Global heavy equipment manufacturer Bell Equipment’s newly launched E-series articulated dump trucks (ADTs) are being used by companies across sub-Saharan Africa to haul a variety of material both above and below ground.

The E-series ADT, which is an improvement on Bell’s previous models, was launched in March 2013 and has been registering positive market reception in the civils and road construction sectors.

Bell highlights that civil construction company Enterprise Mukonki Mulimi (EMM), in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been using Bell E-series ADT trucks at mine sites.

“In 2013, EMM was approached by copper/cobalt producer Katanga Mining’s joint venture company, Kamoto Copper Company, to haul ore and waste from the underground section of the mine. The haulage site of the mine is high and wide, as it is an old mine, with room throughout the site to accommodate 30 t ADTs.
“Later that year, EMM took delivery of four Bell B30E ADTs and immediately started using them to their full potential. The haul from the mining face to the run-of-mine tip is about 1.5 km in one direction; the Bell B30E ADTs travel at a sedate 20 km/h, which translates into fuel consumption figures of about 10 ℓ an hour,” states the company.

EMM’s four Bell B30E ADTs have standard warranties and are serviced by technicians from the Bell Equipment customer service centre in Kolwezi, in the DRC.

Technical Specifications and Advantages
Bell Equipment South Africa sales and market- ing director Terry Gillham states that the E-series provides efficient power and weight ratios, as well as advanced engine and drivetrain characteristics, while setting high standards in safety, driver comfort and truck management.

“Fuel burn can contribute to more than 40% of the operating costs at a site and has, therefore, always been a major focus area for Bell Equipment, particularly in reaction to international emission restrictions schemes and the increasing cost of fuel.”

Gillham notes that the E-series’ truck engine power and fuel consumption have been improved through event-dependent software that controls the retardation, cooling and charging of accumulators.

Research and Development
Gillham points out that the E-series was developed over five years before it was launched, adding: “In that time, it underwent stringent durability testing at reputable independent national and international test facilities, which provided additional quality verifications.

“Development of our equipment ranges followed a well-structured process that included an unprecedented level of customer interaction, as well as the development of concept vehicles and numerous prototypes to ensure a strong, reliable product,” he explains.

He says that the development process included extensive testing and the company’s engineers used structural and dynamic analyses, along with a rigorous testing programme, at some of the harshest mine sites in the world to ensure that “the E-series is worthy of taking the Bell Equipment brand forward”.

Additional Development
Gillham tells Mining Weekly that Bell will add a new range of large E-series ADTs in 2015 – the B35E, B40E, B45E and B50E – to its existing smaller range of E-series ADTs.

“Our E-series trucks have been extremely well received, largely owing to their productivity, serviceability and fuel efficiency. The E-series trucks are increasing our share in the market, following the success of our D-series range over the past 12 years.”

Further, Gillham notes that it has been a year since Bell Equipment became the distributor for the Finlay range of mobile crushing and screening equipment in Southern Africa.

“These are high-quality products and we have been able to piggyback on this success to increase sales. We will now also focus on growing our aftermarket sales division.”

Gillham also mentions that Bell Equipment’s Bomag product range has continued to grow since the company started distributing the product range in the Southern African market in 2009.

“Bomag is widely used in South Africa and Namibia. Usually, our ADTs are sold in fleets of four or six at a time, whereas the Finlay products are sold as individual units and primarily used in quarries to create aggregates for construction and road infrastructure projects.”

Moreover, Gillham notes that, from 2012 to 2013, Bell Equipment registered a year-on-year revenue increase of 18.5% on new unit sales across all sectors.

“These sales figures speak volumes about how we performed last year. This is a tremendous result, especially when one considers that South Africa’s gross domestic product increased by only 2%. We have managed to cut ourselves a bigger slice of a smaller cake,” he enthuses.

Education and Training
Gillham highlights that Bell Equipment is actively involved in skills development and training, having become an accredited training service provider and trade test centre for earth- moving mechanics in 1999, following the Metal and Engineering Industries Education and Training Board’s transition to the Manufac- turing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority.

“As a training services provider, the company offers artisan training and work-integrated learning, and assists Bachelor of Science graduates in the mechanical and electrical engineering fields.”

Gillham notes that Bell Equipment has a long-standing partnership with the Umfolozi Further Education and Training (FET) College, on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal.

“Bell is one of nine local corporations repre- sented on the Zululand Joint Training Com- mittee. This committee of training managers interacts with the college to provide guidance and support to make the college curriculum relevant to the needs of industry. Bell Equipment has also donated capital equipment to the Umfolozi FET College’s Esikhaweni campus over the past five years to promote quality training,” he adds.

Bell Equipment established a partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Umfolozi FET College in January 2013 to train unskilled and unemployed youth at the Esikhaweni campus in various technical fields, such as assembly and machining, to equip them with skills for employment, which is in line with the new National Skills Development Strategy.

Gillham adds that Bell Equipment plans to offer welding training in the future, as the company currently supports the college’s welding centre at the Zululand Chamber of Business Foundation, in Richards Bay.

“Further, in addition to investing in skills training for welders, assemblers and machinists, the Bell group continues to train a large number of apprentices to meet Bell Equipment’s requirements and provide superior after-sales service for its customers.

“As an accredited training services provider for machining, assembly and welding, with a decentralised trade test centre for earth- moving mechanics, the Bell group is committed to nurturing and growing scarce and critical skills,” he concludes.