Quarrying Africa ISSUE 1 2026

*Terms and conditions apply. (Available at https://www deere.africa/en/) https://www.deere.africa/en/construction/ I cfjohndeereame@johndeere.com

WINNING THE PROFITABILITY BATTLE

In a generally challenging business environment, characterised by a struggling construction industry, intense competition and rising input costs, profitability for quarries is not simply a goal, but an imperative to ensure survival.

While the profitability of a quarry hinges on various pillars, efficiency and cost control are some of the most important props. This was the overarching takeaway from recent discussions with various stakeholders across the value chain – from quarry operators to the supply chain.

Efficient production processes reduce waste, minimise downtime and optimise the use of resources. By and large, operational efficiency can result in lower production costs and higher output, directly influencing the profitability and competitiveness of the operation.

uptime, which impacts productivity.

Key drivers of TPOL can be categorised into two. On the one hand, it is the cost aspect – a combination of the capital cost of the equipment, insurance, fuel, maintenance, and resale value, amongst others.

To better manage these costs, the industry has traditionally cast the spotlight on TCO – a comprehensive financial estimate that calculates the total cost of an asset over its entire lifecycle, combining the initial purchase price with ongoing operating, maintenance and disposal costs. However, it is important to note that when it comes to TPOL, cost is one aspect of the equation.

MUNESU SHOKO

Publishing Editor Email: munesu@quarryingafrica.com

LinkedIn:

Munesu Shoko

Quarrying Africa

Aggregates by their very nature are highvolume, low-cost materials. For quarries to mine and process profitably, they need to watch their cost base, and this is highlighted in several of the articles published in this issue of Quarrying Africa . One area where this is fundamental is in the running of the capital equipment fleets operating on sites. Traditionally, one of the foundational metrics in the day-to-day running of fleets has always been total cost of ownership (TCO).

However, as you will see in this issue, one of the leading truck suppliers maintains that there is need to look beyond TCO and place value on total profit over the lifetime (TPOL) of an asset because TCO is just a measure of operational expenses, whereas TPOL measures revenue generation – a better indicator of operational success in a high-cost industry. Central to TPOL is not just costs, but also

On the other side of the TPOL approach is asset utilisation – keeping the equipment running. Maximising uptime is the cornerstone for ensuring high productivity and ultimately profitability. A piece of equipment or a truck that is consistently available, minimises the high costs associated with unexpected breakdowns, as well as costly emergency repairs or the need for rentals.

An efficient operation minimises equipment downtime – the periods when production is halted – as much as possible. Downtime can be extremely costly in any quarry or surface mining operation. When these machines are idle, the operation is essentially losing money because the high cost of these assets is not being offset by production.

The concept of asset utilisation is about maximising the use of assets to increase production and efficiency. The more an asset is used in production, the more value it generates to offset its high cost, thus improving return on investment. a

STRIVING FOR SAFETY EXCELLENCE IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES

CHANGING THE GAME IN SAND MAKING

Publishing Editor: Munesu Shoko

Sub Editor: Glynnis Koch

Admin: Linda T. Chisi

Design: Kudzo Mzire Maputire

Web Manager: Thina Bhebhe

Quarrying Africa is the information hub for the sub-Saharan African quarrying sector. It is a valued reference tool positioned as a must-read for the broader spectrum of the aggregates value chain, from quarry operators and aggregate retailers, to concrete and cement producers, mining contractors, aggregate haulage companies and the supply chain at large.

© Quarrying Africa

Quarrying Africa, published by DueNorth Media Africa, makes constant effort to ensure that content is accurate before publication. The views expressed in the articles reflect the source(s) opinions and are not necessarily the views of the publisher and editor.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various thought leaders and contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Quarrying Africa team.

Quarrying Africa prides itself on the educational content published via www.quarryingafrica.com and in Quarrying Africa magazine in print. We believe knowledge is power, which is why we strive to cover topics that affect the quarrying value chain at large.

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Email: munesu@quarryingafrica.com

Cell: +27 (0)73 052 4335

AVA’s Load and Haul system transforms GPS data from any device into a detailed, secondby-second performance model, categorising all activity to show exactly where time is lost.

THE DATA YOU ALREADY HAVE COULD CUT YOUR COST PER TONNE

Quarries run on tight margins, yet most lack visibility into their biggest cost driver: haulage. AVA Solutions’ Load and Haul system turns GPS data operations already have into a secondby-second performance model – showing exactly where time and fuel are lost. No new hardware. No capital outlay. Live in weeks. By Munesu Shoko.

In an increasingly complex operating environment, mines and their quarrying counterparts are placing business improvement at the centre of their operations. Yet, traditional fleet management systems – the foundation for optimal operations and ultimately business improvement – have historically tended to exclude small-scale operations due to factors such as high costs, complexity and a one-size-fits-all approach. With that in mind, two engineers – Anton Fourie (COO) and Jason van der Watt (CEO) – came together in 2015 to establish AVA Solutions, a provider of data-

driven mine management solutions for operations of all sizes. In founding the business, the two engineers – who both bring a wealth of experience to the mining industry – asked a simple question: “Why should only the biggest mines get the data they need to make better decisions?”

“Over the years, we have spoken to several small-scale miners, quarry owners and contractors who have been told that their operations were ‘too simple’ for digital fleet management. Because of the small nature of these operations, they often do not have dedicated business improvement or IT

70%

Hauling contributes up to 70% of mining costs on a typical open-pit mine

KEY TAKEAWAYS

AVA Solutions believes that visibility should be accessible to every operation, regardless of size and number of assets, and should not only be reserved for the Fortune 500 companies

AVA’s Load and Haul system transforms GPS data from any device into a detailed, second-by-second performance model, categorising all activity to show exactly where time is lost

AVA pairs its platform with mining specialists who work alongside customers to support adoption and lock in gains

Quarries that once saw digital fleet management as out of reach are now among AVA’s fastest-growing adopters

At Afrimat’s Jenkins Operation, fuel consumption dropped 36% over 24 months – from 0,66 to 0,42 l per tonne – using the same fleet

544

One company leading the AVA adoption in South Africa is Afrimat, which has to date rolled out the AVA Load and Haul system on 544 assets across 31 sites

Tailoring the information flow ensures that each department receives only the data pertinent to their specific function.

teams, let alone multi-million dollar budgets for digital transformation. All they have are a few trucks, people and pressure to deliver,” says Fourie.

Based on this understanding, AVA’s operating philosophy is that visibility should be accessible to every operation, regardless of size and number of assets, and should not only be reserved for the Fortune 500 companies.

From the onset

While the AVA’s product portfolio has over the years expanded in line with customer needs, one of the major focus areas from the onset was load and haul, hence the development of the AVA Load and Haul system. AVA’s Load and Haul system transforms GPS data from any device into a detailed, second-by-second performance model, categorising all activity to show exactly where time is lost.

The system is hardware agnostic, and works with over 600 GPS devices, including the ones these small operations already have. AVA deploys a low-cost Software as a Service approach instead of the traditional large capital investment strategy associated with fleet management solutions. The system also keeps operator input to a bare minimum, while making every second of every hauling cycle visible, allowing mine managers to make data-driven management decisions.

Parameters such as startup and shutdown delays, idle time and unproductive movements often go unnoticed, yet they quietly add up to huge losses over time.

System in detail

The AVA Load and Haul system automatically captures every haul cycle, tracking key metrics such as location, speed, queue times and material loaded/dumped. This automated approach is significantly more accurate than manual tracking.

Manual cycle capture is said to be, on average, 10% inaccurate. By automatically counting every truck’s cycle, operations gain confidence in the performance of materials, operators and loading equipment. AVA audits system accuracy – maintaining over 97% – and alerts users when maintenance is needed or accuracy drops, with guidance on how to resolve it.

Lelanie Sutton, chief strategy officer at AVA, explains that site supervisors and managers gain access to a cloud-based platform that provides live visibility into their operations. Customisable alerts notify stakeholders of exceptions as they occur, such as speeding, incorrect material dumping locations, or unscheduled activities, allowing for immediate intervention.

The system breaks down fleet performance into specific components, for example, travel speeds, cycle delays and operator behaviour, to pinpoint exactly where improvements are possible. This data is used to generate detailed reports and interactive dashboards for ongoing analysis and decision-making.

Key benefits

By providing accurate data and actionable intelligence, the AVA Load and Haul system helps mines and quarries increase production, reduce fuel consumption (by cutting idle time and optimising routes) and improve equipment utilisation and availability.

“The cloud-based solution can be accessed from any device – we are hardware agnostic and we use existing infrastructure. One of the major differentiators is that we integrate with any existing GPS model and our system can be operational and adopted in a matter of weeks. For smaller sites, with anything between 15 to 20 trucks and loaders, the deployment, with new installations, can be one to two weeks,” explains Sutton.

“For larger sites with 60 to 150 trucks, we typically follow a two-month project plan,” she adds. “AVA pairs the platform with mining specialists who work alongside site teams during rollout. We do not just hand over software and leave. We engineer adoption; the team knows how to use it, the data is driving better decisions, and the operation is more profitable.”

43-million

According to Fourie, the major benefit of the AVA Load and Haul solution is that it gives operations of all sizes real-time visibility into their operations, enabling them to track, analyse and intervene on an asset-by-asset level, removing all previous ‘blind spots’. All of this is at a cost that suits every operation, empowering them to make better decisions and improve productivity across their operations. The integration with other solutions such as OEM telematic platforms, weighbridges, fuel management systems and payload management systems, significantly reduces the cost of implementation.

Mamonare Moseki, commercial account manager at AVA, explains that, based on client-specific requirements, in-app, e-mail, WhatsApp or Telegram notifications can be created. These notifications are scheduled for different users or roles within the business. Tailoring the information flow, she says, ensures that each department receives only the data pertinent to their specific function, avoiding information overload and allowing for more targeted, effective action.

Having spent years running business improvement projects on mine sites, the AVA team believes that the traditional barrier to digital transformation was never about technology, but about the costly infrastructure requirements –hardware, sensors, and connectivity – from technology providers.

In case of incidents, available second-by-second data allows investigators to rebuild the exact sequence of events.

“We took a different approach and chose to work with what is already there. The ‘work with what you already have’ approach is not only about hardware, but also data. Most mines and quarries already have the basic bits, but they are not just using them effectively. The GPS coordinates are there, the telematics are running, but they are just not turning the data into decisions,” says Fourie.

With the AVA system, it is just a matter of plugging into existing data streams, tracking cycles and starting improvements. Sites with less than ten trucks, says Fourie, have seen a 40% decrease in operating cost (per tonne) using standard GPS and basic connectivity.

“Business improvement as a concept in mining has always been associated with huge capital investments. For us at AVA, it is about making data available and visible at a cost that suits every operation. If our system stops delivering value, customers can cancel the monthly subscription at any time because they are not bound to long contracts. We have a 30-day notice period which safeguards the customer against any buyer’s remorse,” explains Sutton.

Why load and haul?

Commenting on why AVA developed a dedicated Load and Haul solution, Fourie says that on a typical surface operation, hauling has the most human operators of any process. In fact, hauling constitutes up to 70% of mining costs. Yet, traditionally, there has been an absence of high-quality actionable data and operations, especially at cashstrapped small-scale mines and quarries, that have had to contend with exorbitant capital costs to acquire production data.

While it is advisable for mines to pay attention to every function within

the mining value chain to achieve optimal operations, Fourie believes that hauling should be treated as a principal area of focus. While, for example, blasting is considered to be the first operational unit and a fundamental activity that significantly influences all subsequent operations such as loading, hauling and crushing, hauling constitutes a substantial portion of the total operating expenses and the incentive to reduce costs in this area is high.

“Every fleet operator is eager to cut fleet costs and one of the primary expenses associated with mining haulage is diesel usage. Fuel is often the largest cost driver, making up a significant portion of the total haulage costs – up to 67%. If such a big proportion of the costs is linked to the hauling fleet, which in most cases represents up to 80% of the entire yellow metal fleet on site, it is therefore imperative for mines and quarries to give principal focus to this area,” says Fourie.

Digitalising load and haul streamlines workflows and eliminates bottlenecks.

Deploying fleet management and real-time data analysis optimises cycle times, truck dispatching and route selection, leading to more material moved in less time.

Uptake and the future

Commenting on the uptake of the AVA Load and Haul system in the local quarrying sector, Fourie tells Quarrying Africa that, initially local quarries were slow to adopt the system due to a combination of a risk-averse culture and the general resistance to change from the older generation.

In addition, many quarries using mining contractors did also not see the need to deploy the system themselves. However, with an apparent generational change in the industry that has seen many young people coming to the fore in the past few years, there has been a growing focus on technological advancement on South African quarries, leading to a growing uptake of the AVA Load and Haul system.

“The uptake of the AVA Load and Haul system in the local quarrying sector is encouraging, demonstrating that even the most traditional industries can change significantly with appropriate tools and knowledge,” says Fourie.

One company leading the AVA adoption in South Africa is Afrimat, which has to date rolled out the AVA Load and Haul system on about 544 assets across 31 sites. Speaking to Quarrying Africa, Andre van Heerden,

Based on client-specific requirements, in-app, e-mail, WhatsApp or Telegram notifications can be created.

Head: Operational Efficiency at Afrimat, says the results of putting data at the centre of load and haul operations have been remarkable, with the fleet’s throughput doubling at some sites because of paying attention to the basics, which is often where the biggest wins are.

Commenting on the strategic intent behind going the AVA route, Van Heerden says that from the onset, the goal was simple – Afrimat wanted to improve fleet output and bring down its cost per tonne. But once the company started using the system, it made the team realise where the real opportunities to improve lay.

