Modern Quarrying Q3 2020

Various VEI models from Dynamic Weighing Systems can be fitted on any machine with a lifting piston – from small forklifts to the largest rigid dumpers and excavators.

Van Heerden. “Quarries had in most cases absolutely no revenue for the month of April and a severely reduced revenue stream for May. Sales started returning slowly during June as contractors returned to work and managed to become productive again but have not yet returned to pre-COVID-19 levels in most cases.” He adds that there has been talk of retrenchments and salary reductions among many industry players in South Africa, and it is therefore clear that the pandemic has had a devastating effect on the quarrying industry. “In our case, Afrimat has been blessed with exposure to other industries and a strong balance sheet, which has shielded us from the worst possible impact.” The same view is expressed by Marius van Deventer, independent auditor, ISHE Audits at Aspasa, southern Africa’s surface mining industry association, who says that the quarrying industry in South Africa has been operating under very difficult business conditions for some time now due to a constrained construction sector, with the COVID- 19 influenced lockdown exacerbating the situation. “This is something neither businesses nor individuals in the

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Business experts believe that dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath could be the obligation of our times

The crisis came at a time when the industry was already suffering from decreased demand for construction materials, thus worsening an already complicated business environment

If a concern around safety arises, mines and quarries are geared to respond quickly – making the industry better equipped than most to handle the new complexities around COVID-19

Where in the past quarry operators may have looked to the flexibility of their teams to drive productivity, going forward they now have a range of new workflows enabled by technology to help them cope with the ‘next normal’

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QUARTER 3 - 2020 MODERN QUARRYING