EXPERIENCE & SERVICE KOMATSU CUSTOMERS DELIVERY BEHIND BIS INDUSTRIES DECISION TO GO WITH KOMATSU

Quality Service delivery and a strong track record was behind specialist mining services provider Bis Industries

Recent purchase of four pieces of komatsu equipment the largest a D475A-5 dozer to service its contract at Anglo American's Moranbah North Coal Mine in Queensland's Bowen Basin.

The principle reasons for Bis Industries' purchase of Komatsu equipment included the ability to quickly supply a large mining dozer, along with its experience over nearly 12 years with other equipment supplied to the company.

Bis Industries operates throughout Australia, working with the world's biggest mining and resource companies, processing, handling, hauling and supporting millions of tonnes of materials annually across 75 sites nationally both surface and underground.

Sectors in which it operates include coal, iron ore, gold, metals and minerals, logistics and steel. Bis Industries prides itself on being the safest operator in the business, employing the best people, said Arron Johnson, Bis Industries General Manager, Queensland. The company takes enormous pride in being in the lowest quartile of safety related incidents in the resources sector.

"We build big infrastructure and we solve big problems for our clients and if solutions don't exist, we create

them," he said. At Moranbah North, Bis Industries' responsibilities included coal loading, on-site haulage, haul road maintenance, design and construct of the co-disposal area.

"We have a range of equipment there, including our longstanding Komatsu WA600-1 loader, plus the latest equipment, the Komatsu D475A-5, a GD655A-5 grader, a WA320-6 loader and a D85PX-15 swamp dozer," Arron said.

"We've had the WA600-1 here on site for 12 years, which is how long we've been operating here, and she's done a very good job." Bis Industries' new Komatsu mining dozer, the D475A-5, is fitted with a 76 cu m coal blade, and is used for loading trains, pushing coal from stockpiles into the valves which then load the trains. "One of the main reasons we opted for the D475A-5 and the rest of the Komatsu equipment package was that we were confident that Komatsu could deliver the equipment safely and efficiently, and the loader would perform to operational requirements," he said.

"We wrapped up a deal with Komatsu for a total package, given the fact that we were going to replace the other three machines as well."

Arron said Bis Industries' experience with the WA600-1 at Moranbah North, plus its Komatsu equipment on other sites in Queensland and Western Australia meant it was confident in the performance of the equipment, as well as the support packages available.

"It was not like we were taking a gamble on something untried. Our past experience gave us

confidence in the future." He said that while all the new Komatsu equipment was performing well, his operators and

supervisors have been particularly impressed with the performance of the D85PX-15 swamp dozer.

"We needed a swamp dozer for the construction, design and maintenance of the co-disposal

area, where it is working in wet and harsh conditions.

"The most common comment is that it is excellent in its ergonomic design, it's comfortable to operate,

the vision is great, and it's got great power," Arron said. He also finds Komatsu's KOMTRAX remote monitoring

system a very useful tool in managing the equipment.

"That is great, because it allows us toreview what percentage of the time the machine is idle, what percentage

of the time it is working at say half load, and how often we are working

the machine really hard.

"Additionally, KOMTRAX gives us the ability to provide fuel usage to our client to assist in the process of

reconciling fuel consumption."

Arron also praised Komatsu Australia's ability to ensure service and technical people can quickly get on site.

"It is difficult to get people onto mine sites for reasons of safety, and you can appreciate they need

a number of inductions to be able to work on a site.

"Komatsu have ensured that they have people pre-inducted for our mine site, to allow us a short

turnaround if needed," he said.

Bis INDUSTRIES PROFILE:

Bis Industries provides solutions for some of the world's biggest mining, steel and resources companies. They process, handle, haul and support millions of tonnes of materials across more than 70 sites. Bis builds infrastructures and solves problems for their clients. Most importantly they deliver these solutions with an absolute commitment to Zero Harm. And if solutions don't exist, they create them.

Bis specialise in Off-road load and haul utilising specifically designed dual powered road trains and pit haulers, long wall relocation underground equipment hire, underground haulage, road haulage, crushing and screening, large infrastructure projects, build, own, operate maintain, materials handling, specialised equipment services.