO, agreed: “We are excited about the cooperation with GHH as it is a next step in our strategy to grow and strengthen our business in Türkiye and we look forward to a strong and fruitful partnership.”

The two companies sealed their partnership in February when Zeka and Birand travelled to GHH’s headquarters in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, and spent time reviewing the offering and way of working, and strategising on business opportunities going forward.

The first deliveries are due to follow shortly. These might include vehicles such as the new LF-10 NEO, a 10-t loader with the highest tipping height in its class, or the MK-A20 dump truck.

LKAB to bring GHH LF-19EB tethered-battery electric loader to Malmberget

Environmental, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , ,

LKAB is set to add to its electric fleet at the Malmberget mine in northern Sweden after agreeing to acquire a LF-19EB tethered-battery electric loader from Germany-based GHH.

The manufacturer welcomed a team of LKAB team experts to its factory and testing ground in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, this month, with a successful Factory Acceptance Test of the LF-19EB taking place.

The LF-19EB is a 19-t-payload LHD initially designed for feeder breaker loading in the soft rock, salt and potash mining industries. It has a 34 kWh on-board battery for panel-to-panel electric tramming, with a tractive effort force of 380 kN and an average of 250 kVA under permanent load and 315 kVA peak. It has a maximum cable length of 310 m, which provides loading flexibility when plugged into the mine grid.

The loader heading to Malmberget has been upgraded for hard-rock applications with input from the customer, GHH says.

LKAB has tested and used several pieces of battery-electric equipment from different vendors at its Malmberget mine, while its Kiruna mine was among the industry’s earliest adopters of cable-electric loading, trialling its first Sandvik unit in 1985.

GHH to deliver LHDs, trucks to Breznik gold project in Bulgaria

Base metals, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, , , , , , , ,

Germany-based machine manufacturer GHH says it has significantly expanded its market share in Bulgaria with a double-digit number of LHDs and trucks set to head to Breznik Minerals Ltd.

The Bulgarian company is part of the group of companies of Assarel-Medet JSC, which is the leading mining company in the country, carrying out both open-pit mining and copper ore processing.

The acquired machines will be operated in the Breznik gold project, which is the first underground greenfield mine set to be built in Bulgaria for more than 50 years, according to the company. The site has an area of 500,000 sq.m and is some 35 km west of Sofia. The deposit has JORC indicated resources of approximately 1 Mt grading 2 g/t Au and inferred resources of approximately 700,000 t grading 1.8 g/t, along with significant silver resources.

Breznik will take delivery of the first batch of equipment in the September quarter of 2024, with the remainder scheduled for the end of the June quarter of 2025.

“We are looking forward to the delivery of their first GHH machines,” Krum Hristov, one of the founders of Strotech Engineering JSC, a construction, industrial and mining equipment specialist based in Sofia, Bulgaria, which runs several fully-equipped service centres throughout the country, maintaining 2,000 units per year.

The recent order consists of LF-7 LHDs, and MK-20 and MK-30 diesel-powered dump trucks.

The LHDs are designed for a payload of 7 t in bucket sizes up to 4 cu.m. They have the best loading performance in their class at only 2.2 m total height, fully laden, GHH says. The LF-7 is powered by a 164 kW Tier 3/4/Stage 5 engine, comes with a robust design and offers extra safety and comfort for the driver.

The dumpers are designed with 20 t and 30 t of payload, up to 18 cu.m dump box capacities and engines with up to 320 kW power rating. GHH claims that the low operating costs offered by the machines are made possible by the unique frame and system design.

All vehicles can also be monitored remotely to manage maintenance with the GHH inSiTE software, providing a big plus when it comes to machine availability and cost savings.

GHH books in orders for 10-t payload LF-10 NEO

Mining equipment, Mining services,

Ten months after its ‘birth’, GHH’s latest LHD, the LF-10 NEO, has received a remarkable acceptance in the market with a significant number of orders in the books, the company says. 

