Leveraging a healthy existing relationship with RGM Cranes, Sandvik Mining RSA appointed the company to provide 19 overhead single and double girder cranes, ranging from 3 to 30 tonnes in capacity, at its new facilities in Kempton Park.

Anthony Breedt, Technical Department Project Coordinator at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions Southern Africa, explains that in addition to RGM Crane’s track record, factors that were taken into consideration in the awarding of the contract included customer service, the ability to quickly and efficiently formulate bespoke solutions, and the ready availability of spares and components.

“As an added bonus for Sandvik Mining RSA, RGM Cranes’ overhead single and double girder cranes are highly affordable, making the cost-to-performance ratio extremely favourable,” says Shaun Field, Sales Engineer at RGM Cranes.

Field says the selected RGM Cranes overhead cranes incorporate Guralp equipment that includes a hoist monitoring system, electromagnetic brakes, predictive maintenance application, programmable control unit, variable speed drive control on cross and long travel motions, as well as load limits in a sheave bracket to assist with uncalibrated loads.

The hoist monitoring system quickly identifies and provides feedback on any crane faults; operator faults and mishandling; overloads; excessive use; the amount of lifts completed in one shift and the number of hours a crane is in operation on a daily basis.

The project rollout was conducted in three phases:

• Workshop 1 – Rebuilding of all steel track units.
• Workshop 2 – Rebuilding of all rubber tyre vehicles with local components in accordance with customer requirements and OEM standards.
• Workshop 3 – Production unit where Sandvik will build new units locally.

RGM Cranes worked closely with the Sandvik team to develop a floor plan and workshop layout that would optimise the functionality of each of the cranes. “The cranes are being used for various operations within a number of sections that include maintenance, production, processing, wash bay, components department and the manufacturing department. It was important to offer a combination of crane configurations that would maximise crane usage for the different area applications and equipment to be lifted,” says Field.

Breedt says the project was expedited in a seamless manner, with RGM Cranes installing and commissioning all cranes ahead of the original schedule. “A major factor in the success of the project was the open line of communication the RGM Cranes team maintained from the outset. In addition, the uncompromising technical advice and support provided by RGM Cranes has ensured that the installation has been completely stress-free and safe for all stakeholders. This is a perfect example of a company that doesn’t just want to sell their products, but provides the right type of equipment for our specific applications to ensure maximised productivity for Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.”