In the high-stakes mining environment, where an hour of downtime from any key production machine can reduce output and revenue, the integration of technology and logistics is drastically reducing return-to-service timelines and maximising mobility uptime.
FX Laubscher, head of Industrial Aftermarket for Turkey, India, MEA and CIS regions at ZF Aftermarket. Supplied by ZF
A major structural shift currently underway in South Africa’s mining capital equipment sector is catalysing a transformational change in the industry. Driven by demand for technology-driven innovation and automation in South Africa’s rich mineral resources sector, Asian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), particularly those from China, are gaining significant market share.
“By leveraging their lower-cost, high-tech equipment for construction and mining applications, the market share of Asian brands has increased significantly over previous decades,” states FX Laubscher, head of Industrial Aftermarket for the Turkey, India, MEA and CIS regions at ZF Aftermarket.
“Reviewing historical sales data for loaders sold within Africa reveals that, in 2004, as little as two in 100 were of Chinese origin, while available data suggests that in 2024, this has grown to approximately 35%.”
Beyond the cost and capability benefits, Laubscher explains that the shifting OEM profile of mining capital equipment in the country has unlocked new opportunities to improve reliability and maximise mobility uptime.
“Chinese trucks, loaders and heavy equipment bring competitive pricing, fast product cycles, and a diverse technology mix that requires new levels of aftermarket support and technical expertise. The rapid expansion of these vehicles is transforming workshops and fleet operations throughout Africa.”
According to Laubscher, this market shift was an opportunity to disrupt the status quo and introduce a new support model. Technological advances in both the scope and accuracy of machine-on-board diagnostics keep operators fully aware of the equipment’s status. This is further supported by diagnostic equipment that can link to the machine’s ECU, providing detailed information on the status of the key machine system, thereby enhancing efficiency and maximising mobility uptime.
“Once a drop in performance or a problem is detected, the operator is informed with the fault logged in the machine’s ECU, but a major bottleneck is often logistics. Even adhering to routine maintenance schedules can take machinery out of operation for extended periods if the supply chain is not optimised,” elaborates Laubscher.
“In the traditional maintenance model, a technician might begin a transmission repair, only to realise there is a specific part missing, like an O-ring or specialised bolt. This leads to service creep, where a four-hour job can turn into a two-day wait for a part,” continues Laubscher.
The solution to this common logistics challenge is part kits – pre-packaged sets that contain every component needed for a specific repair task.
“Parts kits simplify the complexity associated with repairs and streamline stock and ordering by simplifying the administrative burden associated with managing thousands of individual Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) for mine warehouses,” continues Laubscher.
For example, instead of ordering individual parts to repair a transmission, which contains up to 800 individual parts, the maintenance planner can focus on 20–23-part kit numbers based on the requirements highlighted in the inspection report.
“The kits were designed to make the life of the technician easier. Within a repair kit for a transmission sub-system, the technician finds all the main wear parts, such as friction disks, sealing rings as well as an assortment of snap-rings to ensure that the correct clutch clearance can be achieved in the shortest possible timeframe,” affirms Laubscher.
“By grouping commonly replaced parts in logical combinations, the part kits developed specifically for the growing Asian machine population ensure workshops can meet 80–90% of all repair requirements for the growing base of Asian-built equipment operating across Africa and other emerging markets.”
This model also drastically reduces picking errors and ghost stock, where major parts are available, but the accessory parts needed to install it are not.
“The net effect is technicians spend less time at the parts counter and more time on getting the machine back to full service to maximise mobility uptime, durability and lifecycle value, thereby reducing repair costs, which is a major priority for mining operations globally,” concludes Laubscher.
Source: Supplied by ZF