“One of the biggest lessons was just how much value lies in getting the basics right. Parameters such as startup and shutdown delays, idle time and unproductive movements often go unnoticed, yet they quietly add up to huge losses over time. AVA helped us visualise those inefficiencies and tackle them head-on,” explains Van Heerden. At Afrimat’s Jenkins operation, for example, litres per tonne fell from 0,66 to 0,42 over a 24-month period –a 36% reduction in fuel consumption using the same fleet.

The pattern holds beyond South Africa. At a gold operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), AVA data helped the team identify enough friction in their cycles that they ended up parking two trucks entirely – and maintained the same output. The savings showed up not just in fuel, but in tyres, maintenance and operator costs. Capacity found, not bought.

shows that this is not a lofty idea. Many quarrying multinationals are seeing the potential for small, centralised business improvement teams to have clear insights and prioritise the most valuable lever to focus on across a portfolio of quarries, driving impressive net gains in their profitability.

36%

Reduction in litres per tonne at Afrimat’s Jenkins Operation over 24 months, from 0,66 to 0,42

The visibility AVA provides is not the end point; it is the foundation for what comes next. As the mining industry moves towards AI-assisted decisionmaking and autonomous equipment, operations without clean, trusted data will find themselves locked out.

In future, says Fourie, AVA wants to play a major role in bringing African quarries on the journey to business improvement by helping fast-tracking technology adoption. This will be done through creating opportunities for information-sharing between AVA’s overseas clients in markets such as Brazil, the United States and Europe, and their African counterparts.

With leading companies such as Imerys, L’hoist, Cemex, EMBU and Polimix all adopting and leveraging the AVA Load and Haul solution, this

“You cannot automate what you cannot see,” says Fourie. “Mines that lack basic visibility today will struggle to participate in the next wave of technology. Our role is making sure no operation gets left behind on that journey, giving them the data infrastructure they need to move forward, regardless of size.” a

Building a stronger, more sustainable South Africa, together

Afrimat is the foundation of South Africa's construction industry, from its cities to its rural towns. We supply the crucial aggregates that build our roads, buildings, and infrastructure, and we ' re proud to be constructing a stronger future, together

Afrimat is a leading mid-tier mining & materials company, unlocking and enhancing the earth's mineral potential to build a better world.

For the fifth year running, Afrimat Qwa Qwa was named the Top Corporate Performer with a whopping 97,44% score.

STRIVING FOR SAFETY EXCELLENCE

IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES

Despite the complex nature of mining compliance in South Africa, which is characterised by constant changes to legislation and inconsistent interpretation of mining legislation by regional inspectors, members of ASPASA continue to demonstrate high levels of health and safety compliance. The 2025 ISHE Audit once again showcased the industry’s absolute commitment to Zero Harm to ensure that every miner returns home safely every day. By Munesu Shoko.

As part of ASPASA’s drive to champion Zero Harm in the South African extractive industry, every year the surface mining industry association conducts its stringent Health and Safety (ISHE) Audit, with a strategic intent to enhance member compliance and drive best practices.

Over the years, the audit has become a comprehensive safety net that tests companies’ procedures and policies against national legislation and internationally accepted standards. Instead of reprimanding companies where non-compliances are found, the ISHE Audit points out issues and highlights

corrective actions to ensure compliance with the legislation.

As with the previous years, the 2025 audit, says Health and Safety auditor Marius van Deventer, once again demonstrated ASPASA members’ commitment to achieving Zero Harm. “After another extensive round of ISHE Audits, the overarching finding is that all quarries and other non-mining operations audited in 2025 maintain a very high standard of health and safety compliance,” he says.

It is also encouraging, adds Van Deventer, to see that operations are actively pursuing continuous improvement every year, aiming to move beyond compliance to

75

A total of 75 audits for mining operations were conducted during the 2025 audit, achieving an average score of 87,81%

achieving a Zero Harm environment, where every worker returns home safely every day. Over the years, the audits have transformed the industry’s perspective on compliance, moving away from the notion that it is a mere regulatory requirement, to treating it is a core component of operational sustainability, financial stability and ethical responsibility.

Audit results

A total of 75 audits for mining operations were conducted during the 2025 audit, achieving an average score of 87,81%, a slight drop from the 90,16% achieved during the 2024 audit period.

For the fifth year running, Afrimat Qwa Qwa was named the Top Corporate Performer with a whopping 97,44% score, representing the sixth time in a row that the operation has achieved Showplace Status (95%+). For the second year running, Eskay Crushers took home the Top Independent Performer honours and the overall runnerup award with a 96,31% score.

In the non-mining audit, a total of 17 operations was audited, with an average score of 91,04% achieved. The audit is provided to ASPASA members running operations that are separate from the mine and are guided by the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The highest score of 97,12% was achieved by AfriSam Rheebok Readymix Concrete.

In the face of challenges

The remarkable 2025 achievement, says Van Deventer, came in the face of an array of compliance challenges. Both audit protocols – for mining and non-mining operations – were extensively reviewed for 2025 and numerous changes were made to align members with

91,04%

In the non-mining audit, a total of 17 operations was audited, with an average score of 91,04% achieved

KEY POINTS

As with the previous years, the 2025 audit once again demonstrated ASPASA members’ commitment to achieving Zero Harm

The remarkable 2025 achievement came in the face of an array of compliance challenges

Both audit protocols – for mining and non-mining operations – were extensively reviewed for 2025 and numerous changes were made to align members with key focus areas of the regulator

Compounding the challenges was the inconsistent interpretation of mining legislation by regional inspectors, making it particularly difficult for members operating in more than one region

“In view of the ever-changing legislation, scores and weights of scores were changed to put more emphasis on these new focus areas. Not all members adapted well to these changes, but generally the industry demonstrated a great deal of effort to comply with the new requirements.

Marius van Deventer, ASPASA Health and Safety auditor

For the second year running, Eskay Crushers took home the Top Independent Performer honours and the overall runner-up award with a 96,31% score.

key focus areas of the regulator, the Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources (DMPR). New mandatory Codes of Practice (COPs), Directives, and Guidance Notes were added to the revised audit protocol.

In addition, the milestone objectives and targets of the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC) were extensively factored into the 2025 audit. Complying with ever-changing legislation, says Van Deventer, is a complex, highstakes endeavour, frequently complicated by financial and operational constraints. As regulations change, mines and quarries face severe pressure to keep pace.

“In view of these changes, scores and weights of scores were changed to put more emphasis on these new focus areas. Not all members adapted well to these changes, but generally the industry demonstrated a great deal of effort to comply with these new requirements,” says Van Deventer, adding that the changes to the 2025 audit protocol resulted in a 2,35% drop in the overall performance of members.

Breakdown of achievements (Non-Mining)

Status Number of Operations

Showplace Status (95% +) 7

5 Shield Status (90-95%) 4

4 Shield Status (80-90%) 4

3 Shield Status (70-80%) 2

2 Shield Status (60-70%) 0

1 Shield Status (50-60%) 0

Participation (< 50%) 0

Breakdown of achievements (Mining)

Status Number of Operations

Showplace Status (95% +) 10

5 Shield Status (90-95%) 34

4 Shield Status (80-90%) 18

3 Shield Status (70-80%) 9

2 Shield Status (60-70%) 3

1 Shield Status (50-60%) 1 Participation (< 50%) 0

it impossible for a company that has operations in different regions to be fully compliant.

High standard

97,12%

Despite the documented challenges, Van Deventer commends members of ASPASA for demonstrating high levels of health and safety compliance. “The results of the 2025 ISHE Audit were of an extremely high standard and all participating members need to be commended for their exceptional efforts, commitment and performances during the year,” he says.

Compounding the challenges, he adds, was the inconsistent interpretation of mining legislation by regional inspectors, making it particularly difficult for members operating in more than one region. Conflicting instructions on safety protocols from regional offices make

In conclusion, Van Deventer calls on members of the association to share their leading practices. Information-sharing, he says, transforms localised pockets of excellence into industry-wide standards, driving high levels of safety while reducing operational risks. By collaborating on, rather than siloing, best practices, companies can overcome common challenges and achieve Zero Harm. a

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As urbanisation continues apace, quarries are, in fact, the foundational source of raw materials necessary for modern building and for the infrastructure central to the development of these urban centres.

MORE THAN ‘JUST

A HOLE IN THE GROUND’

While the perception that quarries are merely ‘holes in the ground’ for extraction of stone remains common, the reality is that these are complex, highly-engineered, technologicallyadvanced, stringently-regulated operations vital for modern infrastructure. AfriSam executives, Glenn Johnson and Amit Dawneerangen, stress that beyond just removing and processing rock, the industry involves detailed planning and, increasingly, efforts to balance resource production with community relations, ecological stewardship and employee health and safety. By Munesu Shoko.

While there is a general notion that quarrying is a simple process –essentially just removing rock from the ground and breaking it down to required sizes – it is actually a complex industrial, economic and engineering challenge. Beyond these challenges lies yet another

As a major producer of construction materials in South Africa for over 90 years, AfriSam’s strategy has, over the years, been underpinned by strategically locating its operations close to major construction hotspots

10-million t

AfriSam runs 12 quarries with a capacity to produce over 10-million tonnes of aggregate per annum

complex reality – the fact that the industry generally produces a high-volume, low-margin material, which makes it critical for quarries to be located close to markets.

According to Glenn Johnson, Executive: Construction Materials, Operations at AfriSam, the zone of competitiveness for aggregates supply

50 km

The zone of competitiveness for aggregates supply is generally up to 50 km due to the high cost of transportation relative to the low value of the material

“ “

“The ability to co-exist with communities should be a major focus for any quarry operator. Maintaining good relations is crucial for long-term viability, as poor community perception can lead to legal challenges, protests, or refusal of operating licences.”

“The growing significance of community relations calls for companies to adopt resilient company-community relationships. This is no longer optional, or something to be disregarded by construction material suppliers.”

is generally up to 50 km due to the high cost of transportation relative to the low value of the material. For readymix, he adds, the zone of competitiveness is even less, down to 25 km, largely due to the usability factor, rather than the cost.

As a major producer of construction materials in South Africa for over 90 years, with significant capacity in not only the aggregates, but also in the cement and readymix concrete markets, AfriSam’s strategy has, over the years, been underpinned by strategically locating its operations close to major construction hotspots.

The company’s 12 aggregate quarries, with a capacity to produce over 10-million tonnes of aggregate per annum, as well as 19 readymix plants, are located on the outskirts of major cities and towns in major growth hubs such as Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape, thus directly serving urban demand while minimising logistical costs.

The urbanisation conundrum

As urbanisation continues apace, quarries are, in fact, the foundational source of raw materials necessary for modern building and for the infrastructure central to the development of these urban centres. Beyond

KEY POINTS

While there is a general notion that quarrying is a simple process, it is actually a complex industrial, economic and engineering challenge

Beyond these challenges lies yet another complex reality – the fact that the industry generally produces a high-volume, low-margin material

Despite their economic necessity to urbanisation, quarries are often regarded as major sources of disruption

When it comes to quality, AfriSam closely engages with contractors on evolving project requirements

aggregates (sand, gravel and crushed rock) for concrete, asphalt, road bases and railway ballast, amongst others, quarries provide minerals used in manufacturing steel, glass and chemicals, and, as such, play a significant role

in economic development.

Despite their economic necessity to urbanisation, says Johnson, quarries are often regarded as major sources of disruption. The conundrum is that while urban areas cannot function without the materials from local quarries, they cannot easily tolerate the environmental and social costs. Yet, in many instances, cities have encroached upon historically isolated quarries.

“With the expansion of cities, quarries that were once located in remote areas are now increasingly surrounded by communities. A case in point is AfriSam’s Midrand, Gauteng-based, Jukskei Quarry. When first established in the late 1950s, the quarry was considered to be far flung from any meaningful construction development. However, due to rapid urbanisation in its vicinity over the past decade, the quarry finds itself in the middle of high-end residential neighbourhoods, commercial districts and industrial zones, calling for sound community engagement and partnership,” says Johnson.

Community relations

While urbanisation drives significant demand for construction materials, providing quarries with increased business, it simultaneously forces them to operate in close proximity to residential and commercial areas. Amit Dawneerangen, AfriSam Construction Materials Executive –Sales & Product Technical, says this proximity makes robust community relations essential for maintaining a “social licence to operate”.

“The ability to co-exist with communities should be a major focus for any quarry operator. Maintaining good relations is crucial for long-term viability, as poor community perception can lead to legal challenges, protests, or refusal of operating licences,” says Dawneerangen.

Community relations, adds Johnson, have become an increasingly important component of mining and quarrying companies’ strategic thinking. Given quarries’ close proximity to communities, they are often at the receiving end of all community grievances, even when

AfriSam ensures that all products supplied to customers meet the relevant specifications well before they leave the quarry gate.

the complaints are not related to their activities. In some cases, it could be the lack of service delivery, which in the end, is misdirected at these operations.

“Therefore, the growing significance of community relations calls for companies to adopt resilient company-community relationships. This is no longer optional, or something to be disregarded by construction material suppliers,” says Johnson.

Regulatory compliance

One of the key factors in the success of the quarrying industry is regulatory compliance. While South Africa’s mining compliance system is generally deemed complex, both Johnson and Dawneerangen agree that companies that adopt a proactive, integrated legal strategy save time, reduce risk and secure long-term operations.

However, it is important to note that regulatory compliance is indeed not cheap, representing a significant and often rising cost for quarrying organisations. One of the major challenges, says Johnson, is the fact that the quarrying sector, which supplies its material to the construction industry, (one of the least growing, and often shrinking, sectors of the economy for over a decade

in South Africa), is governed under the same legislation as the mainstream mining sector, which is often dollarbased in terms of its produce.

To provide context, although quarries differ significantly from traditional mines in terms of risk profile, operational scale and performance, they are legislated under the Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA). While they share some risks, such as machinery hazards and dust exposure, many quarries are smaller, lower-risk, or transient operations that require a risk-based safety management system that is aligned with the activities and nature of the business undertaken – as opposed to being encumbered by large scale mining.

