Modern Mining March 2019

PRODUCT News

A greenfield coal mine in the Mpumalanga coalfields region has standardised on drives from SEW-EURODRIVE for its entire conveyor belt system. This entailed a mas- sive 27-unit order that was assembled at the OEM’s Nelspruit facility and trans- ported directly to site early this year. The order consisted of a complete drive package in the form of a simple ‘bolt-on’ solution for the coal mine’s conveyor belt system. This included the drives them- selves, gearboxes, base plates, guards and, in one instance, an ancillary cooler. Coal mine standardises on conveyor drives The project was facilitated by the Projects Department of SEW-EURODRIVE under the direction of Project Sales rep- resentatives Brett Weinmann and Bruce Farthing. This specialist in-house depart- ment, which focuses on providing clients with complete solutions, has doubled in size in only a year. Weinmann explains that the long-term aim of the Projects Department is to estab- lish long-standing relationships with project houses in particular, who put their designs out to competitive tender. Thereafter, it

lored to proactively develop smart blasting solutions for optimal mining outcomes. In addition, the exclusive contribution that AEL’s intelliBlast™ offers the market is a fundamental component in the business’s global expansion strategy. AEL market- leading technology is already being used in Australia, South America and various locations in the rest of Africa. This in itself has various benefits to customers such as reductions in blasting delays and improved uniformity of fragmentation while ensur- ing uncompromised safety at all times. “We are continuously evolving and developing and the rebrand supports this. All these efforts are underpinned by engag- ing with our customers to really understand their needs and to develop a solution cen- tral to those needs. Once we agree on the solution, it’s a very good example of cre- ating good chemistry and great energy,” concludes Ludick. AEL, website: www.aelworld.com supply products, but look closely at the holistic application itself.” Due to the fact that this massive order had to be customised, an important part of the value-added service offering was overseeing that the required specifica- tions were met, keeping in mind the strict delivery date. This was essential in giving the client peace of mind. “We like to be on-site during this critical phase of any project in order to ensure that everything is according to specification and installed correctly. For example, we double check the oil levels and the align- ment of the units, and are also present at the first cold start-up,”Weinmann notes. Critical to the success of this project was the close working relationship forged with the project house, which resulted in SEW- EURODRIVE being afforded an extended lead time. “This not only allows us to iron out all of the technical specifications in advance, but is of great benefit to our sub- suppliers as well,” Farthing concludes. Such was the success of the work undertaken that SEW-EURODRIVE has subsequently clinched another three cross-border projects with the same client, assisting in expanding its footprint in the African mining industry. SEW-EURODRIVE, tel (+27 11) 248-7000, website: www.sew-eurodrive.co.za

is the responsibility of Farthing, a qualified mechanical engineer, to come up with a solu- tion best-suited for the application in hand, which is subsequently presented to the client for approval. “Our team is very dynamic in devising the best solutions for our clients. We really go out of our way to offer the best customer service and technical back-up,” Weinmann comments. “It is important to note that we do not simply

The massive 27-unit order was assembled at the Nelspruit facility.

New branding for blasting services provider AEL Mining Services (AEL), a member of the JSE-listed AECI Group in South Africa, has announced its official rebrand to AEL Intelligent Blasting. This move is in line with the organisation’s renewed vision of embracing the technological revolution in the explosives and mining industry.

nological solutions to our clients; and to operate sustainably, without harm to peo- ple, the environment and the communities in which we operate.” To meet the changing needs and challenges of the mining industry, AEL operates on the ideal of partnering with its stakeholders and customers to bring into realisation the products and services they require to take the mining industry into the era of digitalisation and smart mining. “By partnering with our customers on their unique journey, we are able to ensure efficient and sustainable blasting practices by focusing on optimal blast outcomes, optimising blasting processes and solving blasting problems,” said Ludick. To this end, the holistic and flexible AEL intelliBlast™ value proposition enables the strategic combination of a comprehensive range of services and product offerings, tai-

“Our new branding seeks to capitalise on our successful growth and expansion, and supports our strategy to position the Group as the most intelligent choice in the market when it comes to blasting services and products,”said Edwin Ludick, Managing Director at AEL Mining Services. “Innovation is key to ensuring con- tinuing market relevance and customer satisfaction,” said Ludick. “Our rebrand is aligned with our mission to keep our global operations on the frontier of technology through the delivery of ground-breaking innovations; to offer state-of-the-art tech-

48  MODERN MINING  March 2019