Mining companies will soon have access to custom-made buckets without having to spend thousands of dollars altering their own.
Keech Mining Supplies is offering the buckets
across the sector in a move the business claims will change the
industry’s state of play.
The move will enable mines across the country to benefit from
having an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) bucket specifically
designed from the outset to meet the unique demands of the
operating environment.
Keech’s Business Manager Brad Clark said the idea hatched
following customer complaints about the time and cost required to
customise buckets so as to protect high-wearing areas and increase
their lifespan.
According to Mr Clark, it takes up to four days and thousands of
dollars for the customisation of mining buckets.
“Given this feedback, we decided to branchout and include
custom-made buckets in our service offering,” he said.
“Under the business model, we can supply a customised bucket
directly to the OEM or, alternatively, we can deliver the
custom-made bucket directly to the site.”
Mr Clark said the cost of the new buckets will be comparable
with standard OEM ones, with a similar lead time.
The business decision comes as Keech’s trial with the Cadia East
Gold Mine in Orange, New South Wales to prolong the lifespan of
their buckets is proving to be a success.
“The mine was so impressed with the early trial results that it
has recently added a second loader to the trial.”
Mr Clark added that a number of mines have already expressed
interest in getting their hands on the custom-made buckets.
“We’re confident we’re on the right track to delivering a real
need in the industry,” he said.