High administrative burdens and shifting legal interpretations create high costs and risks of shutdown.

“As a result, we have a big cost push for the quarrying sector, yet the construction sector, upon which the industry depends, is not growing. As an industry, we do not necessarily have a problem with the regulatory framework under the DMPR, but there need to be certain considerations, such as the fact that we beneficiate and sell 100% of products locally and we operate in a Randbased construction sector,” says Johnson.

To sidestep the cost challenges, Johnson advises that quarries must learn to convert their cost pressures into variable costs. Quarries can convert fixed costs into variable costs by adopting flexible operational models, outsourcing non-core activities and utilising technology that ties energy or maintenance expenses directly to production volume. Converting fixed costs into variable costs allows operators to align expenses directly with production volume, which is crucial for surviving market

volatility and maintaining profitability during lowdemand periods.

Planning matters

Effective planning is another major attribute of a successful quarrying operation. Proper planning in quarrying is a strategic tool that turns the purported ‘hole in the ground’ narrative into a safe, profitable and sustainable enterprise.

Planning is a broad exercise in quarrying, says Johnson, and begins right before the blast. For example, it starts by ensuring that the operation has the right material reserves to cater for the available market demand.

“Within the design and planning of the operation, we need to make sure that we have sufficient reserves to cater for the three most important aggregate categories – base material, concrete aggregates and road stone. After considering resources, then comes planning around blast times in line with community frameworks, as well as issues related to the transportation of materials to site,” says Johnson.

“At every project, customers have unique requirements in terms of type of product and when they need it. Sometimes, this clashes with, for instance, a quarry’s Environmental Management Plans (EMPs), and we therefore have to make alternative plans to make sure that the client’s project is not impacted,” says Dawneerangen, adding that this calls for a close collaboration between the operation and the client.

Speaking of planning to avoid disruptions to projects, Johnson highlights AfriSam’s ability to have multiple supply backup sources (reinforced by its large footprint of quarry and readymix plant operations within all the major urban hubs), as a major competitive edge in today’s evolving construction landscape. For example, at the pressing N3 highway project in KwaZulu-Natal, AfriSam was able to pull resources from several of its operations within the area – Umlaas Road Quarry, Pietermaritzburg Quarry and Coedmore Quarry – ensuring security of supply.

Ensuring quality

However, security of supply is one thing, but ensuring that products supplied to projects are of the right quality is quite another. Armed with a stringent quality control regime, AfriSam ensures that all products supplied to customers meet the relevant specifications well before they leave the quarry gate. Dawneerangen cautions that there are serious ramifications for out-ofspecification material on projects, which can result in reworking of projects, time delays and heavy penalties. Based on this understanding, AfriSam employs a stringent testing regime to ensure ongoing conformity to standards and product specifications.

To comply with standards and specifications, AfriSam performs various aggregate tests – both internally and externally. Internal tests, which are conducted in an AfriSam laboratory, include Grading, Flakiness Index, Apparent Relative Density (ARD) and

Average Least Dimension (ALD), amongst others, and these are considered to be part of process control. External tests, undertaken by independent South African National Accreditation System- (SANAS-) accredited labs, include Petrographic Examination, X-ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD), Aggregate Crushing Value (ACV) and 10% FACT (Fines Aggregate Crushing

Test), and these form part of the quality control process. AfriSam acknowledges the need for accurate and relevant testing to meet and surpass industry requirements, and as a result, the company has embarked on process enhancement by seeking SANAS accreditation for the process control testing currently in place.

When it comes to quality, Dawneerangen says AfriSam closely engages with contractors on evolving project requirements. For example, he says, the industry is witnessing a slight specification adjustment to gravel materials such as G1, G4 and G5, and based on these new grading requirements, AfriSam is able to adjust its plants accordingly.

“A lot of these new products come with stringent specifications which, in most cases, slows down plant throughput, yet contractors still want their required tonnages to execute their projects on time. This calls for a combination of constant engagement between us and the contractor, good planning and technical capability, in order to ensure reliable supply of correct materials for the duration of the project,” concludes Dawneerangen. a

BOOSTING SUPPORT CAPACITY

Amid rising demand and a growing installed base for its payload management systems in the Western Cape province of South Africa, Loadtech has capacitated its Cape Town branch to better support customers in the region. Speaking to Quarrying Africa, operations director Glen Webster says the move reinforces Loadtech’s customercentric approach – affording the growing customer base localised and prompt support. By Munesu Shoko.

5

Loadtech’s Cape Town branch now houses a total of five people to maximise customer support and satisfaction in the Western Cape

I23%

In March 2025, the Western Cape, along with KwaZuluNatal, championed a 23% rise in South Africa’s construction project awards

n 2024, Loadtech announced the opening of its Cape Town branch to support the growing installed base of its on-board weighing and belt weighing systems, particularly in quarrying and other industrial applications where payload management is of utmost importance. Until this year, the branch was run by a single technician, Donald Gray, who looked after a handful of customers operating in the region.

Following a marked growth in the installed base and the growing number of enquiries in the region, the company has this year expanded the branch’s staff complement to five, allowing Loadtech to be more responsive to customer needs.

Among the latest additions to the staff is Samantha

R10-billion

The Cape Town International Airport is set to benefit from a massive R10billion revamp, as part of Airport Company South Africa’s broader R21,7-billion infrastructure investment programme

van Lingen, who has been appointed regional manager to oversee the daily operations of the branch. Russell Moss, an experienced sales professional with a wealth of experience, has also joined as a sales representative. Katelyn Newins has joined the team to provide administrative assistance. At the time of writing, a second technician was expected to join the team at the start of March.

“Over the past year, we saw a big jump in the number of new installations, especially in quarries. It was therefore imperative that we match the growing installed base with sufficient human resources on the ground to provide customers with local support. Customer uptime is an absolute priority and we will continue to bolster our operations as demand rises,” says Webster.

Local quarries are increasingly running data-driven operations, leveraging data analytics and insights from various sources to optimise processes such as load and haul.

While the company is renowned for its best-in-class technology in the payload management systems market, Webster says Loadtech has always been built on providing exceptional aftermarket support to its customers. Prompt and reliable aftermarket support builds trust and satisfaction, leading to increased customer loyalty.

Demand drivers

Demand for payload management systems is largely driven by the large population of quarries in the region, says Webster. Traditionally, local quarries have been reluctant to invest in new technologies, but Webster believes that this is changing, with demand for belt weighers and load weighing systems on the rise, particularly in the Western Cape.

KEY POINTS

In 2024, Loadtech announced the opening of its Cape Town branch to support the growing installed base of its on-board weighing and belt weighing systems

Following a marked growth in the installed base and the growing number of enquiries in the region, the company has this year expanded the branch’s staff complement to five

Demand for payload management systems is largely driven by the large population of quarries in the region

Apart from quarries, Loadtech has seen growing demand from other industrial clients such as transport companies

Quarrying companies, he says, are driving datadriven operations, leveraging available data from their operations to forecast future events, optimise resource allocation, and minimise unnecessary spending. Data analytics enables real-time monitoring of assets, allowing quarry managers to make timely decisions and respond proactively to potential issues. Analysing data from various stages of the mining process, from extraction to processing, is helping operations to identify bottlenecks, optimise efficiency, and improve product quality.

“Local quarries are increasingly running data-driven operations, leveraging data analytics and insights from various sources to optimise processes, predict equipment failures, and improve overall efficiency and safety. On the back of that trend, we have seen rising demand for both our Loadrite systems and our own in-house Loadtech solutions,” says Webster.

Thriving industry

The increased investment in payload management systems in the Western Cape is also aided by the thriving nature of the quarrying industry in the province. A combination of road projects, property development projects and blockyards, have been central to increased demand for aggregates in the province. This, says Webster, will be further buoyed by the planned airport expansion project.

The Cape Town International Airport is set to benefit from a massive R10-billion revamp, as part of Airport Company South Africa’s broader R21,7-billion infrastructure investment programme. The programme places value on runway realignment, terminal expansion, and apron improvements to address projected passenger demand and operational requirements over the coming years.

In recent years, the Western Cape province has been one of the major construction hotspots in South Africa. To provide context, in 2022, the province accounted for a third of all building plans passed and 40% of all buildings completed in South Africa. In March 2025, the Western Cape, along with KwaZulu-Natal, championed a 23% rise in South Africa’s construction project awards, according to Industry Insight’s Construction Monitor

Other industries

Apart from quarries, Loadtech has seen growing demand from other industrial clients such as transport companies, particularly those operating in the salt industry, agriculture and packaging, where load weighing is of utmost significance.

“In such industrial settings, weighing is very important. The weighing allows businesses to understand the accurate weight of their loaded or unloaded transport systems,” concludes Webster. a

Pilot Crushtec’s sand-making solutions offer producers a fast, cost-effective route to manufactured sand production as natural sand resources become increasingly constrained.

CHANGING THE GAME IN SAND MAKING

As natural sand resources near urban growth centres dwindle and environmental restrictions tighten, manufactured sand is proving to be the most economical and ecological alternative. Amid growing demand for manufactured sand, Pilot Crushtec International’s comprehensive range of modular sand making plants affords producers the quickest route to production, while the DynamiTrac HRC8, the world’s first fully-tracked HPGR crusher, changes the game in sand making with its novel inter-particle comminution principle. By Munesu Shoko.

Aggregates such as crushed stone, gravel and sand are the backbone of construction globally – quietly underpinning the success of infrastructure development programmes – making them one of the most important materials in the modern world.

In fact, sand is said to be the second largest natural resource by volume after water and accounts for the largest volume of solid material extracted globally. To provide context, The United Nations notes that demand for sand has grown three-fold over the past two decades, with the world now needing 50-billion tonnes per year, an

50-billion tpa

The United Nations notes that demand for sand has grown three-fold over the past two decades, with the world now needing 50-billion tonnes per annum

KEY POINTS

Amid the transition to manufactured sand, Pilot Crushtec has positioned itself as a leading solutions provider for the sand manufacturing market in southern Africa

The Pilot SMP line of sand manufacturing plants benefits from a comprehensive and proven range of feeders, crushers, screens and conveyors

One of the key advantages of these sand-making plants is that they are designed as a complete, ready-to-run solution, thus offering fast setup and deployment

This is complemented by the DynamiTrac HRC8 tracked HPGR crusher, which takes sand-making to the next level by producing significantly more fines than conventional crushing

average of 18 kg per person per day.

The increasing discrepancy between the need for aggregates in society and the scarcity of natural sand (the result of exhaustion of resources and environmental considerations), has pushed the industry to look for a suitable and sustainable alternative fine aggregate. Manufactured sand has therefore come to the fore as the most economical and ecological

35

Leveraging 35 years of expertise in the mining and aggregates industries, Pilot Crushtec has developed a range of standard, ready-to-run sand making plants

Customers can obtain much better grain proportions with the new HRC technology, as well as control in the manufactured sand gradation with a very good particle shape and less ultra-fines generation.

alternative.

Amid this transition to manufactured sand, Pilot Crushtec Intranational has over the years positioned itself as a leading solutions provider for the sand manufacturing market in southern Africa, offering a comprehensive range of cutting-edge solutions for efficient and sustainable sand manufacturing.

Leveraging 35 years of expertise in the mining and aggregates industries, the company has developed a range of standard, ready-to-run sand making plants.

The Pilot SMP line of sand manufacturing plants benefits from a comprehensive and proven range of feeders, crushers, screens and conveyors.

This is complemented by the DynamiTrac HRC8 tracked high pressure grinding roll (HPGR) crusher, which takes sand-making to the next level by producing significantly more fines than conventional crushing, while offering improved shape and gradation at a much lower cost of operation.

Finished manufactured sand after processing through the DynamiTrac HRC8 crusher, demonstrating improved particle shape and controlled gradation.

Pilot SMP range

Sand producers seeking a quick route to production can choose from three sand-making plants, engineered for quick setup and consistent performance. The range comprises the SMP100, SMP200 and SMP300.

The SMP100 – the smallest in the range – can produce up to 40 tonnes per hour (tph) of -5 mm sand with a maximum recirculating load capacity of 85 tph through the rotor. This compact plant can take 5-25 mm feed when equipped with a 600-mm rotor or a 5-35 mm feed size with a 700 mm rotor.

The mid-size SMP200 can produce up to 55 tph of -5 mm sand with a maximum recirculating load of 120 tph through the rotor. This plant can take 5-30 mm feed material with a 700 mm rotor and a feed size of 5-45 mm with an 800 mm rotor. The largest in the range is the SMP300, which produces up to 100 tph of –5 mm sand with a maximum recirculating load capacity of 280 tph through the rotor.

Benefits abound

One of the key advantages of these sand-making plants, explains Francois Marais, sales and marketing director at Pilot Crushtec, is that they are designed as a complete, ready-to-run solution, thus offering fast setup and deployment.

“These plants are pre-engineered and ready to go, meaning that one can get them up and running much quicker than bespoke solutions. There is no need for lengthy design phases – it is just a matter of assembling and starting to produce,” says Marais.

Another major benefit of going the Pilot SMP plant route is cost-efficiency. As a leading original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in South Africa, Pilot Crushtec has paid its school fees in the design and manufacture of comminution solutions over the past 35 years, which means that customers do not have to foot the costly bill for custom engineering. This translates into reduced upfront capital costs and reduces the risk of budget overruns.

With these engineered designs proven in the field for over three decades, customers can maximise their operational uptime through proven reliability. “Our standard SMP plants are built from tried-and-tested designs. They have been refined over the years to work seamlessly across various applications, thus eliminating the risk of unexpected breakdowns and inefficiencies,” says Marais.

With flexibility in mind, these plants are designed to handle a range of tonnages across applications such as sand making, aggregate processing, or even specialised processes. These solutions are also scalable, suiting the needs for customers who require to increase capacity as and when demand dictates.

