Capital Equipment News August 2024

LUBRICANTS IN MINING

Leading the charge in mining lubricants The mining industry, with its harsh operating environments and demanding machinery, requires specialised lubricants and greases to ensure equipment longevity and efficiency. Juanita Pienaar recently had an insightful discussion with Andrew Cowling, Sales Director, and Dave Gons, National Manager Mining and Regional Mining Manager Sub-Saharan Africa at FUCHS LUBRICANTS SOUTH AFRICA about the latest developments and the critical role their company plays in this sector.

“O ur product portfolio has largely been built around focusing on the mining segment This is both by design and by acquisition,” says Andrew Cowling. The company’s dedication to this field is evident in its strategic acqui sitions over the years. In the 90s, we acquired Noxal, a business focusing on underground mining specialty greases, and in 2014, we purchased Lubritene, a compa ny specialising in greases for open-cast mining.’

This focused approach has allowed the company to build a robust and comprehensive product range. ”Mining is one of the four most important segments for us, alongside automotive, industrial, and specialty markets,” Cowling explains. The company’s commitment to mining is further reinforced by its global network, which shares challenges and opportunities to continuously enhance its offerings. One of the distinguishing factors of the company is its emphasis on technical support and services.

”When you sell a specialty product, it requires more technical support than just a general product,” notes Cowling. The company ensures that every high performance lubricant sold comes with comprehensive support. This includes offering monitoring services, providing shutdown support, and having service technicians on-site. Dave Gons elaborates on the day-to-day role of these service engineers: “Service engineers are crucial in daily operations. They perform routine checks during shift changes, ensuring that centralised

“We’re not just selling products; we’re offering solutions that drive efficiency and sustainability in the mining industry.”

Andrew Cowling, Sales Director of Fuchs Lubricants South Africa

TALKING POINT

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS AUGUST 2024 18