At 2.5 m, the loader offers the highest tipping height on the market, according to GHH. This means every 30 tonne dump truck currently available worldwide can be loaded in the field.

The LF-10 NEO also offers the greatest operator ergonomics in the industry, the company claims, with a large footbox, excellent visibility and superior comfort. The manufacturer attributes great importance to the human factor: a machine can only provide the prerequisites – its ultimate productivity is brought out by the performance of a satisfied operator in the cabin.

The NEO marks a turning point in the portfolio of the German manufacturer. Gradually, the other product lines are to be upgraded to the new performance standard. The LF-10 NEO made the start, as the 10 tonne payload class is said to be the most in demand in the industry worldwide.

GHH says some orders have already been delivered.

A considerable number of improvements, all of which can be measured in terms of increased performance and productivity, have gone into the NEO series, GHH says.

A lot of changes have also been made at the factory. For example, the improved model features a more modular design, aiding both cost-efficiency and pace of assembly if transport in one piece is not possible.

Despite all the robustness and simplicity for maximum reliability and safety, telemetry solutions and technologies also go into the vehicles, GHH says. For example, to be able to monitor the fleet remotely with the “GHH inSiTE” software. An important factor here is predictive maintenance in order to reduce costs for the customer.

We are not reinventing the wheel, GHH says, but the actions taken are so substantial that customers will receive a remarkable benefit when compared to what is currently in the market.

TALPA looking to democratise the data dynamic in mining

Automation, Communications in mining, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , ,

TALPA Solutions is a software platform provider that aims to democratise the data dynamic in mining, building platforms that, it says, integrate data, decisions and operations effectively, making it easier for mining companies to bring together multiple datasets into one interface with actionable insights.

The ability to do this can set solution providers apart in the mining industry.

Another differentiator for TALPA in this space is its independence. As an entity backed by venture capitalists, it is not tied to one specific OEM or equipment provider. This allows it to look not only at maintenance-related data but also at information that impacts productivity, safety and other on-site considerations. It gives TALPA the freedom to work with raw data and apply various data models directly on its cloud platform.

TALPA’s approach to obtaining on-board machine data is also unique, it claims. Instead of using APIs for already processed signals, it connects directly to the machine’s ECU data via a data logging device and multiple CAN bus interfaces. This approach ensures integration is both quick and easy, and that no potential data points are left behind.

According to Alexey Shalashinski, Head of Business Development at TALPA, such an approach is starting to be recognised by both the mining company community and the OEMs themselves.

TALPA has already partnered with several companies, including GHH and SMAG, to create digital solutions for their end users. For example, the GHH inSiTE Digital analytics solution offered by GHH to various underground mine sites has allowed significant reductions in MTTR (mean time to repair) at several mines owned by GHH’s biggest client in Germany and is now being populated across further sites internationally.

Referencing a project in North America with one of the industry’s leading tyre manufacturers, TALPA’s industrial AI platform has identified productivity improvement opportunities at an open-pit mine site by analysing the carrying capacity of haul trucks in operation, merging it with the tyre diagnostics on these vehicles as well as spatial and other contextual data. On this particular project, TALPA identified there was a potential 5-10% opportunity to increase the average payload on these trucks based on what the sensor data from various systems was saying.

Many mining OEMs claim to provide software solutions with insights on maintenance and productivity, but these normally cover only the product range of particular manufacturers, according to TALPA.

Shalashinski says mine sites find it difficult to get “buy-in” for several systems in the case of running mixed fleets from respective companies and integrating them into the workflow. TALPA is looking to provide that connection to clients so they can leverage all the major benefits that come from pulling data off hundreds of sensors on multiple pieces of equipment.

He concluded: “TALPA Solutions’ unique approach to obtaining on-board machine data, and its partnerships with various companies, make it a valuable partner for the mining industry.”

GHH InSiTE

GHH inSiTE – TALPA and GHH leveraging data to reduce underground equipment OPEX

Automation, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

At the project development and deposit exploitation stage, more focus is increasingly placed on converting the data generated by mining assets into near real time actionable insights that allow a faster reaction to the changing environment of operations.

