Modern Mining April 2024

SUPPLY CHAIN News

ACTOM Distribution Transformers secures order for Kamoa Copper Mine SA

ACTOM Distribution Transformers, a division within the ACTOM Group that designs and manufactures a range of 16kVA – 10 MVA distribution and lower range power transformers, recently secured an order for the supply of its Neutral Electromagnetic Couplers with Earthing Resistors and an Auxiliary Transformer (NECRTs) to Kamoa Copper Mine SA in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). NECRTs combine three-phase neutral electromagnetic couplers with neutral earthing resistors and auxiliary transformers. ACTOM Distribution Transformers started refining the design and manu facture of NECRTs in 2010 and is now considered a class leader in this field in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lee Mbenge, CEO of ACTOM Distribution Transformers, maintains that within the green energy sector, NECRT’s play a crucial role in grounding collector power transformer in the substations. These substations facilitate the transmission of power generated by renewable energy plants into the national grid. The Kamoa Copper Mine is one of the biggest producers of ultra-high-grade copper in the DRC and is powered Babcock has become the first Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) dealer in the world to adopt Volvo CE’s Lean Retail System – a programme guided by a set of principles aimed at developing a culture of constant improvement and problem solv ing. The company is currently busy with the pilot roll out at its Bartlett, Jet Park operations. Championed by Volvo CE, the Lean Retail System is aimed at cultivating a culture of continuous improvement by identifying different parts in the work process that can be optimised to make them easier, faster, better, cheaper and less stressful, and improve them, on a continual basis. Duncan Gooch, Head of SHEQ – Equipment at Babcock, explains that the programme is premised on the same foundations as Lean Manufacturing, a principle that originated in Japan and is designed to minimise the waste of material and labour while maintaining or increasing levels of production. “The Lean Retail System entails continual identification of opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency and reduce waste – both in terms of time and resources. Ultimately, it is about eliminating that which does not add value and deliv ering the best possible service to the customer as quickly and cost-effectively as possible,” explains Gooch. Continuous improvement, stresses Gooch, is not about mak ing drastic changes, but rather small improvements on a constant basis. Continuous improvement, especially in the form of small adjustments, is one of the original lean principles. The smaller Babcock adopts Lean Retail System

ACTOM Distribution Transformers secures order for Kamoa Copper Mine SA.

improvements are usually quicker, involve less to no cost, do not require a specialised team, the latter meaning anyone can play a role in the process. Babcock commenced the rollout of the pro gramme in September 2023 – becoming the first Volvo CE dealer to do so – under the guidance of four Sweden-based experts from the OEM.  by hydro-generated electricity produced by the Mwadingusha Hydroelectric Plant, which was rehabilitated and modernised in 2021. Mbenge says that Kamoa Copper Mine SA has been a cus tomer of ACTOM Distribution Transformers for several years and has previously ordered distribution transformers and NECRTs from the business. Last year, ACTOM Distribution Transformers completed an order for NECRTs worth more than R10 million for the mine. 

Babcock adopts Lean Retail System.

April 2024  MODERN MINING  39