Tag Archives: services

Sandvik highlights parts supply and management options as it continues predictive maintenance focus

Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions is offering various parts supply and management options to suit customers’ needs and help facilitate its own corporate focus on predictive maintenance through the flow of real-time data on its equipment.

Among the options, according to Amith Ganasram, Business Line Manager – Parts, Commercial, at Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions, is Vendor Managed Inventory.

“To streamline the availability of spare parts, our people can be on site with an inventory of stock that we manage,” Ganasram says. “The main advantage here is that this makes parts available to the customer at reduced lead times.”

He notes that his team works with the customer’s operational staff on site, as well as with the service teams from Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions. This means that uptime can be optimised, as the right parts are readily available when they are required.

Alternatively, customers may prefer to opt for a stock model that is based on consignment. Under this arrangement, the customer manages a parts holding on their own site, but they only pay for what they consume.

“We can conduct a regular audit every couple of weeks, for example, to check that the stock level is well balanced with the parts that are actually used,”Ganasram says.

Every effort is made to allow customers to leverage the value of OEM components, as their inherent quality safeguards the lifecycle of machines, minimising any unplanned downtime which could lead to lost production and revenue.

“We make it easy for customers to standardise on OEM parts, by creating bundled offerings when they purchase equipment,” he says. “This allows the customer access to high quality parts at a discount, when they take advantage of a total offering with new equipment.”

Through its advances in fleet data monitoring solutions, Sandvik Mining & Rock Solutions offers customers digital tools to track the performance and condition of their equipment. This includes prediction of key indicators like Mean-Time-Between-Failure, so that servicing and parts supply can be better planned. All these factors contribute to safer and smoother operations, with the lowest total cost of ownership for operating equipment, it says.

Metso Outotec reinforces Pilbara focus with plans for new service centre

Metso Outotec is investing in the development of its service capabilities in Australia with a new service centre in the iron-rich Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The planned Pilbara service centre underlines Metso Outotec’s commitment to deliver high-level services to its mining and aggregates customers, with the facility delivering enhanced productivity and shorter lead time in the region, the OEM said.

The construction work will begin as soon as the acquisition of the land and planning of the facility, currently subject to customary authority approvals and conditions, has been completed. Construction is planned to be completed by the end of 2022.

The location of the centre will provide the agile delivery of equipment repairs, act as a base for field services and hold inventory for customer-critical wear and spare parts, according to Metso Outotec. The Pilbara service centre is expected to employ around 40 skilled personnel from the local communities, including service engineers and experts. It will handle equipment including crushers, mills, screens and car dumper repairs, as well as a customer training facility.

Stuart Sneyd, President for Metso Outotec in Asia Pacific, said: “The new facility location has been chosen to provide enhanced local support to our customers in the Pilbara region and represents our long-term commitment in Australia. Our customers will now have even better access to services, repairs, parts and technical expertise to maximise their operations’ performance.”

Martin Karlsson, Senior Vice President, Professional Services, added: “The facility complements our global network of service centres. We will provide our customers with strong operational support and leading process knowledge to deliver high performance and safety standards for an exceptional customer experience.”

The centre also supports its customers’ sustainability commitments by delivering environmentally-efficient technologies and services, the company said. Metso Outotec has high sustainability targets in its own operations and supply chain. It is committed to reducing CO2 emissions from its own operations by 50% by 2024 and targets net-zero emissions by 2030.

Metso Outotec, in Australia, employs approximately 900 people serving mining, metals and aggregates customers.

Metso Outotec drops conveyor belt splicing services in Australia

Metso Outotec, after reviewing its local services business portfolio in Australia, has decided to discontinue the conveyor labour services related to belt splicing and associated services in the local market.

The company says it will continue to provide parts, components and technical support for conveyors.

Martin Karlsson, Senior Vice President, Professional Services, Metso Outotec, said the decision was part of the company’s Field Service strategy to focus its service efforts on areas where Metso Outotec has strong capabilities, proprietary technologies and a large installed base.

“We will continue to provide our customers with conveyor services and original wear and spare parts where we have a strong, competitive offering,” he said. “The Australian market is well served by local companies in the conveyor maintenance services business, and we feel confident that customers’ needs will be covered by these companies after our withdrawal.”

Metso Outotec says it has an extensive global footprint of over 3,000 Field Service professionals and additional support resources close to customer operations. In Australia, the company has about 200 Field Service employees and service centres serving the main mining areas.