With standard designs, parts are off the shelf and easily available from Pilot Crushtec’s established support network. Plant uptime is further maximised by the minimal site preparation requirements. All modules are skidmounted and designed to work on a flat, compacted surface, although a concrete base can be more beneficial.

To be successful in sand production, the equipment must be of a high standard to ensure consistent and efficient production. The Pilot SMP plants are manufactured at Pilot Crushtec’s ISO-accredited Jet Park facility in Johannesburg, South Africa. The proven quality of the plants reduces downtime and maximises output, thus mitigating

against risks that could undermine a project’s viability or dampen the producer’s reputation in the market.

New way of sand making

In addition to the SMP plants, Pilot Crushtec now offers its DynamiTrac HRC8, the world’s first fully track-mounted, dual power HPGR crusher ideal for use in quaternary crushing applications. At the heart of this machine is the Metso HRC 8 HPGR crusher, which employs a completely different crushing principle from other conventional solutions such as impact crushing.

The HRC 8 uses a method of inter-particle comminution by drawing in a bed of material between two rotating rollers. The rollers, one of which is in a fixed position and another floating, generate an extremely high pressure that is applied to the layer of material between the rolls, extruding the feed material down to the desired smaller grain sizes. The HRC 8’s adjustable pressure allows customers to vary the curve grading for finer or more coarse grading.

“Customers can obtain much better grain proportions with the new HRC technology, as well as control in the manufactured sand gradation with a very good particle shape and less ultra-fines generation,” explains Marais.

Ultimate sand maker

The HRC 8, adds Marais, is the ultimate solution for the manufactured sand market where fines must meet a defined end product specification. The quality of sand can be adjusted and optimised, thus reducing the amount of cement and asphalt required in concrete mixes or asphalt. The machine produces a gradation according to customer needs and delivers a perfect

cubical shape for concrete and asphalt sands.

In some applications, non-saleable waste materials can be reprocessed by the HRC 8 to correct the gradation curve and particle shape, converting them into highvalue saleable products. This not only addresses the cost factor, but also speaks to the manufactured sand sector’s drive for sustainable operation.

“In typical sand-making with vertical shaft impactors (VSIs), for example, there is generally a high percentage of ultra fines – the unwanted 0,075 micron material, which calls for wet processing. Due to its ability to produce very fine material with fewer unwanted microfines in the final product, we believe that in some applications, the HRC 8 may eliminate the requirement for washing,” explains Marais.

The tracked DynamiTrac HRC8 from Pilot Crushtec is powered by a 250-kW on-board Volvo TAD851GE diesel generator engine available in Euro Stage 3 or Euro Stage 5 emission controls. The Deepsea electric genset controller allows for switching between generator and grid power, when available. The crusher is controlled by the Metso IC80C automation system that ensures and manages consistent feed into the crusher to ensure optimal energy efficiency and maximum production.

“The reduced power required to run the machine compared to traditional impact and even cone crushers is another big benefit of the HRC 8. To provide context, where customers would traditionally require 250-300 kW of power to produce 50 t of manufactured sand, they now use only 120 kW with the HRC technology. In fact, the machine consumes up to 50% less power in sand production compared to other technologies for the same volume of net product,” concludes Marais. a

The RA30 has a 28-t payload capacity.

BUCKING

THE TREND

Despite the challenging market conditions seen in the global construction equipment industry, demand for Rokbak’s articulated haulers remains strong.

In a one-on-one with Quarrying Africa, Guy Wilson, global sales director at Rokbak, unpacks the key ADT markets, market drivers and trends taking root in this segment. By Munesu Shoko.

There is a general consensus that, despite a downward trend in the global construction equipment marketplace, the market for articulated dump trucks (ADTs) remains resilient. Wilson notes that last year, the total global market for articulated haulers was down 8% from 10 300 units in 2024, to 9 400 in 2025. However, he says, “it is still a big market, and there is a good amount of business out there”.

North America remains the biggest sales region for articulated haulers, accounting for over half of the total global market. Other key markets include South Africa,

the United Kingdom (UK), Indonesia, Australia, France, Germany and the United Arab Emirates.

“Last year we also saw good growth in African markets such as Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Zambia, and I expect that to continue this year. The UK market also increased significantly in 2025,” says Wilson.

Growing African demand

Generally, there is strong demand for ADTs in Africa, says Wilson, adding that South Africa is the biggest market, accounting for about half of the total African market, which sits at around 1 300-1 400 units a year.

8%

Last year, the total global market for articulated haulers was down 8% from 10 300 units in 2024, to 9 400 in 2025

“Last year, we saw Ghana’s ADT market double, increasing to 140 units, and I expect it to continue to grow this year. Commodity prices are driving growth in markets such as Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Zambia. The price of gold and other precious metals remains high, and I expect these markets will continue to grow in 2026.

50%

South Africa is the biggest ADT market in Africa, accounting for about half of the total African market, which sits at around 1 300-1 400 units a year

KEY POINTS

Despite a downward trend in the global construction equipment marketplace, the market for articulated dump trucks remains resilient

North America remains the biggest sales region for articulated haulers, accounting for over half of the total global market

Last year, Rokbak saw good growth in African markets such as Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Zambia, and expects that to continue this year

The US tariffs are causing uncertainty in the global market. However, there are areas where Rokbak can be optimistic, such as Africa

“Last year, we saw Ghana’s ADT market double, increasing to 140 units, and I expect it to continue to grow this year. Commodity prices are driving growth in markets such as Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Zambia. The price of gold and other precious metals remains high, and I expect these markets will continue to grow in 2026,” says Wilson.

To take advantage of the growth, Rokbak has significantly expanded its dealer network across Africa over the past two years, with expert partners now offering sales, service and parts support in markets including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Zimbabwe.

This growing network ensures access to genuine parts, trained technicians and in-country support – even on hard-to-reach sites. In Zimbabwe, for example, dealer partner Machinery Exchange has established Rokbak service hubs in Harare, Bulawayo and Hwange, for 24-hour parts availability and on-site technical services for mining clients across the country.

Highlighting the strategic importance of the West African market, Rokbak recently partnered with dealer HMD to spotlight its ADTs’ heavy-duty mining capabilities at the Nigeria Mining Week in October 2025. Nigeria, and West Africa at large, is seen a major growth market for Rokbak.

Rokbak’s partnership with HMD in West Africa has already proven fruitful, with a recent order of articulated haulers, including units for both Nigeria and Ghana, where there is a growing demand to support infrastructure development and resource extraction.

Product interest

In terms of products, Rokbak manufactures two articulated haulers, the RA40, which has a 38-tonne

(t) payload capacity and the RA30, which has a 28-t payload capacity. Outside of Europe, the company is seeing more demand for the RA40. In the United States, customers are taking both the RA30 and RA40, but in places such as Africa, it is the RA40 that dominates.

The larger RA40 is ideally suited for operations where moving more material per cycle is the priority. It performs at its best in high-volume production environments such as open-pit mines, large quarries or earthmoving projects with wide haul roads and long travel distances. When a site can support bigger loading equipment, the RA40 helps customers maximise output by ensuring an efficient flow of materials and reducing the cost per tonne.

Key trends

Commenting on some new developments taking root, Wilson makes mention of machine modernisation as one of the key trends in the ADT market.

Recent developments to the Rokbak ADTs include enhancements to operator comfort, such as improved heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and automated controls.

Inside the cab of Rokbak ADT, powerful HVAC and dual-stage filtration help keep operators comfortable and protected from dust and heat, while the truck’s heavyduty suspension smooths out rough tracks – boosting operator performance on long shifts and reducing fatigue.

Telematics, adds Wilson, has also advanced significantly, driven by customer demand for better visibility and control of their operations. Rokbak’s Haul Track telematics system allows customers and dealers to monitor truck performance remotely. It tracks operating conditions, fault codes, temperatures, pressures and upcoming maintenance intervals.

“This enables proactive intervention before issues escalate into potential failures. Haul Track also supports

payload analysis and production tracking, giving customers clear insight into how much material is being moved and at what cost. Importantly, Haul Track is AEMP 2.0 compliant, allowing integration into mixed-fleet monitoring systems so customers can manage multiple OEM machines through a single platform,” says Wilson.

Outlook

Commenting on the outlook of the market, Wilson says the US tariffs are causing uncertainty in the global market. However, there are areas where Rokbak can be optimistic, such as Africa, where ADT sales are increasing thanks to the high price of commodities such as gold.

“In the short term, I think we will see a slight global drop, similar to what we saw in 2025 – with some markets declining as others grow. But in the longer term, we see growth on the horizon,” concludes Wilson. a

STEADY DEMAND FOR ADTS IN AFRICA

In line with global market dynamics, demand for articulated dump trucks (ADTs) in Africa has been stable in recent years. Speaking to Quarrying Africa, Christophe Lagandre, Head of Market Area Africa at Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE), notes that South Africa remains the standout ADT market, representing about 50% of the total African market. By Munesu Shoko.

50%

South Africa remains the standout ADT market, representing about 50% of the total African market

I40-45-t

In terms of product sizes, the 40-45-t payload segment is where most of the market is today

n recent years, the global ADT market has remained strong, with some of the major markets continuing on a sustainable growth path. “What we see from our internal market view is that demand varies noticeably by region, and the key markets are concentrated in the main equipment regions – Europe and International markets, parts of the Middle East and Oceania, as well as Africa. Within Africa, South Africa stands out as the single most significant market,” says Lagandre.

Commenting on the state of the market in Africa, including South Africa, Lagandre says Volvo CE has seen the ADT market remaining quite stable over the past three years. Over the same period, the total market for excavators and wheel loaders almost doubled, with ADTs comparatively steady.

Market drivers

60-t

Volvo CE is seeing a trend towards larger, 60-t payload ADTs, as this size can increase productivity with fewer machines in the fleet

The main driver of the ADT market, he says, is the increase in mining activity across markets and commodities. “Overall, mining is the key driver for the ADT market, more than road construction,” says Lagandre.

Commodities such as iron ore, copper and rare earth minerals have in recent times enjoyed strong commodity prices. In addition, gold prices have hit historic, record highs in early 2026, frequently exceeding US$5 000 per ounce after a massive 66% gain in 2025, driven by intense safe-haven demand, geopolitical tensions, and central bank buying. Experts suggest that the ‘bull run’ will continue, with some forecasts projecting gold prices to reach between US$5 400 and US$6 300 per ounce by late 2026.

Designed for heavy-duty, off-road applications in mining, quarrying and earthmoving, the Volvo A40 features a payload capacity of 39-t and a body volume of 24 m³.

Meanwhile, coal – particularly in South Africa –has declined significantly over recent years, notes Lagandre. To provide context, as of November 2025, coal production was a primary driver of a 2,7% yearon-year drop in South Africa’s total mining output. The Minerals Council South Africa reported that 2025 coal production fell by 9% from pre-Covid levels, with employment in the sector shrinking for the first time in four years.

Key sellers

From a product point of view, Lagandre says that in terms of product sizes, the 40-45 tonne (t) payload segment is where most of the market is today. However, Volvo CE is also seeing a trend towards larger, 60-t payload machines, as this size can increase productivity with fewer machines in the fleet. In the 40-45-t payload range, Volvo offers one of the largest product ranges, including the new generation A40, A45 and the all-new A50. Designed for heavyduty, off-road applications in mining, quarrying, and earthmoving, the Volvo A40 features a payload capacity of 39-t and a body volume of 24 m³. Featuring a new Volvo drivetrain, the Volvo A45 has a 42-t payload

What we see from our internal market view is that demand varies noticeably by region, and the key markets are concentrated in the main equipment regions – Europe and International markets, parts of the Middle East and Oceania, as well as Africa. Within Africa, South Africa stands out as the single most significant market.

KEY POINTS

The main driver of the ADT market is the increase in mining activity across markets and commodities

Digitalisation is increasingly an enabler in mining operations – particularly around safety and productivity

capacity and a 25,5 m³ body volume.

To plug an important gap in this market segment, Volvo CE introduced its A50 in 2025. With a 45-t payload, it delivers 10% more productivity and 8% greater fuel efficiency when compared to the previous generation A45 – making it an exceptional solution when working over rough terrain such as those found in quarries, mines, and large construction sites.

60-t

Boasting faster cycle times than its rivals, as well as superior efficiency and operator comfort, the all-new

A50 articulated hauler by Volvo CE has already fulfilled a need in the market with its innovative technology, unmatched power and modern design. Since Volvo CE pioneered the full hydraulic suspension concept in 2007, countless fleets have been able to revolutionise the productivity and efficiency of their operation thanks to

this game-changing feature.

The A50 takes the concept to new heights as the only full suspension machine on the market of its size class. As a result, it offers a dramatic improvement in cycle times, an increase in hauler production per operator hour and lower costs when compared to its standard suspension counterparts.

New trends

Commenting on some new developments in the marketplace, Lagandre says a notable trend is a shift in part of the market toward wide-body trucks – on-road/ off-road hybrid solutions – particularly in low-regulated markets. Pioneered by Chinese OEMs, the wide-body truck concept continues to gain popularity as it is said to bridge the gap between traditional rigid dump trucks and articulated haulers.

“We do see part of the market moving toward widebody trucks in some low-regulated environments, but ADTs remain the right solution for muddy conditions and tough operating environments. That is why we remain confident we have the right ADT range to support customers where it matters most – when conditions are demanding and uptime and mobility are critical,” says Lagandre.

Digitalisation, he adds, is increasingly an enabler in mining operations – particularly around safety and productivity. In South Africa, for example, mines have taken strong steps with Proximity Detection Systems (PDS) and Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS), which are now mandatory, making safety a key dimension of the digital trend.

