Productivity and safety product supplier Probe Integrated Mining Technologies’ (IMT’s) end-to-end digital mine operation solutions can significantly improve the design of digital mines, says CEO Gert Roselt.

“We have built a strong reputation for providing a comprehensive range of premium original-equipment manufactured products and integrated solutions to enhance productivity and safety, including real-time monitoring, Level 9 collision avoidance systems (CAS) and fleet management,” he says.

Probe IMT further provides renewable energy, industrial solutions, auto electrical field services, air, power and other specialised solutions. 

Probe IMT is part of the overall Probe Group, which has four divisions: automotive, energy, industrial and mining.

Each division, Roselt explains, has a range of products relevant to the mining industry, which “adds enormous value for clients”.

For example, with access to the full suite of Probenergy products, “Probe IMT is focused on making world-class renewable energy solutions accessible, helping mining and industrial users to revolutionise their energy sources.”

Roselt says that Probe IMT focuses on selling a full solution not just a product, including maintenance and support from expert teams.

“We effectively become an extension of our client’s business and our teams are on-site at clients 24/7.”

The company installs and maintains products according to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications, both to meet legal health and safety regulation requirements and to ensure that the company can provide “98% system availability and fulfil customer needs”.

“As we develop and implement solutions for customers, we become a partner of choice. Over time we become even more actively involved in businesses as we understand their future vision and provide the solutions that will get them there.” 

Roselt is confident that the company has “earned a reputation in the industry that it will be there through thick and thin”, and that it will provide the best quality solutions and make sure that customers are set up for success globally.

Commenting on digital solutions, specifically, Roselt explains that this incorporates real-time monitoring and is a major growth area.

“Essentially, we are making traditional equipment smarter with technology, and these days you can have sensors on every type of asset in a mine, including people,” he enthuses.

The company’s asset management systems are its most popular product, including the suite of real time monitoring products and solutions from local brand M3SH and leading global brand WABTEC.

“Our investment in new technologies delivers secure and out-of-the-box solutions, including uptime and remote monitoring, for a more efficient and accurate exploration of operations,” Roselt says.

He explains that the company capitalises on the potential of technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and cloud computing to transform operations, through which it is able to “better position mines to address resource challenges and environmental pressures moving forward.”

“Our intelligent systems combine technology, people and processes to enable feedback loops, defining an organisation's competitiveness and ability to change the industry landscape,” he notes.

He adds that with mining also moving more towards efficient underground mining, with a focus on extracting a specific ore while limiting environmental damage, Probe IMT’s “drill guidance solutions, using sensors, enable mines to get to the core product faster.”

TRANFORMATIVE TIME

With the mining sector using the post-Covid economic activity to recover and transform the way it operates, Roselt says that an integrated view of operations with accurate data is a critical part of this success. “Our business is about solving challenges for mining operations and driving both productivity and safety.”

The Probe IMT team is excited about future growth prospects as the industry bounces back, and new opportunities emerge.

“We’re seeing that the pandemic has really escalated the uptake of electric vehicles and need for advanced batteries and energy storage. The demand for particular minerals and commodities used in manufacturing is surging globally,” Roselt comments.

“Zinc, cobalt, copper, palladium and the platinum-group metals will remain in high demand,” he adds.

Looking ahead, Probe IMT says that it will continue to provide, install and maintain the sensors, cabling and server integration to produce the right data for information technology (IT) systems and artificial intelligence (AI).

“The right information translates into huge cost savings for a mine,” he comments.

The company remains focused on improving traditional processes and equipment to run on cleaner energies and make them smarter and safer.

In a mining environment where there are increased environmental, social and governance, or ESG, pressures, Roselt says there is also real market need for reliable alternative energy solutions.

“With the strength and innovation of Probenergy behind us, we see growth opportunities in providing smart renewable energy solutions for mining and other industrial sectors,” he concludes.