Company Announcement - From screens to cyclones and chutes, Multotec’s ongoing focus is to reduce the operating costs of mineral processing plants. “The efficiencies that we can introduce for our customers are tangible and can have a major impact on the bottom line,” Thomas Holtz, Multotec CEO, says. As Multotec celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, Holtz reflects on how far the group has progressed in adding value to its customers’ businesses.

From its humble beginnings as a manufacturer of polyurethane screen media for the mining industry, today it designs, builds, manufactures, installs and maintains equipment across the entire value chain. “While many companies end up having to source products or design services elsewhere, Multotec has a lot of these resources in house. We also pride ourselves on the fact that many of our expert sales people hail from metallurgical or mining industry backgrounds,” Holtz says. Multotec’s focus is to reduce the operating costs associated with mineral processing plants, and this is across all commodity sectors, from diamonds to coal, gold, platinum and phosphates. Such a diverse focus has given Multotec extra stability and traction in the present economic downturn.
“The mining industry is currently in a downturn as we know. The challenge as an equipment supplier under these circumstances is to stay financially viable, grow market share and prepare for the next upturn, which will come. If anything, the business environment has become more volatile, meaning that equipment suppliers such as Multotec have to be more flexible and agile,” Holtz comments.

“The efficiencies that Multotec can bring to bear on customers’ plants are tangible and have a significant impact on their bottom line. It achieves this by becoming actively involved with its customers’ projects, optimising flow sheets and looking in detail at any problems in order to be able to offer solutions that offer a direct improvement to the process. Such upfront and proactive engagement is a critical component of Multotec’s value-add approach to its customers’ business,” Holtz says. “Multotec regards its relationship with the mineral processing industry as a life of plant relationship,” he stresses, which is why it offers extensive maintenance and service contracts. “Under these circumstances Multotec does not sell equipment per se, but rather a service whereby the equipment becomes part of the total product offering.”

This gives Multotec the leverage to optimise the entire supply chain for its customers. “It is no longer a case of selling individual units; we now optimise the life and efficiency of those units to the benefit of our customers. Multotec therefore engages in true partnerships, based on the fact that it does not build plants; instead it offers specialised equipment.”

Holtz explains that there are three aspects to Multotec’s products, namely price, lifespan and efficiency. “If plant efficiency can be improved, then cost and lifespan are not as critical because a 0.5% increase in minerals recovery represents a huge payback for its customers in the minerals processing industry.”