“Beyond safety, digital tools also help improve production efficiency by supporting better payload management per trip – avoiding carryback as well as underloading or overloading – because these factors can materially affect delivered payload on site,” concludes Lagandre. a

From Rock to Road

Astec is a Global Leader in innovative equipment and solutions for mining, quarrying, rock bearing and material handling, offering high-performance machinery designed for durability, efficiency and sustainability to meet evolving needs of mining and industrial operations worldwide.

ARTICULATING RESILIENCE

Despite some apparent decline, global demand for articulated dump trucks (ADTs) remains strong and consistent with preCOVID levels. Speaking to Quarrying Africa, Brad Castle, Product Marketing Manager: ADTs at Bell Equipment, highlights some of the major markets in the world, the situation in Africa, sales drivers and how Bell is responding to new trends shaping the market. By Munesu Shoko.

In the past few years, the global ADT market has shown resilience, with strong demand from some of the major equipment markets. According to Castle, although some of the major global markets are showing a decline, the ADT market remains strong and consistent with pre-COVID levels. Generally, he says, the boom, which was experienced in 2021 as governments announced infrastructure projects to stimulate economic recovery post-COVID, started phasing out around 2023. Since then, the market has been reverting to its regular size and demand has been tracking those pre-COVID levels.

“Over the past decade, the global ADT market has averaged around 8 000 units per year. It peaked in 2023 when it reached about 12 000 units, before resizing to about 9 000 units last year. The United States is consistently the largest market, constituting around 50% of the total market, followed by Western Europe and Africa, which alternate between second and third place, and are around low to midteens each, depending on the year,” explains Castle.

International market drivers

The major driver in the biggest ADT market, the United States, is construction – new infrastructure builds and maintenance thereof – thus driving optimal new machine replacements. “In our experience, customers in first-world countries generally replace their machines earlier than their African counterparts, so there is always demand for new machines in those developed markets,” says Castle.

Apart from construction, there is also notable demand from the mining sector, where ADTs are often deployed in the early phase of mine development and for the maintenance of current operations. “I would estimate that about 10% of demand for ADTs in the United States is attributable to mining,” adds Castle.

The climate in Western Europe, he adds, is a huge factor in why ADTs are the preferred truck in mining and construction. In the UK, the largest Western European market, the ADT is the truck of choice due to its ability to navigate the often wet,

“Whereas in the United States and Western Europe the demand for ADTs is construction-based rather than mining, it is the other way around in Africa. Commodity prices and political stability are probably the two biggest factors affecting demand on the continent.

8 000

Over the past decade, the global ADT market has averaged around 8 000 units per year

muddy and soft underfoot conditions resulting from the UK’s frequent rainfall.

“Consequently, the UK has the largest population of Bell B20E ADTs in the world. The famous HS2 rail project, even though it has been scaled back to focus on the Phase 1 route between London and Birmingham, has been a major driver behind this growth. Clay miners and quarries supplying to this project have seen high demand for their products, and have found the Bell 4x4 ADT concept to be ideally suited and beneficial to their quarrying operations,” says Castle.

African market drivers

In Africa, where poor road infrastructure is the order of the day, customers generally find comfort in the 6x6 ADTs, which provide the versatility of being able to operate on both good and poor haul roads, reasons Castle.

“Whereas in the United States and Western Europe the demand for ADTs is construction-based rather than

9 000

The global ADT market peaked in 2023 when it reached about 12 000 units, before resizing to about 9 000 units last year

Sales of the larger sized ADTs are driving demand in Africa due to mining and the economies of scale that operating larger ADTs offers.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In the past few years, the global ADT market has shown resilience, with strong demand from some of the major equipment markets

The major driver in the biggest ADT market, the United States, is construction – new infrastructure builds and maintenance thereof

There is strong demand for ADTs from mining countries in Africa, with South Africa being by far the largest market in 2025, followed by Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Ghana

Machine utilisation in Africa is significantly higher than in the United States and Western Europe. As a result, ADTs in Africa are running more hours in a month than those operating in the Northern Hemisphere

mining, it is the other way around in Africa. Commodity prices and political stability are probably the two biggest factors affecting demand on the continent,” says Castle. There is strong demand for ADTs from mining countries in Africa, he adds, with South Africa being by far the largest market in 2025, followed by Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory

The UK has the largest population of Bell B20E ADTs in the world.

Coast) and Ghana. While other African countries may only have double-digit sales figures, they have, in many instances, doubled their growth year-on-year, albeit from a low base.

While a large portion of Bell ADTs sold in South Africa are deployed in coal mining, both Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are predominantly driven by the thriving gold mining sector, with the commodity currently enjoying exceptionally strong demand globally. After the gold price bottomed out in 2015 and 2016, notes Castle, the spot gold price has been steadily soaring and is currently trading at over US$5 000 per ounce. As a result, new mining licences have been awarded to start-up mines in Africa, which require new equipment.

“Our West African dealer has seen significant growth due to increasing mining activity, and we expect this demand to continue due to the drive for electric vehicle development and the growing focus on net zero carbon emissions. The latter creates demand for commodities such as copper, nickel, lithium and manganese, amongst others,” explains Castle.

Machine utilisation in Africa, he adds, is significantly higher than in the United States and Western Europe. As a result, ADTs in Africa are running more hours in a month than those operating in the Northern Hemisphere.

“To provide context, we base ADTs in Africa at around 500 hours per month, whereas the United States and Western Europe are around 100 hours per month. This high utilisation drives machine replacement cycles in markets such as South Africa, while other markets, such

as Zambia, often opt to repower their machines for a second or even third life,” explains Castle.

On the product front

On the product front, in Bell Equipment’s experience, sales of the larger sized ADTs are driving demand in Africa due to mining and the economies of scale that operating larger ADTs offers – being able to transport a higher payload for marginally more fuel, and with fewer operators required per tonne of material moved.

“If we take South Africa, for example, large ADTs accounted for over 60% of our sales in 2025. In the United States, 54% of Bell ADTs sold into the market were large machines due to high-volume infrastructure and mining projects, as well as the reduced cost-pertonne that large ADTs are renowned for on these types of projects,” explains Castle.

In Europe, he adds, small trucks are driving demand and represented about 65% of Bell Equipment’s sales last year. Likely reasons for this are that the European market prioritises fuel efficiency, manoeuvrability and versatility. Castle finds that worksites are generally narrower and more restrictive, making them better suited for smaller ADTs, which tend to be nimbler.

Key trends

One of the major trends shaping the ADT market, notes Castle, is the intense safety drive in the mining sector, which is primarily motivated by a ‘zero harm’ philosophy – a commitment to ensuring that every worker returns

home safely every day.

This is particularly the case in South Africa. As of December 21, 2022, South African mines are required to implement Level 9 Proximity Detection Systems (PDS) / Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS) on all trackless mobile machinery (TMM).

Level 9 signifies automatic intervention, where the system can take control to stop or slow a vehicle if the operator fails to respond to a warning. In response to these legislative requirements, Bell was the first original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to offer Level 9 PDS- and CAS-ready ADTs in the market.

“Since then, the focus on mine safety has resulted in greater interest in fully remote-controlled, supervised autonomous and complete autonomous solutions globally. Our E-series ADT range has an advanced technology platform that is PDS-ready and autonomous-ready. With a technology agnostic approach, we can work with numerous service providers to offer customers solutions that meet their requirements,” he says.

Bell Equipment has already successfully integrated with several different systems through offering a combination of adaptable hardware, simulation tools, and shared testing facilities to service providers so that they can support customers that are implementing third-party technologies.

The International Organisation for Standardisation gateway, designed and produced by Bell, can be retrofitted to current and older-generation ADTs to provide a controller area network interface for system control. Installations can be easily completed on site at customer operations.

PDS and autonomous solution suppliers can also develop and test solutions virtually before integrating with a Bell ADT, using a detection system and vehicle system that the company has

developed – this can run on a standard laptop or personal computer. This enables suppliers to connect their systems directly with the Bell systems, allowing for collaboration between the engineers throughout the new product testing process.

In addition, Bell is seeing greater use of telematics as a fleet management tool. Its advanced ADT platform has access to the Bell Fleetm@tic® telematics system, which is provided as a standard feature. This gives fleet owners and operations managers a complete picture of their machine health and productivity from one user-friendly interface.

“The simplicity and accessibility of Fleetm@tic® is a game changer. Customers have a secure login and password, which enables them to monitor their machines from anywhere at any time, and they can generate reports that can be set to arrive daily, weekly or monthly. It is a highly effective tool to identify bottlenecks, balance workloads and schedule proactive maintenance to minimise unplanned downtime,” says Castle.

In terms of safety, Fleetm@tic provides realtime tracking of a machine’s location, speed and operating status. For asset management, geofencing enables owners to set safe zones, speed limits and prohibit tipping in hazardous or prohibited areas. Alerts are automatically issued for fault codes, unsafe tipping and driving violations.

Productivity of Bell ADTs is tracked by monitoring metrics including laden and unladen cycles, payloads and fuel burn.

“There is also a heightened environmental awareness around zero carbon emissions and alternative fuels. Part of our design philosophy has always focused on low fuel burn, and we are keeping our machine development in line with current and future market requirements for alternate fuels, including hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO),” says Castle.

Positive outlook

Commenting on the outlook of the ADT market, Castle says “stable is a word that comes to mind, with growth in pockets”. The United States, he says, is the largest ADT market in the world, and its implementation of trade tariffs is likely to influence the market.

“Only two OEMs manufacture in the United States, with the majority manufacturing in Western Europe, including Bell Equipment, which supplies the market from our factory in Germany. It is improbable that the two USbased OEMs will have the capacity to meet the demand, which may create a market for used equipment, or we might see companies choosing to run their equipment for longer periods,” concludes Castle. a

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NEW GENERATION VOLVO A60

HITS SA SHORES

Following the launch of the Volvo A40, A45 and A50 articulated dump truck (ADT) models in June 2025 as part of the stepwise introduction of the New Generation range, Babcock has brought the first new A60 units into southern Africa. In a one-on-one with Quarrying Africa, Head of Sales Quintin O’Reilly says that the first ten units have arrived in South Africa and are due for delivery to a customer operating in the coal sector. By Munesu Shoko

The global launch of the seven-model Volvo new generation articulated haulers in 2025 represented a compete revamp of the already proven A25, A30, A35, A40, A45 and A60 models – with the major talking point being the introduction of a completely new class size machine, the 45-tonne (t) A50, which filled the gap between the 42-t A45 and the 55-t A60. Having launched the first three models – A40, A45 and A50 – in southern Africa some six months ago, Babcock reports that the uptake of the range has been remarkable.

“The interest in the new range has been incredible.

In just six months, we have surpassed 100 units in sales, highlighting the massive interest in the New Generation Volvo ADT range. The star of the show is the A40, driven largely by the coal mining sector. With a payload capacity of 39-t, the A40’s size class is often considered the ideal balance between high capacity and operating efficiency for medium-to-large coal operations,” explains O’Reilly.

The A50, he adds, has also proven its mettle in the market. Working in combination with the 90-t Volvo EC950 excavator, the 45-t payload capacity hauler has proven to be a cost-effective hauling solution by moving more material per load, thus reducing the total

10

The first ten A60 units have arrived in South Africa and are due for delivery to a customer operating in the coal sector

KEY POINTS

Having launched the first three models – A40, A45 and A50 – in southern Africa some six months ago, Babcock reports that the uptake of the range has been remarkable

On the back of this early success, the first ten A60 units have hit the South African shores and the fleet has been delivered to one of Babcock’s loyal customers operating an existing large fleet of the previous generation A60 units

With the New Generation A60, customers can also expect to keep their service costs to a minimum thanks to simplified servicing, longer change intervals and easy component access

The critical minerals industry is a fundamental growth market for Babcock. To make the most of it, this year the company will introduce flexible equipment financing solutions to support customers investing in energy transition commodities

15%

Equipped with the new Volvo powertrain, the New Generation A60 offers up to 15% more fuel efficiency than the previous generation

“The launch of the New Generation A60 reinforces Volvo’s leadership in the articulated hauler segment. Equipped with the new Volvo powertrain, Volvo quality runs throughout every element of the A60, with the new transmission and axles enabling full power to be utilised in all gears. The result is up to 15% more fuel efficiency and 5% more productivity.

number of cycles, saving time and fuel. According to O’Reilly, operators appreciate the unique full suspension system, which enhances comfort and stability, allowing for faster travel speeds over rough terrain. In tough underfoot conditions, the vehicle is said to be “in a class of its own”.

Generally, there is a good buy-in on all models that Babcock has brought in so far, with the order book looking good. On the back of this early success, the first ten A60 units have hit the South African shores and, at the time of writing, the fleet was due for delivery to one of Babcock’s loyal customers operating an existing large fleet of the previous generation A60 units.

What customers can expect

With the arrival of the new generation Volvo A60, the largest 6x6 articulated hauler in the industry, customers can expect better fuel efficiency and greater productivity compared with the previous generation.

“The launch of the New Generation A60 reinforces Volvo’s leadership in the articulated hauler segment. Equipped with the new Volvo powertrain, Volvo quality runs throughout every element of the A60, with the new transmission and axles enabling full power to be utilised in all gears. The result is up to 15% more fuel efficiency and 5% more productivity,” says O’Reilly.

The A60 benefits from other proven Volvo features such as OptiShift – which enables faster directional changes when moving between forwards and reverse – as well as the intelligent Terrain Memory function, which identifies and remembers slippery road segments to ensure optimised traction control and outstanding offroad mobility.

Fitted with active hydraulic front suspension, enabling high hauling speeds in the toughest conditions, the A60 features proven Volvo drivetrain, automatic drive combinations (including 100% differential locks), all-terrain bogie, and hydro-mechanical steering for unmatched traction, stability and precision control.

