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Customer Testimonials for Mining / Quarry
Xstrata Hitachi Fleet at 97% availability
One of Xstrata’s three Glendell EX5500s. Visible on the rear of the machine are the dry chemical and foam fire suppression canisters and sound attenuated radiator fans.
A solid working relationship between Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia and Xstrata at their Glendell project has resulted in a fleet maintenance availability averaging 97 percent for the site that runs a 21/6 roster.
The Glendell project is an open cut mine located in the Upper Hunter Valley near Ravensworth in New South Wales. Glendell is currently approved to produce seven million tonnes of run-of-mine coal per annum.
Hitachi has five excavators on site – three EX5500-6SS (sound suppressed) excavators and two EX2500-6 SS excavators. These machines are fitted with Australian options, including:
- sound attenuation packages
- hydraulic oil filtration (trial only)
- larger grease tanks with two pumps
- fire suppression system consisting of dry chemical and foam, and
- various modifications to suit specific mine site requirements.
Hitachi implemented a safety management plan during the builds to comply with Xstrata requirements as well as Hitachi policy. Each excavator is covered by a full maintenance contract. Hitachi Site Manager Andrew Turnbull, along with his two leading hands and one apprentice, work hard to maintain a good working relationship with Xstrata’s Glendell maintenance team.
The current production roster at Glendell is 21/6, which provides Hitachi with a three hour daily maintenance window and one day per weekend for maintenance. The Hitachi leading hands use a daily check sheet to facilitate their comprehensive daily inspections. Every Sunday the fleet is available for service and repairs for 24 hours. An average Sunday consists of three machines being serviced and two machines being made available to carry out an overtime shift.
As part of Hitachi’s commitment to reducing downtime for Xstrata at Glendell, they have installed two BAC cabinets with a number of parts, including hoses, sensors and electrical components, into the Xstrata store. This facilitates immediate interchange of parts, instead of waiting for parts to be delivered from the Muswellbrook branch, which can take up to one hour. As the machines’ hours climb, the stock in the cabinets is adjusted to suit the fleet’s changing needs.
A few members of Xstrata’s Hitachi fleet at work in their Glendell operation.
Monthly reports are provided by Hitachi to the Xstrata Maintenance Manager detailing any machine issues, reliability and performance data, as well as initiatives for continuous improvement. Regular meetings are attended by Hitachi and Xstrata representatives to discuss all aspects of the contract and Hitachi staff have access to the Xstrata safety system to complete all safety actions.
The Hitachi and Xstrata personnel have built a close working relationship reinforcing the “One Team One Goal” philosophy and this contributes to the successful management of the site.
Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia has a long term contract with Xstrata at Glendell. Hitachi is proud to be a part of the project and is looking forward to continuing its close and very successful working relationship with Xstrata.
