CONTINUALLY EXPANDING Peru’s new service centre strengthens Metso's already solid position in South America
Photo by: Duane Daws
Mineral processing equipment and automation systems provider Metso has expanded its service offering to Peru and Mexico by establishing mining service centres in the two countries. These investments, worth €6-million each, dovetail with Metso’s long-term strategy to strengthen its presence in North and South America.
Peru’s new service centre, which opened this year in Arequipa province, strengthens Metso’s already solid position in South America and provides the company with access to the biggest mining companies in the area.
The centre is equipped with new technology and includes a local engineering and production division, an equipment assembly and overhaul division, a parts recovery division, an industrial equipment repair and maintenance division, as well as a specialist technical support crew.
The centre will function as an essential South American distribution centre for Metso’s services and products.
“Metso’s estimated investment in South American mining projects for the next five years exceeds €20-billion,” says Metso Pacific Rim market area mining and construction senior VP Aldo Cermenati.
“Meanwhile, the development of the copper belt in southern Peru – with new operations such as Antapaccay, Las Bambas, Constancia, Cerro Verde II, Quellaveco, Toromocho, among others – will boost the demand for Metso’s mining services in the region,” he adds.
Metso already services mining and construction customers from more than 50 established service centres worldwide. A new centre is also being built in Mesa, Arizona, the US, and in Labrador City, Canada.
Meanwhile, Metso Mexico and Central America market area mining and construction VP Leif Lindholm highlights that the company was on site with 180 technicians to help Grupo México restart operations at Buenavista del Cobre in 2010.
“Following the delivery of the comminution equipment for the new Buenavista plant, we decided to implement our service centre model to offer our best service for Grupo México. We are currently 100% integrated with their workers and we aim to grow together,” he adds.
The Mexico-based service centre, which opened in February in Cananea city, enables Metso to cover all the mines in north-west Mexico, including the San Antonio gold project in Baja California state and nonferrous metallic minerals miner Peñoles’ Milpillas copper mine further to the north.
This service centre will function as a repair and assembly facility and will provide specialist technical support to clients in the region. Metso’s service offerings in Mexico will also include everything from normal repair jobs and equipment installations to service contracts that can include operation of the whole plant, or part of the plant, on a cost-per-ton basis, explains Lindholm.