5%

Customers can reduce service costs by up to 5% over 12 000 hours of operation thanks to simplified servicing, longer change intervals and easy component access

“Service costs can be reduced by up to 5% over 12 000 hours of operation thanks to simplified Performance is boosted by the addition of solutions such as Haul Assist with On-Board Weighing.

With Volvo Dynamic Drive, dynamic and predictive gear selection adapts to the operating conditions at hand, for

improved comfort and fuel efficiency. In addition, the intelligent design is optimised for maximum efficiency in high payload applications, with outstanding tipping stability for safe and productive operations.

Operators can stay informed and focused on the task at hand thanks to all essential in-cab information conveniently displayed on two screens. The interactive, integrated Volvo Co-Pilot display offers easy control over essential functions such as media, camera settings, climate control, and machine status. This is combined with the dynamic instrument cluster, positioned in front of the steering wheel, which provides essential vehicle data at a glance.

Lower maintenance costs

With the New Generation A60, customers can also expect to keep their service costs to a minimum thanks to simplified servicing, longer change intervals, and easy component access. Servicing the machine is quick and easy, thanks to great service access and essential maintenance points accessible from the ground. In addition, constant greasing is eliminated thanks to long greasing intervals of 250 hours for maximum uptime.

servicing, longer change intervals and easy component access. The Volvo engine oil and high-performance filters offer 1 000-hour engine service intervals,” explains O’Reilly.

Tech to the fore

Performance is boosted by the addition of solutions such as Haul Assist with On-Board Weighing. Powered by Volvo Co-Pilot, it provides real-time payload data to prevent overloading and minimise carryback, which not only maximises productivity but also reduces fuel consumption and machine wear.

Traffic flow, vehicle performance and on-site logistics can also be improved with the support of digital and advisory tools such as Connected Map, Performance Indicator and Site Optimisation, while the CareTrack telematics system is designed to help boost machine uptime and reduce repair costs.

Not just a machine for today, the new generation of Volvo articulated haulers is future-enabled thanks to a new software architecture which allows customers to adapt to changing needs and seamlessly incorporate future upgrades and new smart solutions. This ensures that their equipment stays up to date with cutting-edge technology.

Market dynamics and support

Traditionally, the coalfields of Mpumalanga, South Africa, have been a core market for Babcock, representing a significant installed base of Volvo articulated haulers operating in the region. However,

sustained inflationary pressure has materially impacted contract mining margins, with operating costs rising faster than revenue growth.

Although inflation has begun to ease, elevated input costs continue to constrain profitability. A strengthening rand has added further complexity for coal producers –reducing export earnings while marginally lowering the cost of imported equipment and fuel. The net effect is ongoing margin pressure across the sector.

In this environment, mining contractors are increasingly focused on extending asset life, improving uptime and extracting greater value from existing fleets rather than investing in new equipment.

“As margins tighten, customers are looking for reliability and cost predictability,” says O’Reilly. “That is where the combination of a quality Volvo product and Babcock’s aftermarket capability becomes critical – it allows customers to maximise utilisation while maintaining operational efficiency and cost control.”

While coal remains a key sector for Babcock, the company is also seeing growing opportunity in energy transition commodities. Demand for minerals such as lithium, uranium cobalt and copper is projected to rise significantly as electrification and renewable energy projects expand globally.

“Critical minerals represent an important growth area for us. This year, we are introducing flexible equipment financing solutions and strengthening our regional support footprint to assist customers investing in these sectors,” concludes O’Reilly. a

DELIVERING

LIFETIME VALUE A

In a generally tough operating environment – defined by economic volatility, high fuel prices, complex regulatory pressures, an acute shortage of drivers and intense competition – profitability is not merely a goal, but a necessity for survival for truck owners. With that in mind, UD Trucks Southern Africa has placed Total Profit Over Lifetime (TPOL), a strategic approach that goes beyond simply reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), at the centre of its value proposition. By Munesu Shoko.

s economic pressures and market volatility continue to shape the transport industry, UD Trucks Southern Africa has identified TPOL as a strategic focus area to enable truck owners to run profitable organisations in the face of unpredictability.

Speaking at this year’s UD Trucks Media Engagement attended by Quarrying Africa, Filip Van den Heede, MD of UD Trucks Southern Africa, stressed that profitability is the difference between simply driving a truck and running a sustainable business that can withstand market volatility for the long haul.

Traditionally, one of the foundational metrics in the day-to-day running of a fleet-driven business has always been TCO. UD Trucks’ approach, says Van den Heede, looks beyond TCO and places value on total profit over the lifetime of an asset because TCO is just a measure of

55

UD

97%

UD Trucks Southern Africa maintains a remarkable 97% parts availability

KEY TAKEAWAYS

UD Trucks Southern Africa has identified TPOL as a strategic focus area to enable truck owners to run profitable organisations in the face of unpredictability

TPOL is a measure of profitability over the entire lifetime of the asset

Profitability is the difference between simply driving a truck and running a sustainable business that can withstand market volatility for the long haul

Uptime is not solely determined by the quality of the vehicle. It is also influenced by the OEM’s dealer footprint

operational expenses, whereas TPOL measures revenue generation – a better indicator of operational success in a high-cost industry. Central to TPOL is not just costs, but also uptime, which impacts productivity.

TPOL in detail

Sanjay Naipal, Aftermarket Director at UD Trucks Southern Africa, tells Quarrying Africa that TPOL is a measure of profitability over the entire lifetime of the asset – be it during the period the customer finances the truck, or over an extended period (that is if they choose to run it beyond the financing period).

According to Naipal, key drivers of TPOL can be grouped into two. On the one hand, it is the cost aspect – a combination of the capital cost of the vehicle, cost of the trailer, insurance, fuel, maintenance and resale value.

To better manage these costs, the industry has

traditionally cast the spotlight on TCO – a comprehensive financial estimate that calculates the total cost of an asset over its entire lifecycle, combining the initial purchase price with ongoing operating, maintenance, and disposal costs. “When it comes to TPOL, cost is one aspect of the equation,” says Naipal.

On the other side of the profitability equation is asset utilisation – keeping the truck on the road. Maximising truck uptime is the cornerstone for ensuring high productivity and ultimately profitability in the transportation industry. A vehicle that is consistently available minimises the high costs associated with unexpected breakdowns, costly emergency repairs or rentals, and potential reputational damage.

To provide context, Naipal says that, based on a UD profitability model, the cost of running a typical long-haul truck can amount to about R318 000 per month, including finance instalments, insurance, fuel, licences, driver remuneration, toll fees, and maintenance, amongst others. Working on a typical margin of 4-8% over the 52 weeks in a year means that only four weeks is dedicated to profit making, with the rest of the time being about paying for the truck and the related operational costs.

“Given this scenario, if the truck stands for one week in a year, 25% of the profit is gone,” says Naipal. “Four weeks of downtime can wipe out the customer’s profitability for the year. There is generally a big focus on the cost side, which is understandable, but equally important is uptime, a critical metric in achieving TPOL,” explains Naipal.

Uptime drivers

That the quality of the vehicle is a foundational parameter to ensuring it remains on the road, rather than sitting in a repair shop, is no overstatement. However, Naipal cautions that, beyond quality, there are

other key drivers in maximising uptime. These include a strong dealer footprint, parts availability, proactive maintenance planning and connected services for datadriven decisions, amongst others.

“Uptime is not solely determined by the quality of the vehicle. It is also influenced by the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM’s) dealer footprint. For example, driving 200 km to get to the nearest dealer represents lost time and unnecessary fuel costs, which reduces the truck owner’s shot at profitability,” says Naipal.

On the back of this understanding, UD Trucks Southern Africa continues to invest in its dealer network, recognising that strong retail environments are critical not only to uptime, but also customer experience. The OEM has a network of 40 dealers in South Africa alone, with a further 15 in the rest of the region, stretching up to Kenya.

Recent milestones in dealer development include the opening of CMH Commercial Pinetown’s new dealership; the McCarthy Commercial Boksburg dealership upgrade, enhancing service capability; as well as a major expansion at McCarthy Commercial Alrode, increasing workshop and parts capacity. Additional facility improvements are underway in Richards Bay, Worcester, Kimberley, Bloemfontein and Port Shepstone, confirms Naipal.

Having a strong dealer network is one thing, but availability of trained personnel to perform the necessary services is quite another. UD Trucks Southern Africa places a strong emphasis on dealer development through extensive investment in training. To provide context, a total of 2 799 dealer staff was trained in 2025, with a further 27 receiving leadership development training.

Parts availability, he adds, is another critical element of maximising truck uptime, directly influencing how quickly a vehicle can return to service following maintenance or unexpected failure. UD Trucks Southern Africa maintains 97% parts availability.

“We measure our parts availability against the orders placed,” explains Naipal. “If an order comes and is immediately fulfilled, it is categorised as a ‘one’. If a parts order is not fulfilled, it is marked as a ‘zero’. A 97% parts availability therefore speaks volumes about our commitment to customer uptime and profitability.”

Data-driven decisions

The importance of data-driven decisions in maximising truck uptime cannot be stressed enough, says Naipal. Through UD’s Connected Services such as My UD Fleet, truck owners have a ‘pulse’ on their missioncritical assets. With easy navigation, data analytics and powerful tools at their disposal, they have everything they need to manage their assets and maximise profitability.

My UD Fleet, a UD in-house developed platform, has over the years evolved beyond just a fleet management solution to include other third-party features unique to the local market. For example, fuel theft is a major concern for any fleet operator in South Africa and the region at large. In response, UD Trucks Southern Africa has installed an anti-siphoning device which employs a ball valve principle to prevent fuel theft.

Another notable addition coming to My UD Fleet this year is the camera system for better safety and driver management. The system will help fleet managers detect driver fatigue, distractions and speeding, in real time. The camera system, adds Naipal, will also come in handy in incident investigation by providing objective, highdefinition video evidence of events before, during, and after an accident, which helps determine liability and protects companies from false insurance claims or staged accidents.

As part of its Uptime 2.0 strategy, UD Trucks Southern Africa is testing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform – a proactive workshop programme for breakdown prevention. Trucks, says Naipal, already produce a lot of data, which will be fed into the AI platform that keeps learning, and predicts breakdowns based on fault codes or diagnostic trouble codes provided.

“We are currently in the testing phase with the AI platform. We started with three customers, but we realised that there were not enough fault codes in those fleets from which the platform could learn. We have therefore expanded it to all our Service Agreements customers, which gives us a bigger pool of trucks and fault codes to analyse. Once we get the data accuracy right, we will then roll it out commercially,” concludes Naipal. a

Enclosed systems with inspection doors protect workers from fugitive material hazards while they check operation.

HOW SAFETY IMPROVES CONVEYOR PRODUCTION

Engineers have spent decades attempting to design, install and maintain belt conveyor components that eliminate fugitive materials to improve the working environment, reduce accidents, and increase productivity. Why? It is estimated that 85% of belt conveyor maintenance and production problems are related to fugitive materials – dust, spillage and carryback. Accordingly, a similar percentage of conveyor safety issues arise from these same fugitive materials. By Todd Swinderman, President Emeritus, and Daniel Marshall, Product Engineer, Martin Engineering.

The number of workplace injuries has taken a steep decline over the last century, but we have reached a point of diminishing returns. To achieve the next level of improvement in reducing conveyor accidents, the approach to these complex systems must change, including the way conveyors are specified, designed, purchased, operated and maintained.

Root causes

It has been observed that there are five root causes of workplace injuries and fatalities which lead directly to an increased release of fugitive materials. These fugitive materials result in scenarios that encourage workers to potentially react unsafely. These five root causes are: a ‘production first’ culture, ‘low bid’ purchasing, needlessly complex designs,

over-regulation, and understaffed or undertrained personnel.

Production-first culture: When the focus is on production at the cost of all else, it is no wonder that workers take risks to keep conveyors running. Corporate slogans touting workplace safety and environmentalism become a smoke screen for what the workers really see: production comes before safety. Obviously, the reason a company operates is production. So, to counter the hypocrisy, corporations would be better off admitting up front that production is the focus. A better and more realistic goal would be ‘production done safely.’

Low-bid purchasing: A poor management culture starts in the boardroom, where decisions on capital expenditures are typically based on feasibility studies that only consider direct costs as identified by conventional accounting practices. Historically,

85%

It is estimated that 85% of belt conveyor maintenance and production problems are related to fugitive materials – dust, spillage and carryback

MTBF

Generally, the size of a maintenance crew is based on Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) for major pieces of equipment, based on the illogical conclusion that workers can maintain all the minor components of the system in their ‘spare’ time

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The number of workplace injuries has taken a steep decline over the last century, but we have reached a point of diminishing returns

To achieve the next level of improvement in reducing conveyor accidents, the approach to these complex systems must change

When the focus is on production at the cost of all else, it is no wonder that workers take risks to keep conveyors running

purchasing decisions are almost universally based on a ‘low bid’ process. The details are left to be resolved as operating costs (and often maintenance expenses) and are not thoroughly considered in the engineering or construction phases.

In the long run, the cost of ‘buying cheap’ can get very expensive. A low-bid system often fails to deliver the required production capacity, while also posing greater hazards to workers. In fact, low-bid designs often turn out to be the costliest, because they can generate significant expenses for subsequent modifications as a result of issues discovered during trials and start-up. Instead, the focus should be on lowest cost over the life of the system.

Needlessly complex designs: Complexity does not necessarily improve safety. Simple designs are often harder to realise, but the extra design time required to simplify the operation, and maintenance of conveyor components that directly affect production and cleanliness, has an enormous payoff. Unfortunately, the same benefits are almost impossible to incorporate in low bid designs, due to the intersection of the customer perception that those benefits ‘cost too much’ and the supplier’s need to ‘win the bid.’

Over-regulation: Industry groups and associations, standards-writing organisations, countries, states and cities have issued thousands of pages of performancebased safety regulations. In many cases, rules within a country contradict each other or are not applicable to the industry in which they are enforced.

