Going underground
Lindsay Shankland, CEO of leading handling and lifting solutions provider Manitou SA, talks to Jayne Flannery about what it takes to make an impact in the mining sector.
Going underground has a very precise meaning for rough terrain specialist ManitouÔÇöand it has nothing to do with detective work. Headquartered in France, the company is renowned globally for the quality of its rough terrain equipment and specialist handling solutions. In South Africa, the company has had a direct local presence since 1997, when a fully incorporated subsidiary was created in Johannesburg. Since then, Manitou has gone on to become a leading domestic supplier to the timber, mining, construction and agricultural sectors. It has long been recognised as the market leader in South Africa for rough terrain equipment.
As CEO Lindsay Shankland points out, the rich deposits of precious metals in South Africa have naturally facilitated a focus on the mining sector. Moreover, while the construction industry remains in the doldrums, mining is responding to investorsÔÇÖ desire to find a safe haven for their savings. As metal prices increase, activity in the sector is inevitably stimulated.
ÔÇ£In particular, we specialise in supporting underground operations and if there is one particular product category for which we are renowned, it would have to be our underground telescopic handling equipment. It is an extremely versatile piece of handling equipment that comes with an array of attachments which transform it into a multi-utility vehicle,ÔÇØ he comments.
A single Manitou Telescopic can lift up to heights of 30 metres; load and unload; clean; scoop; tow; change tyres; remove engines and components; lift people up in a personal cage to do maintenance, secure vent piping or cables, fit roof bolts etc; and carry items weighing as much as 35 tonnes. It comes with no fewer than 38 standard attachments and critically, Manitou believes it can carry out the tasks of two to four similar machines in a fraction of the time. Thanks to the four-wheel-drive, four wheel and crab steer, the machine can also be manoeuvred into the smallest and most awkward spaces. All of ManitouÔÇÖs equipment is built to last and to minimise downtime in the harshest of operating environments.┬á
Shankland believes that a key factor which sets Manitou apart is the companyÔÇÖs ability to customise machines to cater for specific applications and requirements. ÔÇ£Every mining operation poses a unique set of challenges,ÔÇØ he explains. ÔÇ£What makes our work in this industry so exciting is that we are prepared to meet with site personnel to discuss in depth what their requirements really are. Only then is it possible to come up with an optimum solution. Often we will first build a prototype and then let a customer work with it for three or six months before we make a final recommendation,ÔÇØ he says.
The Manitou machines are manufactured in France and standard equipment is shipped to South Africa. However, that is when local engineers work their alchemy and where required, equipment is customised to meet carefully drawn-up specifications. Whether machines are required for hard rock or soft rock mining, the end result might be the same but every mining operation will require a different specification of machinery and different attachments. ÔÇ£Our willingness to accommodate the requirements and specifications of the mining companies and the underground mining act sets Manitou apart from our competitors,ÔÇØ he states. Spring applied hydraulic release braking on all four wheels is essential in underground mining applications.
One of the most difficult assignments undertaken to date involved reducing the overall height of a telescopic machine from 2.2 metres down to 1.5 metres to meet the needs of a low-profile environment. ÔÇ£We have also worked in a similar way to modify machines for roof bolting, scaling and face drilling,ÔÇØ Shankland adds.
The company is constantly looking out for new ways to add value to customersÔÇÖ operations. ÔÇ£For example, we have recently added new attachments to our telescopic handlers for changing tyres, cable reel handling, cylinder handling, handling of wheel motors on large dump trucks and charge-up units. The tyres on underground vehicles can weigh in excess of a tonne and manoeuvring them underground in tight spaces can be very difficult and time consuming, so we have come up with new attachments that make the process much faster and easier,ÔÇØ he says.
When the company established a direct presence in the South African marketplace 10 years ago, a principal objective was to offer better levels of service and after-sales support. ÔÇ£Our technicians are available on a 24/7 reaction basis and in the event of a problem we will generally have a response unit on its way within two hours. The availability of parts is a very significant plus factor and moreover, we increasingly design and engineer from a common platform which means that there is compatibility of parts across different machines and attachments. All our parts are air freighted in and the availability across the counter is very highÔÇöshould a part be ordered twice in a year, the part is then carried in stock. Because of the nature of the mining industry where the machines operate 24/7 and 365 days a year, it is essential that parts are available as soon as possible. To this end, where necessary, we supply a consignment of parts to outlying mines to minimise downtime,ÔÇØ he adds.
The success of the Manitou SA team lies in introducing cost-effective mechanisation. This enables mine operators to realise dramatic gains in efficiency and productivity in local and overseas mining operations through a variety of machines and specialised attachments. The machines offer increased productivity, versatility, low fuel consumption and low maintenance costs, as well as longer equipment life.
The impact the South African operation has achieved in the local mining sector has inspired the parent company in France to establish a mining division within Manitou France to look at standardising a range of machines and attachments; and to replicate the business model in other countries around the world. ÔÇ£Our success in mining has created an awareness of other opportunities in different geographical areas,ÔÇØ Shankland says.┬á
ÔÇ£Manitou in France is known for its agricultural and construction focus, but I believe we have highlighted the wider potential in the mining sector of southern Africa and around the world. We will shortly be visiting France for talks about how we can work together within the Manitou Group to develop this exciting business within the mining world.
ÔÇ£Soft and hard rock mining is a buoyant sector in our economy and we have demonstrated the strong demand for a customised product from a cost-effective standard platform. It is unusual for a subsidiary to take a lead in this way but I believe our experience can make a much bigger contribution in future to the overall growth of Manitou globally,ÔÇØ he concludes.