Limited communication at the underground mine can create inefficiencies in scheduling and managing machines’ availability and uptime. These can include longer-than-planned maintenance periods, with more time spent on administrative tasks than actual revenue-driving activities. As a result, there is a need to eliminate variability and unknowns from production and equipment maintenance processes to keep up fleet availability.

Underground mining operations involving a lot of mobile machines, such as LHDs, dump trucks, drilling and auxiliary equipment, often become a closed silo of information. Once underground, the machine is hardly visible – both to the OEM that delivered it and to the central services of the mining company responsible for planning its maintenance and supplying relevant spare parts.

One example of addressing this issue is the cooperation between GHH and TALPA in implementing the GHH inSiTE digital analytics solution for a major mining company, which allowed for a reduction of equipment service costs by more than 35%/y, TALPA claims.

The system, which has been implemented in stages, began with the optimisation of service scheduling based on the information about the engine hours of the machines recorded in near real time automatic mode by the system. This was later complemented by displaying full sets of error codes and signals generated by the integrated machines. The virtual advisory to the service personnel was made available at the third stage, allowing all parties to understand issues registered at each unit and plan fit-for-purpose actions in a timely manner.

Furthermore, the system provides an interface to the central procurement system and provides equal information to the OEM, allowing for a timely supply of required spare parts and major stock optimisation opportunities.

The TALPA-powered solution enabled the mine operator to track and manage all its machines in a single system, allowing employees previously occupied with time-consuming tasks such as fault finding and service scheduling to focus on critical processes such as fleet availability for production. The customer leveraged GHH InSiTE powered by TALPA’s monitoring and analytics system’s deep capabilities to reduce costs and boost its productivity. The list of benefits included:

  • Improved service scheduling by understanding the exact time to service a fleet of over 150 machines based on permanently available knowledge of engine hours left until the next service, the recent workload of particular machines and registered errors;
  • Timely reactions to critical warnings and trends in the intervals between scheduled services in order to prevent damage to the machines requiring major overhauls;
  • Precise preparations for the service events, knowing the exact technical conditions of the machines and allowing for the timely delivery of spare parts and components;
  • Reduced downtime of machines, as the system allows for early detection of potential issues and prompt maintenance; and
  • Increased equipment availability as the system allows for better planning.

And the system also offers safeguards to ensure any recommendations not acted on by machine operators are rectified by nominated personnel within the maintenance hierarchy.

TALPA explained: “Even if the driver forgets to add the oil as indicated by the in-cabin system, this will never get missed by the Maintenance Superintendent as the system will always provide an alarm on the critical issues in the GHH machine cabin and trigger actions from that end.”

TALPA’s Industrial AI Platform solves industry-specific problems and delivers fast time to value, the company says.

“Using GHH InSiTE maintenance dashboard, powered by TALPA, allows for improving key processes throughout the workflow, delivering a clear understanding of the technical state of the fleet based on OEM standards as well as real technical conditions, and allowing optimisation of aftersales services for OEMs and technical operations for the end user,” TALPA said. “Delivered to the full extent as a service, TALPA’s platform allows for cost-efficient and worry-free implementation regardless of the fleet size and location of the operations.”

GHH launches new 10-loader, the LF-10 NEO

Automation, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , , , ,

Mining and tunnelling equipment manufacturer GHH has unveiled a new load haul dumper (LHD), the LF-10 NEO, offering, it says, the highest tipping height in its class.

This 10-t-payload loader is a powerful and compact machine and an improved version of the LF-10, already a well-established product in its class, the company said. It is the latest in a line of new GHH loaders that includes the LF-14, the LF-7 and the LF-8.

The LF-10 NEO has a z-link design and a maximum tipping height of 2.5 m. This makes it an ideal partner for loading all 30-t-payload trucks on the market, according to GHH.

“The high breakout forces, efficient boom and bucket motion times, as well as the strong power to weight ratio, makes the LF-10 NEO one of the best in class,” Ingo Rath, Product Line Manager Loaders at GHH in Germany, said.