The effort required for suppliers to comply with the myriad of rules is immense, and these efforts are often negated by the varying opinions of a multitude of inspectors. Conforming to the complicated assortment of regulations and passing opinion-based inspections becomes problematic at best. But it seems clear that countries with specification-based standards have

A poor management culture starts in the boardroom, where decisions on capital expenditures are typically based on feasibility studies that only consider direct costs as identified by conventional accounting practices

lower fatality rates.

Understaffed or undertrained personnel: The lack of adequate funding for maintenance is endemic in the bulk materials handling industry. Millions are spent on components, yet these investments are often made without the added maintenance budget needed to keep the components in a sound and safe operating condition. Generally, the size of a maintenance crew is based on Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) for major pieces of equipment, based on the illogical conclusion that workers can maintain all the minor components of the system in their ‘spare’ time.

Production done safely

Regrettably, most equipment is not designed for easy inspection or safe maintenance. As a result, during scheduled production outages – which are becoming shorter and less frequent in the false belief that running ‘flat out’ increases production – maintenance of minor components must often be deferred due to access conflicts, lack of time, or budgetary constraints. This further reduces components’ functionality, often to the point where they become both useless and unrepairable.

Conveyors are powerful systems designed to be rugged and durable to deliver near-constant operation, and the belt can be dragged across piles of dirt or inoperative idlers for extended periods of time, as long as the major functions are kept running. If the components critical to maintaining a clean and safe work environment were made service-friendly and installed with adequate access, much of the beneficial maintenance could be

Performance versus specification-based standards.

done safely while the conveyor is in operation. While most maintenance workers are skilled technicians, they rarely understand the conveyor holistically. Conveyors are complex, integrated systems; a change to one component will often have unintended consequences for others, affecting the rest of the system. Without a complete understanding of how conveyors are designed and components selected, maintenance becomes an exercise in finding the longest-lasting ‘band aids’ to treat the symptoms rather than solving the root causes. Before long, an accumulation of bad choices in treating symptoms results in a system that cannot operate at maximum efficiency. Treating symptoms shortens component life – often it is belt life that is sacrificed – resulting in the need for increased spare parts, which in turn increases the need for maintenance labour. The evidence of this misguided approach is easy to find – walk through a plant and look for the red tags on inoperative equipment. Chances are the tags are dated months – if not years – prior. Equipment is left begging for the maintenance attention that only arrives sporadically.

Safety pays

A conveyor improvement investment would rarely be justified on safety alone, and current financial analyses do not include safety in a meaningful way. We have reached a point where engineering controls, additional regulations and protective equipment are no longer sufficient to continue the trend of improving safety –

instead, we must change the way we address conveyor systems.

This change must include the way conveyor components are specified, designed, purchased, operated, and maintained. Only through this approach can conveyor operators achieve the next level of improvement in reducing accidents.

An in-depth financial analysis shows that additional design time (to address the above root causes), and purchasing based ontrue lifecycle costs (for longevity), will have a high return over time. Increased worker safety is a by-product of this methodology. With this increase in design time, the altered purchasing habits and the increase in safety are used in the financial justification as inputs, and the return on investment is much higher than with rapid designs and low bid.

This mathematical phenomenon is exhibiting itself in reality. A survey of the literature indicates that companies which truly focus on safety in the design and practice are more productive and operate cleaner, safer facilities. This sets them ahead of their competitors, contributing to a higher share price. Conveyor-owning companies must be committed to making conveyors as safe as possible, in order to maximise earnings and value.

When combined, an altered way of looking at accidents financially, a change in design methodology, and a change in purchasing methodology, will allow a conveyor operator to create a safer environment, increase efficiency and achieve the goal of “production done safely”. a

BROADENING

THE HAULING PORTFOLIO

Renowned for its wide variety of hauling systems and solutions for the quarrying and surface mining industry at large, Caterpillar has expanded its portfolio with the launch of its Cat 707 wide body truck. Angel Gonzalez Suarez, Global Product Specialist, Load & Haul Products at Caterpillar, tells Quarrying Africa that the Cat 707 – the first model in the Cat wide body truck line up – marks Caterpillar’s first foray into the wide body truck market and broadens the company’s hauling systems portfolio.

By

Munesu Shoko.

66 t

The optimised Cat engine, Cat transmission and Cat axles deliver a 66-t maximum payload capacity, making the Cat 707 an affordable hauler that can lower cost per tonne

Tier 3

The new Cat 707 is available for select regions with US EPA Tier 3 and equivalent emissions standards, including Africa, Middle East, Asia Pacific, South America, Southeast Asia and Eurasia

6

The Cat 707 wide body truck’s six-speed automatic transmission can be equipped with an optional integrated hydraulic retarder

n the yellow metal equipment space, Caterpillar is one of the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that has always led the way in hauling solutions. In fact, the company offers a wide variety of hauling systems and solutions for the quarrying industry that are designed to increase productivity, lower total cost of ownership, and provide customers with increased profitability.

For the African quarrying market, says Suarez, a new addition to the Cat product line has been introduced in 2026, supporting quarry sites with more choices of products designed for their operations to help them navigate some of the toughest challenges. Latest from Caterpillar is the 66-tonne (t) Cat 707 wide body truck – the first of its nature in the Cat hauling solutions range. It is available for select regions with US EPA Tier 3 and equivalent emissions standards, including Africa, Middle East, Asia Pacific, South

America, Southeast Asia and Eurasia.

“Wide body trucks’ ideal application is quarries with horizontal layouts where flat hauls and lower grades on ramps are the order of the day. In such an environment, wide body trucks are perfect for overburden campaigns, stockpile management, and flat haulage from face to crusher in single-face quarries. The optimised Cat engine, Cat transmission and Cat axles deliver a 66-t maximum payload capacity, making the Cat 707 an affordable hauler that can lower cost per tonne,” says Suarez.

Cat 707 in detail

Built for long life and high uptime availability, the new Cat 707 wide body truck features a fully integrated Cat powertrain, including a Cat C13 engine, a Cat automatic transmission, and proprietary Cat axles. With its 66-tonne maximum payload, the new wide body truck design offers the option of standard or heavy-duty configurations and the choice of 40- or 42-m³ sizes to match the material and jobsite conditions.

“Caterpillar engineered this new wide body truck with a unique philosophy:

With its 66-tonne maximum payload, the new Cat 707 wide body truck design offers the option of standard or heavy-duty configurations.

Wide body trucks’ ideal application is quarries with horizontal layouts where flat hauls and lower grades on ramps are the order of the day. In such an environment, wide body trucks are perfect for overburden campaigns, stockpile management and flat haulage from face to crusher in single-face quarries.

KEY POINTS

Latest from Caterpillar is the 66-t Cat 707 wide body truck – the first of its nature in the Cat hauling solutions range

Built for long life and high uptime availability, the new Cat 707 wide body truck features a fully integrated Cat powertrain, including a Cat C13 engine, a Cat automatic transmission, and proprietary Cat axles

The new wide body truck joins an already formidable line up of Cat articulated dump trucks with a payload range from 30- to 45-t. The range comprises the 730, 735, 740 and 745 models

The line of Cat off-highway trucks designed for quarries includes models with payload ranges from 30 up to 100 tonnes, with the 773 (60-t payload) and 777 (100-t payload) being the most popular models in African quarries

it is built to be rebuilt, offering consistent mechanical availability from Cat powertrain components and longevity through a second lifecycle,” says Suarez. The Cat 707 can be configured with the 400-kW Cat C13B engine to meet China Nonroad Stage IV emissions standards or the 358-kW C13, which emits equivalent to US EPA Tier 3 regulations. Both options include a

The Cat 730 EJ allows operators to eject statically on grades and side slopes with minimal carryback.

standard engine brake set at a high rating. The truck’s six-speed automatic transmission can be equipped with an optional integrated hydraulic retarder.

For reliability, the 707 features proprietary Cat axles, integrated Cat powertrain controllers, and Cat wiring and electric harnesses. Three brake and retardation levels – integrated Cat engine brake, optional Cat hydraulic retarder, and parking and service brakes –provide superior downhill loaded control for enhanced safety and faster hauling cycles.

The new 707 offers ideal pass matches with Cat 986, 988 and 988 XE loaders and Cat 350, 374 and 395 excavators for improved productivity.

The new wide body truck’s left-side operator seat placement and optional right-side instructor seat provide easier operation and comfort for the operator and trainer. The cab features sturdy, four-point mounting and protection is provided by a standard falling object protective structure (FOPS) and optional rollover protective structure (ROPS) for enhanced safety. An available reversing camera helps improve manoeuvring safety.

Automatic shifting with simple gear selection transmission controls helps to increase efficiency, and the truck’s hoist system offers fast, 20-second raise and lower cycle times to quickly unload material.

The fully integrated Cat powertrain components are mounted onto a durable, reinforced chassis. When coupled with flexible Cat Customer Value Agreements (CVAs), customers can achieve higher uptime during the new truck’s service life, while maintaining reliable mechanical performance and longevity through a second lifecycle.

When shutting down the truck safely, a ground-level engine shut-off switch stops fuel to the engine when activated.

Grouped service points help customers spend less time and money on maintenance. The new 707

wide body truck offers parts commonality with other Cat machines with common C13 engine, CX31RT transmission, and common cab. LED lights provide longer life and brighter illumination with less power consumption and are more resistant to vibration and water damage.

Formidable ADT Line up

The new wide body truck joins an already formidable line up of Cat articulated dump trucks (ADTs) with a payload range from 30- to 45-t. The range comprises the 730, 735, 740 and 745 models, and the line includes two ejector dump truck models ideal for earthmoving.

The three-axle articulated trucks are well-suited to handle steep grades, rough terrain and generally poor haul conditions. This all-round versatility makes articulated trucks a preferred option for the varying conditions of many quarry operations in Africa.

“Cat articulated trucks bring a suite of machine features such as Cat Operator Coaching to assist operators for safer and more efficient operations. The unique Dynamic Roll Protection supports rollover prevention and works in parallel with the already successful Cat Detect with Stability Assist, thus reducing downtime and any repairs that may be required from machine rollover events,” says Suarez.

Off-highway trucks

Caterpillar’s off-highway trucks are well-suited to haul a wide range of material types with multiple liner choices and rated payload capacities. These trucks reach the highest speeds on well-maintained haul roads in quarry and aggregate sites, making them the ideal choice for primary production process, hauling material from face to crusher in high production environments, whether sites have flat haulage, long uphill stretches or downhill grades.

“The superior power to weight ratio and higher retarding capabilities make highway trucks ideal for sites with high production rates in any site layout,” says Suarez.

The line of Cat off-highway trucks designed for quarries includes models with payload ranges from 30 up to 100 tonnes, with the 773 (60-t payload) and 777 (100-t payload) being the most popular models in African quarries.

“Cat durable chassis allow for multiple powertrain rebuilds; this makes it possible for the Cat rigid frame trucks to run for several lifecycles in quarry sites. This ability to run much higher hours than other types of models, means Cat off-highway trucks can deliver a lower cost per tonne,” concludes Suarez. a

NEW CONTINENTAL STANDARD

LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN AFRICA A

POWERING FULL ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

Client Northwest Crushers, Vryburg, Northern Cape Sector Heavy industry - quarrying, materials processing, brick and readymix manufacturing

Energy is now a structural risk to industrial performance. At Northwest Crushers, Eco Trades removed that risk entirely — delivering a fully off-grid solar and battery system to power all operations independently.

Challenge

As Northwest Crushers expanded, energy became a critical bottleneck. Unreliable municipal supply could not support full production, forcing reliance on diesel generators. Power trips, fuel volatility, and equipment damage disrupted operations, increased costs, and threatened long-term stability.

The Eco Trades Solution

Engineered to match site demands and future growth, the system has run uninterrupted since November 2025 — with zero grid dependency.

Eco Trades designed, supplied, and installed a 1.3 MW solar plant paired with 2.3 MWh battery storage (scalable to 3.6 MWh), powering the crushing plant, brickworks, readymix, offices, and all site infrastructure.

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AT SCALE

System Capacity: 1.3 MW solar + 2.3 MWh battery (scalable to 3.6 MWh)

Covers:

• Static crushing plant

• Brick manufacturing

• Readymix facility

• Offices & utilities

Uninterrupted, surge-free power protects critical equipment and enables continuous industrial operation.

Removing Power as a Limiting Factor:

With stable energy, Northwest Crushers now operates at full production capacity (up to 220 tonnes/hour) without constraint. The system stabilised output, eliminated downtime, and enabled better planning across all units and enables continuous industrial operation.

INDEPENDENCE AT SCALE

Covers:

• Zero unplanned outages

• No generator use

• Protected equipment

• Fixed long-term costs

• Payback in 6–8 years

• Reduced environmental impact

Energy is no longer a vulnerability — it’s a strategic advantage.

From Diesel Dependency to Predictable Power

The shift to solar and battery storage removed all generator reliance, fuel volatility, and electrical instability. Energy costs are now consistent and tariff-proof.

Breaking Free from the Grid

The shift to solar and battery storage removed all generator reliance, fuel volatility, and electrical instability. Energy costs are now consistent and tariff-proof.

Energy as the Backbone of Performance

With power secured, the site has unlocked new operational consistency. Energy now supports every productivity gain across the business.

Setting a New Industrial Benchmark

This project proves solar and battery energy isn’t just viable — it’s essential. Eco Trades has delivered more than a solution. It’s a new standard for industrial energy resilience and control.

CNC engine block machining enables the resurfacing and reboring of old blocks back to OEM specification.