The company concluded: “Metso Outotec’s wide range of mobile and stationary conveyors, parts, accessories, services, and other optional features for the mining and aggregate industries will continue to be supplied to the markets in Australia and worldwide.”

Metso and Outotec establish business areas and leaders ahead of merger completion

With Metso and Outotec having recently cleared one of the final remaining hurdles towards merging the two companies, the future Metso Outotec Board of Directors has laid out the planned company structure and related executive team appointments.

The nominations will become effective after the closing of the partial demerger of Metso and the combination of Metso’s Minerals business and Outotec, which is currently expected to take place on June 30, 2020, subject to receipt of all required regulatory and other approvals, including competition clearances – which the companies made significant headway on recently.

The companies said: “Combined, the future Metso Outotec will be a forerunner in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services for the minerals processing, aggregates, metals refining and recycling industries globally. The new organisation is designed to leverage the strengths and expertise of both companies.”

Metso Outotec will consist of the following six business areas:

  • Aggregates, providing crushing and screening equipment for the production of aggregates;
  • Minerals, providing equipment and full plant solutions for minerals processing, covering comminution, separation and pumps;
  • Metals, providing processing solutions and equipment for metals refining and chemical processing;
  • Recycling, providing equipment and services for metal and waste recycling;
  • Services, providing spare parts, refurbishments and professional services for mining, metals and aggregates customers; and
  • Consumables, providing a comprehensive offering of wear parts for mining, metals and aggregates processes.

The boards have also made some significant decisions on the key personnel that will lead these business units.

Markku Simula will become President of the Aggregates business unit. Simula currently serves as President, Aggregates Equipment at Metso.

Recently appointed Metso Mining Equipment President, Stephan Kirsch, will become President of the combined Minerals business area.

Jari Ålgars, currently CFO at Outotec, will become President of Metals.

Uffe Hansen, who is currently President of Recycling at Metso, will become President of Recycling at Metso Outotec.

Metso’s Sami Takaluoma will retain his President of the Consumables business area post at the new merged entity.

Markku Teräsvasara, who currently serves as the President and CEO at Outotec, will take on the President, Services and Deputy CEO role at Metso Outotec.

In addition to the business area president appointments, the following function heads and executive team members have been appointed:

  • Eeva Sipilä, CFO and Deputy CEO. Her appointment was announced on July 4, 2019. She currently serves as the CFO and Deputy CEO at Metso;
  • Nina Kiviranta, General Counsel. She currently serves as General Counsel at Outotec;
  • Piia Karhu, Senior Vice President, Business Development. She currently serves as Senior Vice President, Customer Experience at Finnair. She will join the company on July 1, 2020; and
  • Hannele Järvistö, Senior Vice President, Human Resources (interim). She currently serves as Senior Vice President, Human Resources (interim) at Metso. “This appointment is valid until a new position-holder has been selected and will start in this role,” the company said.

All the function heads and executive team members will report to Metso Outotec’s future President and CEO, Pekka Vauramo (pictured), the company said.

Reflecting on these changes, Vauramo said: “Above all, Metso Outotec will be strong in sustainability. Our extensive combined offering for minerals processing, from equipment to a broad range of services, will help our customers improve their profitability and lower their operating costs and risks, while at the same time reduce the consumption of energy and water.

“We at Metso Outotec understand our customer’s world and the daily challenges they face. Together, we will partner for positive change.”

Bis secures four-year contract extension at Glencore-owned Murrin Murrin mine

Bis says it has extended its haulage and site services contracts for Minara Resources at its Murrin Murrin nickel mine in Western Australia’s north-eastern Goldfields.

The multi-year extension will see Bis extend its longstanding partnership with Minara, wholly-owned by Glencore, where it has been delivering a range of services at Murrin Murrin since the operation began in 1998.

Bis’ services at Murrin Murrin include haulage and haul and road maintenance services, calcrete services, and bulk logistics services. The Murrin Murrin site also recently hosted Bis’ new innovative haul truck, Rexx, as part of its trials in working mines across Western Australia.

Bis Chief Operating Officer, Michael Porter, said: “We are proud to have been part of the Minara operations for over 20 years, working in collaboration with Minara to deliver safe and innovative solutions that add value to their operation. We look forward to continuing our successful relationship with our colleagues at Murrin Murrin.”