Developer, producer and supplier of commercial explosives AEL Mining Services manufactured 21 mobile manufacturing units (MMUs) in 2012 – a record number for the company.
AEL Mining Services global equipment services manager Steven Burke notes that the units were all manufactured in-house.
The E-20T MMU was developed and designed by AEL and launched in 2009. The range of 12 t MMU vehicles in the field was designed during the mid-1990s and, although it has proved to be excellent and reliable in the field, the technology and materials have changed so significantly as to warrant a total redesign, AEL states.
“The E-20T on- and off-road trucks were developed in response to the need for a solu- tion which delivers a higher payload in a quicker turnaround time, resulting in time and cost savings for customers,” the company adds.
“The E-20T features an 8 × 8 or 8 × 4 chassis to accommodate a larger payload. The custom-designed bins, with roll-over protection to prevent spillage, are manufactured from stainless steel and designed to last through two seven-year prime-mover cycles. The trucks are suitable for rugged conditions in quarrying and surface mining operations,” Burke stated in a media release in 2009.
He tells Mining Weekly that AEL completed an aggressive fleet replacement programme in the beginning of 2013 to reduce the age of its fleet.
“We have a disciplined replacement programme to ensure that all our equipment operates at full capacity and an efficient production process is offered to our customers,” Burke states, adding that AEL has submitted tenders on many new contracts for the supply of new equipment in 2013.
He adds that adequate economic activity is evident in the materials handling industry, with a significant number of contracts being put out to tender by the private sector.
AEL also submitted many tenders in Africa and recently secured contracts in Asia, where it has been operating since 2009.