TECHNOLOGY

Barloworld Equipment, the southern African dealer for Caterpillar, has invested R68-million in several operational upgrades, technology enhancements and skills development initiatives at its Barloworld Rebuild Centre (BRC). The investment into the BRC, which was opened in 2012, has supported the company’s rebuild efficiency and precision, with the overall goal of extending equipment lifecycles for its southern African customers. By Chantelle Kotze

Located in Boksburg, on the East Rand of Gauteng province, South Africa, the BRC remanufactures an average of 2 000 components each year for Caterpillar’s mining and construction equipment, ensuring that Barloworld Equipment can efficiently support the more than 24 000 Caterpillar assets in the southern African region.

As a Caterpillar dealer, the company provides its customers with the necessary technical support and parts availability to reduce equipment mean time to repair and provide the highest uptime for its customers. The BRC plays a key role in that, states Kamogelo Mmutlana,

Executive Head for Business Excellence at Barloworld Equipment.

58 000 l

A competitive value proposition

With a staff complement of about 250 people, including contractors, and a 30 000 m² under-roof facility, the BRC focuses on large mining equipment components and has the capability to rebuild hydraulic systems, drivetrains and associated components, as well as engines. These include Caterpillar’s largest C175 20-cylinder engine, which powers the 797F mining haul truck.

Mmutlana explains that by the time a component finds its way to the BRC, it

2 000

The BRC remanufactures an average of 2 000 components each year for Caterpillar’s mining and construction equipment

1 9%

Barloworld has invested over R16-million in the installation of over 1 MWp of rooftop solar at the BRC, reducing the BRC’s electricity bill by 19% year-on-year

would have typically reached the end of its economic life. Traditionally, these would be disposed of and replaced, but the BRC has the technology and capability to rebuild these components to a Caterpillar certified ‘as new’ state, complete with a full Caterpillar warranty. In general, this is achieved at a cost of between 55% to 75% of the price of a new component, depending on the maintenance practices.

Through investment in its advanced salvage capabilities to repair and refurbish high value parts, Barloworld is promoting the rebuilding and reuse of components. This aligns with the company’s commitment to a circular economy and sustainability. By focusing on component reuse, Barloworld aims to reduce its environmental impact, first through the reuse of salvageable components, and secondly through the responsible disposal of end-of-life components and equipment.

Barloworld’s investment in enhancing the BRC’s service offering gives customers an option to either repair components economically or to undertake a complete rebuild, instead of buying new parts or equipment at a high cost. The BRC’s primary business model is built on an exchange programme where old components are exchanged for off-the-shelf rebuilt components.

“The enhanced BRC service offering, together with an extensive parts stockholding and a rebuilt component exchange programme, directly reduce customer downtime, ensuring equipment returns to operation faster,” Mmutlana says.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Barloworld is advancing the Barloworld Rebuild Centre through operational upgrades, technology enhancements, targeted skills development initiatives and digital integration

The BRC specialises in large mining equipment components and has the capability to rebuild hydraulic systems, drivetrains and their associated components, as well as engines

The BRC has the technology and capability to remanufacture components to a Caterpillar-certified ‘as-new’ standard, supported by a full Caterpillar warranty

This investment into the BRC is aimed at bolstering rebuild capacity and reducing component rebuild turnaround times

Enhanced machining capability

Through the purchase of 12 new, state-of-the-art pieces of equipment, including a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine and a robotic thermal arc spray, Barloworld is now able to internally machine and repair all engine blocks and heads, inspect and repair all crankshafts, as well as undertake machining of components and arc spraying in-house.

“This investment not only strengthens our rebuild

capacity and reduces our component rebuild turnaround times, but also allows us to bring key processes in-house, giving us greater quality control and service flexibility,” Mmutlana says.

As a Caterpillar Certified Component Rebuild Centre, the BRC is the main component rebuild hub and is supported by 11 other smaller component refurbishing centres throughout southern Africa. The BRC supports the South African market as well as seven other southern African countries with specialised component rebuild services, including Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi and at times, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The BRC is also the largest component rebuild facility within the Barloworld Equipment global dealer network and has successfully achieved its third consecutive Caterpillar Dealer Component Rebuild Centre recertification for 2025.

“Any piece of equipment that stops production is our focus at the BRC,” Mmutlana says. For example, if a component fails in the field and a customer does not want to exchange the component for a rebuilt one, these are then prioritised for repairs, he adds.

Improved technical capability and training

Following Barloworld’s investment in high-precision engineering, the next phase of investment at the BRC will focus on advanced electronic tooling technology for artisans. These smart tools, used in conjunction with an automated mobile assembly station, will be capable of receiving and transmitting data. This will guide artisans through predefined assembly procedures, enhancing accuracy and ensuring the high-quality standards essential for effective repair.

These smart tools will not only improve worker safety and ergonomics, but also enhance assembly quality, and turnaround efficiency.

Furthermore, Barloworld is looking to build additional technical capacity at the BRC through a ‘train-to-task’ approach, designed to help address South Africa’s skills deficit. This model focuses on training technically inclined individuals to perform specific technical tasks, enabling the rapid development of targeted, job-ready expertise.

Meanwhile, digitising the BRC’s operations remains an ongoing priority for Barloworld, with further investment planned in smart equipment and management systems that will enable end-to-end digital integration

from production planning through to execution, Mmutlana says.

Moreover, Mmutlana says Barloworld’s investment at the BRC also includes the renewal of its existing 6 000-hp dynamometer for engine performance testing, complementing its existing 3 000-hp dynamometer. These enable the testing of small to medium construction engines through to the largest C175 20-cylinder engines used in the large mining haul trucks and power generation applications.

Focus on sustainability

To ensure that the BRC aligns with Barloworld’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy, the company has invested in several sustainability initiatives, including water and waste management and renewable energy.

The company has invested over R16-million in the installation of more than 1 MWp of rooftop solar, reducing the BRC’s electricity bill by 19% year-on-year. It has also installed a rainwater-harvesting system with a capacity of 58 000 l, which is used for washing components and equipment. This water is recycled and reused, significantly reducing the facility’s reliance on municipal supply.

In addition, the BRC operates under a stringent waste-management protocol that ensures as much waste as possible is recycled, supporting the company’s longer-term goal of achieving zero waste to landfill. a

SAVE THE DATE

Welcome to our international guests from United Kingdom | New Zealand | Hong Kong Australia | Malaysia

Annual conference & exhibition

Venue: SCAN QR CODE FOR DIRECTIONS

Elangeni Hotel Snell Parade, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

16 - 17 APRIL 2026

OUR CONFERENCE will feature international speakers from The Institute of Quarrying affiliated branches from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Including 2 Keynote addresses and other industry presentations.

Our theme for the year is “Thriving in Uncertainty”.

OUR EXHIBITION will feature 36 stands and will be open for the duration of the conference.

Young Professionals – We will host a group of young professionals from Australia, New Zealand and other affiliated branches of the Institute of Quarrying. They will visit operations in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

TAKING THE LEAD

South Africa is now the global manufacturing hub for Weir’s advanced ENDURON Elite banana screens, following major investment in the Alrode facility – the first in the world dedicated to this range. Driven by a £53-million Reko Diq contract, the expansion adds 1 600 m² of production space and leverages local expertise, advanced technology and a strengthened supply chain.

The Alrode expansion adds a further 1 600 m² of dedicated production space under roof, equipped with two 63-tonne gantry cranes operating at a clearance height of 18,5 m, according to Alandré van Vuuren, Integrated Supply Chain Director at Weir. This strategic upgrade was driven by a landmark £53-million contract awarded to Weir by Barrick’s Reko Diq copper-gold project in Pakistan, which includes the supply of fine grinding, separation, and tailings solutions.

“The advanced technological capability and rigorous quality assurance at our Alrode plant – together with our robust local and regional supply chain - enabled us

to manufacture the first two ENDURON Elite screens even before completion of the expansion,” says Van Vuuren. “We already had the specialised expertise and equipment in place, including a laser facility capable of cutting the massive 12 m by 5 m side plates. In parallel, we ran a targeted supplier development programme to further strengthen and empower our local supply partners.”

The outcomes of this process were rigorously assessed and audited by both an independent third party and Weir’s own technical team, clearing the way for the expansion which commenced in early 2025.

Construction has required substantial earthworks and piling, with excavations reaching two storeys

below ground to accommodate the concrete and steel structure of a 1 000-tonne (t) plinth. This specialised plinth is engineered to absorb the intense vibration forces generated by the exciters during product testing.

Expansion in detail

The expansion has created two dedicated assembly stations for the high capacity double deck ENDURON Elite screens – each weighing nearly 50 t, with deck dimensions of up to 4,3 m wide by 8,5 m long.

“This expansion marks a significant boost to South Africa’s manufacturing capacity,” he says. “Facilities with heavy engineering capability and crane clearance at these heights are rare in the country, yet they are essential to support the ambitious manufacturing plans we are rolling out at Alrode.”

The upgraded facility enables the safe and efficient assembly of large screen components such as the subframe, screen body, screen deck and exciters, with completed units reaching heights of over 15 m, Van Vuuren notes.

The new production bays will have the capacity to manufacture at least two ENDURON Elite screens per

month - without disrupting Alrode’s ongoing output of small, medium and large screens across the broader ENDURON range.

“Our production for the first half of 2026 will be dedicated to fulfilling the Reko Diq contract, but market interest in our larger ENDURON Elite screens is already strong,” he says. “We anticipate ramping up production soon and have deliberately designed the facility to accommodate future capacity upgrades as demand grows.”

Advancing development

Weir is advancing the development of its Alrode plant in line with its strong sustainability commitments, with the expanded facility serving as one of the company’s pilot sites for water-based paint application. This shift helps lower carbon emissions across both the production process and supply chain, he notes, supporting Weir’s global target of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2030.

“The facility is running entirely on renewable energy from a solar power generation system - with the only exception being the variable speed drive used to start up the screens,” he says. Van Vuuren emphasises the broader economic benefits of the expansion, from boosting local procurement and export earnings to creating jobs and developing skills. While most of the ENDURON Elite screens produced at Alrode will be destined for export, nearly all components and materials are sourced locally.

“The expansion opened up around 40 new technical positions at Alrode, including roles in screen assembly, hand-lining and painting,” Van Vuuren explains. “We upskilled some of our current employees as assemblers and fitters – giving them a path into formal trades and supporting career growth from within. At the same time, we are creating opportunities for new entrants in lowerskilled roles, with a focus on developing their potential over time.” a

AfriSam

AfriSam is a leading construction materials group in southern Africa. Since establishing its first cement plant in 1934, the company has grown into a formidable construction materials group with operations in South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. www.afrisam.co.za

Babcock

Through several business units, Babcock offers a range of products and services, including construction and mining equipment, engineering solutions for steam generation and power plants, crane hire and gear rental, industrial generators, welding equipment and DAF truck sales and service www.babcock.co.za

Booyco Electronics

With more than 16 years of experience in Proximity Detection Systems solutions, Booyco Electronics has supplied over 6 500 sets of mining vehicle equipment installations across southern Africa, as well as more than 55 000 pedestrian RFID installations. www.booyco-electronics.co.za

VEI Group

In 1986, when VEI pioneered On Board Weighing Solutions and Payload Monitoring, we based them on the knowledge we acquired by listening to customers so that we took particular care of the details that make their jobs easier and our products simpler to use. www.veigroup.com/en

Loadtech

LOADTECH Load cells Onboard Weighing are specialists in onboard weighing providing complete solutions onboard your heavy goods vehicle, primarily in the application of load cell and transducer systems for payload protection and accuracy in the commercial vehicle sector. www.loadtech.co.za

JBI Industrial Solutions

JBI Industrial Solutions specialises in a diverse range of weighing systems in partnership with PFREUNDT GmbH. We provide solutions for both mobile and static weighing needs. The PFREUNDT weighing systems are versatile and deliver significant benefits across various industries, including extraction, disposal, recycling, industry and agriculture. www.jbisolutions.co.za

Pilot Crushtec International

Pilot Crushtec International (Pty) Ltd is South Africa’s leading supplier of mobile and semi-mobile crushing, screening, recycling, sand washing, stockpiling, compacting and material handling solutions. www.pilotcrushtec.com

Sandvik

Sandvik Rock Processing is a leading supplier of equipment, tools, parts, service and solutions for processing rock and minerals in the mining and infrastructure industries. Applications include crushing, screening, breaking and demolition. www.rockprocessing.sandvik/en

Astec

Astec Industries has been a global leader in providing innovative Rock to Road™ solutions since 1972, specialising in equipment for asphalt road building and aggregate processing. www.astecindustries.com

John Deere

John Deere offers a comprehensive range of construction equipment, including ADT’s, excavators, loaders, dozers, graders, skid steers and TLB’s, designed to enhance productivity, efficiency, and performance on job sites of all sizes. www.deere.africa/en/construction

Weir Minerals

Weir Minerals Africa offers a wide range of equipment solutions including pumps, hydrocyclones, valves, dewatering equipment, wear-resistant linings, rubber products, screens and crushers – backed throughout the product lifecycle by high levels of aftermarket support. www.global.weir

BME

For over 40 years, BME has been at the forefront of mining innovation, delivering cutting-edge solutions in commercial blasting and mining chemical processing. As a trusted partner in the industry, we provide a comprehensive range of products and services designed to enhance safety, efficiency, and sustainability in mining operations worldwide. www.bme.co.za

Martin's Foundations Learning Center helps mining facilities across the globe prevent unscheduled downtime, costly production delays, and the loss of potential revenue.

Martin’s at-your-fingertips instruction options address belt conveyor operation, equipment maintenance, material flow issues, safety protocols, and more. Webinars, virtual sessions, and online classes — conducted by factorytrained, industry-certified professionals — provide your staff with the training to maximize operational efficiency. Log on to learn more.

Designed with a unique combination of power and intelligence the TA 230 features market leading technology, an innovative weighing system, automatic traction contre, hill start assist, not to mention the superior cabin design to leave your operator feeling good. Simply put, a perfect mix of agility with outstanding performance.