With a length of 9.6 m and width of 2.6 m, the LF-10 NEO is compact and versatile for excellent manoeuvrability in mid-seam underground mining environments, according to GHH.

The standard bucket aboard the LF-10 NEO holds 4.6 cu.m, making loading and unloading easier and more cost effective.

With an operating weight of around 28 t, the loader manages speeds of up to 32 km/h with four-speed transmission and gradients up to 25%. It is able to tip the 10-t payload in just 2.6 seconds, GHH says.

“GHH installs the water-cooled Mercedes OM936 diesel engine with 240 kW, which is the best in the 10-t loader-size class,” Rath says. “The large fuel tank also allows for full shift operation with no worry for refuelling mid shift and losing valuable production time.”

Exhaust gas emissions comply with US EPA Tier 3 or EU Stage IIIA on the standard machine, while EU Stage V is also optional. The low fuel consumption, ease of maintainability and robust design as well as durability and reliability of the product all add to the low operating costs, the company said.

The LF-10 NEO has an operator compartment that boasts excellent ergonomics, GHH says. This is evident in the way the controls have been laid out and the general arrangement within the cabin. There is also a large footbox within the cab, providing the operator with significantly more space and comfort. The cab also offers improved visibility compared with other loaders in the class.

It comes as standard with useful safety and maintainability features such as the Proximity Detection System (PDS) interface, which allows the integration of third-party equipment. There are also optional wear sensors fitted on the brakes.

“Like other GHH vehicles, the articulated LF-10 NEO is designed for underground hard-rock mining and can be ordered with many options,” GHH said.

It also seamlessly integrates with the GHH inSiTE electronic monitoring and digital analytics system, which provides insight into the machine performance and maintenance requirements, all tailored to the specific needs of customers.

GHH concluded: “The NEO joins the company’s mid-range segment of LHD offering, which is one of the most comprehensive on the market: the range of 18 diesel and electric models with payloads from one to 21 tonnes is a weighty factor in choosing the perfect loader. And, by the way, the Germans have the same great selection in dump trucks to complement.”

GHH delivers first LF-7 LHD to Indian market

Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , ,

A month after announcing the first delivery of a Tembo 4×4 electric light vehicle to India, GHH says it has now shipped the first LF-7 LHD to the country.

The vehicle was shown at the Mining Expo in Kolkata, in April, with GHH then arranging the onward transport to the unnamed launch customer, who also ordered further machines from the OEM.

The previously delivered Tembo 4×4 ELV, which went to Hindustan Zinc, is an electric multi-purpose light duty vehicle based on the Toyota Land Cruiser and Hilux models. It is available in many versions ranging from a pickup truck to a passenger transporter (10 seats). GHH is a regional distributor of the vehicle.

According to GHH, the LF-7 currently offers the largest bucket, most powerful engine and best climb performance in its class.

It carries 7 tonnes or 3.6 cu.m, is 8.9-m long in driving position, 2.24 m-wide at the bucket and 2.2-m high at the cab when fully loaded. This makes the LF-7 suitable for narrow-vein operations, as well. The loader is powered by a 164 kW Cummins diesel engine and complies with Tier 3/4 and EU Stage V emissions standards, GHH says.

Maintenance requirements are eased with the addition of GHH InSiTE software, which allows vehicle data to be called upon in real time and evaluated.

GHH to acquire 3,000 Tembo electric light vehicle conversion kits following VivoPower pact

Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

VivoPower International PLC says it has signed a definitive agreement with GHH Group GmbH for GHH to distribute Tembo powered electric light vehicles (e-LVs) in over 50 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, using e-LV conversion kits from VivoPower’s wholly-owned subsidiary Tembo e-LV B.V.

Under the agreement, GHH intends to purchase 3,000 Tembo e-LV conversion kits through to December 2026. GHH will be responsible for acquiring original vehicles from Toyota, converting the vehicles to ruggedised e-LVs using the Tembo conversion kits, selling the Tembo powered e-LVs to end customers and providing ongoing servicing and maintenance, VivoPower says.

