For many operations across mining, quarrying, bulk materials handling and processing industries, conveyor problems have become an accepted part of daily operations. Misalignment, carryback, spillage, belt damage, idler wear and unplanned stoppages are often treated as isolated maintenance issues, addressed through reactive component replacement before operations move on to the next failure.

According to conveyor specialist Tru-Trac Rollers (Pty) Ltd, this approach is one of the primary reasons why conveyor failures continue to repeat across the industry.

As the company prepares for Electra Mining Africa 2026, Shaun Blumberg, COO of Tru-Trac, says its focus will not simply be on showcasing products but rather on changing how operations think about conveyor performance and the underlying causes of recurring system failures.

“Conveyor problems rarely exist in isolation,” Blumberg explains. “Replacing a component without understanding the cause often leads to the same failure returning. What may initially appear to be a tracking issue, for example, can quickly escalate into carryback, spillage, belt damage, excessive component wear and ultimately unplanned downtime.”

Tru-Trac believes that many conveyor systems are still managed incorrectly because visible symptoms are addressed without identifying the underlying system behaviour driving the problem.

This creates what Blumberg describes as an industry-wide “failure loop” - misalignment occurs, carryback increases, idlers and pulleys wear prematurely, spillage and belt damage follow, production interruptions occur, emergency maintenance is performed and the same problem returns shortly afterwards.

While these issues are often categorised as maintenance concerns, he argues that the impact extends far beyond the maintenance department.

“Conveyor performance is not only a maintenance concern. It is a production issue,” Blumberg says. “When conveyor systems underperform, the effect is felt across uptime, throughput, labour requirements, housekeeping, safety performance, belt life and ultimately overall plant efficiency.”

This thinking forms the basis of Tru-Trac’s engineering-led approach to conveyor performance support.

Rather than positioning itself as a supplier of individual components in isolation, Tru-Trac positions itself as a conveyor performance partner focused on diagnosing root causes, reducing repeat failures and improving long-term operational reliability.

Central to this approach is a structured five-step process that begins with understanding the conveyor system as a whole.

The first step involves assessing the full conveyor environment rather than focusing only on the visibly failed component. This includes evaluating system conditions, loading behaviour, belt tracking characteristics, transfer points, material build-up and operational conditions that may be contributing to ongoing performance problems.

Once the broader system has been assessed, Tru-Trac focuses on identifying the root cause behind the visible symptom.

“Misalignment, carryback, spillage and belt damage are often connected symptoms,” Blumberg explains. “The visible problem is not always the primary problem. Engineered intervention starts with understanding the system.”

Only once the root cause has been identified does product specification follow. He says engineering judgement and application understanding must always come before selecting a corrective intervention.

Tru-Trac then works with operations to ensure the correct solution is implemented properly on site before continuing with ongoing technical support, inspections and performance monitoring aimed at sustaining long-term conveyor reliability.

This shift from reactive maintenance towards engineered conveyor performance is expected to form a major part of Tru-Trac’s discussions with customers at Electra Mining Africa 2026.

The company believes the industry is increasingly recognising that conveyor failures cannot be solved sustainably through repeated replacement of individual components alone.

“Reactive maintenance fixes what breaks,” Blumberg says. “Engineered performance focuses on diagnosing, specifying, implementing and supporting the correct long-term solution.”

At Electra Mining Africa 2026, Tru-Trac aims to engage directly with operations around the broader production impact of conveyor instability and the importance of system-level diagnosis.

He says the company wants customers to move beyond viewing conveyor problems as routine maintenance frustrations and instead recognise them as operational performance issues that directly affect production targets, operating costs and reliability.

By focusing on root-cause analysis, engineered intervention and long-term performance support, Tru-Trac believes operations can significantly reduce repeat failures while improving uptime, belt life and overall conveyor reliability.

As conveyor systems continue to play a critical role in modern mining and bulk materials handling operations, Blumberg says the industry must move beyond reactive thinking and towards a more integrated approach to conveyor performance management.

“The goal is not simply to sell a component,” Blumberg concludes. “The goal is to improve conveyor performance.”