This distribution agreement marks VivoPower’s fifth major distribution deal in 2021 for Tembo e-LV conversion kits, and its largest to date by e-LV kit volumes, it says.

With the execution of this contract, VivoPower can now offer Tembo powered e-LVs to customers on six continents as the company continues to advance its aim to build a global Tembo distribution network before the end of the year. It previously executed distribution agreements with GB Auto Group in Australia, Acces Industriel Mining Inc in Canada and Bodiz International in Mongolia, in addition to announcing a non-binding Heads of Terms with Arctic Trucks Ltd for distribution of Tembo e-LVs in Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland.

Based in Germany, GHH has over 50 years of experience in the production of robust and safe vehicles for mining and tunnelling in hard and soft rock.

The Tembo kits are billed as transforming diesel-powered Toyota Land Cruiser and Hilux vehicles into ruggedised e-LVs for use in mining and other hard-to-decarbonise sectors, including construction and defence. Alongside solar generation, battery storage and on-site power distribution, Tembo e-LV products are a key component of VivoPower’s turnkey sustainable energy solutions, which help corporates achieve their decarbonisation goals, the company says.

Kevin Chin, Executive Chairman and CEO of VivoPower, said: “We are delighted to have executed this multi-country agreement with GHH, who are a trusted provider of customised technology solutions to the global mining industry. This is in keeping with our stated objective of cementing distribution agreements globally with highly credentialed partners such as GHH.

“With distribution partners on six continents now, Tembo e-LVs will be available globally for mining customers aiming to electrify their light vehicle operations as part of their drive to net zero mining.”

Sara Thorley, Global Marketing & Production Manager for GHH, said: “Being a global provider of heavy-duty mining machinery, we were constantly being asked about the possibility of supplying our customers with electric light vehicles. Due to the demand, we started looking at potential partners in this sector and, after a substantial amount of research, we decided upon the Tembo electrification kit.

“First and foremost, the Tembo solution electrified the Toyota Land Cruiser and Hilux, which are the number one light vehicles used in the mining sector globally, but, secondly, the technology used created a vehicle that was smooth, efficient, safe and very cost effective. We are very excited in what the future holds for us and Tembo.”

GHH India’s contract mining arm wins plaudits for work with Hindustan Zinc

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GHH India’s recently established contract mining arm, GHH Bumi Mining Service, has notched up its first significant award, being recognised by Vedanta Group/Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) for the work it is doing at the Zawar Mala zinc-lead underground mine in Rajasthan, India.

In a recent online event, GHH Bumi Mining Service, established late last year, was named as the recipient of the Best Performing Business Partner by the companies.

The award winner was chosen out of all business partners and recognised a job well done, GHH said.

Over the last six months, GHH Bumi has been carrying out contract mining at Zawar Mala, and was presented the award, GHH says, based on excellent performance involving all contract mining activities, including those related to safety, production and asset optimisation.

Since January, GHH BUMI has been responsible for production and mine development with more than 350 employees at Zawar Mala. For this purpose, the company has access to more than 20 LHDs, dump trucks and drilling rigs from the GHH Group.

Dr Jan Petzold, CEO of GHH Group, said: “With this award, we as GHH Group see ourselves confirmed in our efforts as a reliable business partner for HZL – a cooperation that started almost four years ago with the supply of mining machinery and has resulted in being awarded as mining contractor and OEM.

“This is a special incentive to be able to conclude the second mine developer and operator contract with HZL, which is currently in preparation.”

The latest generation of GHH mining equipment, with its new dump truck MK-42, LF-14 and LF-10 LHDs as well as two FM 2.3 boom drill rigs from GHH group company, Mine Master, are on their way to India and are expected to be on site beginning of August, GHH said.

GHH says GHH Bumi is also currently working on preparing for the expansion of the Mochia Balaria Decline project, where a rapid development proposal is under way.