The manufacturer of machinery for mining and tunnelling GHH Fahrzeuge GmbH, Gelsenkirchen/Germany, established a new service base for its customers in the heart of the German potash and salt mining industry.
The company entered into the business activities of BAT Bohr- und Anlagentechnik GmbH in the village of Krayen-berggemeinde on 1st October 2020. Through their subsidiary GSE Europe GmbH they took over the fixed assets of BAT, which will soon be renamed and continued at the site as BAT Bergbau Service GmbH. The company currently has 25 employees.
With this step, GHH wants to provide its German customers with comprehensive services quickly and reliably. This mainly involves repair work, the construction of spare parts and parts logistics. GHH is also considering making the site the centre for its special-purpose machinery manufacturing operations.
“This will not only expand our range of services, but also continue a traditional location in this mining region which is so important for Germany,” said Jan Petzold, CEO of the GHH Group.
In the end, BAT saw itself challenged to continue its business operations. Thanks to GHH’s commitment, there are good prospects for further growth in the region (Figure 1). Current and future customers should benefit.
The electric off-road vehicle Tembo 4×4 E-LV on Toyota basis becomes a multifunctional platform: Several versions, from the classic Hilux and Land cruiser pickup to the station wagon, are already available – and another one with an extra large personnel cabin is now being added to the offering (Figure 1).
The designers have given the Tembo, which is sold in many parts of the world by the manufacturer of construction and mining machines GHH, a leading edge with the new extra large 10 personnel carrier. It is specifically targeted to applications, where a maximum of people are required to be transported at once. The more spacious supervision vehicle option, which comprises forward facing 6 personnel carrier, is also available. There are various conversion kits also available to suit specific customer needs as well as tailor made options as well.
Rugged Toyota base
These kits include both mechanical and electrical service vehicles which are based on the enhanced, flatbed platform designed to take any special equipment like a crane or workshop machinery or service equipment for servicing mining machinery. Due to its modular structure, the strength surpasses the original bed and offers the toughness and flexibility needed to complete the job. There are also supervision vehicles available which have been fitted with an aluminium, custom drawer system to keep all the equipment organized.
The new Tembo thus competes with many of the light duty multi-purpose vehicles available today. Among them are the increasingly outdated diesel-powered vehicles, but also the solutions of the (few) direct competitors, who also electrify light duty vehicles – but are hardly as far advanced as the Tembo. Although Tembo focuses on “going green” and being the leader in 100% electric vehicles, the need for conventional diesel units is understood and can be fully supported where needed.
Pioneer in the industry
The first Tembo Electric Cruiser came on the market in 2016. Their approach of turning the Toyota Land Cruiser and Hilux series into a fully-fledged electric multi-purpose vehicle, especially for construction and mining industries, is considered to be correspondingly mature. The two vehicle models are widely used: In underground mining, for example, Toyota is considered a market leader.
Although the sales price (still) speaks for the diesel, the disadvantages outweigh the benefits: its error-prone complexity, the noise level, heat generation, extensive maintenance, and above all the emissions that are harmful to health and the environment. Diesel engines also challenge ventilation during underground use, which leads to high operational cost are causing more and more operators to consider alternatives. Electric vehicles undoubtedly offer such alternatives, and the Tembo in particular: The manufacturer has a global presence, can look back on many years of expertise and, above all, can point to numerous vehicles in active use even under the toughest conditions (e.g. in Australian mines). The turnkey, custom made solutions definitely put them a step above the rest.
200 km on a battery charge
The Tembos correspond largely to the series standard of Toyota, but are equipped with an electric motor with 65 kW and 250 Nm torque, a special 1:3 transmission and a powerful battery designed for at least 10 years or 8,000 charging cycles. Achieving 80km with a 28kwh battery pack and 200km with a 72kWh battery pack. In two and a half hours the vehicles are charged from 20 to 80 percent, with the single phase charger, and with the 3 phase charger this time decreases to only one hour. No external infrastructure is required for operation, as a 15 kW charger is also on board with the single phase and a 22 kW with the 3 phase, battery recuperation in place and a charging cable wallbox can also be supplied with the vehicle if required. The vehicles reach a top speed of 80 km/h and can climb gradients of up to 45 degrees. With the standard air conditioner and heater as well as smooth acceleration and no gear changing, every drive is a comfortable one.
With several vehicles, the machine manufacturer GHH Vehicles GmbH, Gelsenkirchen/Germany, now also supports the world’s largest copper producer Codelco, which is currently managing a mega-project in the Atacama desert – turning a giant mine upside down. Meanwhile, other utility vehicles went to India, Kazhakstan and Russia, including the newly developed emulsion charger BEC100.
Codelco estimates its annual copper production at around 1.7 M t. The Chilean mine operator is also the second largest molybdenum producer. Codelco recently stated that it has a world market share of 9 % for each of these two raw materials. The state-owned company now operates seven mines and four smelters. With 385,000 t/a of copper ore to date, the Chuquicamata mine has the second largest share, just behind El Teniente. It is thus one of the largest in the world.
An ambitious transformation is currently taking place there. The mining goes from surface to underground. The site is thus being turned upside down, so to speak. The project started in 2019 and should be completed by 2023. With a slightly reduced production rate of 315 kt/a, the deposit is not expected to reach its limits until 2057.
A project of this type and size is rare in the industry. This is not least due to the installed 7 km long conveyor belt, which covers an elevation distance of 1 km from the extraction site to the earth’s surface. There, a 6 km long conveyor belt then runs again to the interim storage facility.
This is where GHH comes into play. The manufacturer of machines for mining and tunnelling provides Codelco as a launch customer with its newly developed HG16 maintenance vehicle (Figure 1). The first vehicle was recently shipped, three more will follow. The HG16 will be used to maintain the powerful conveyor belt. During the development process Codelco’s requirements were taken into account – a real plus for other customers who will benefit from it.
The HG16 is a four-wheeled crossover conveyor belt maintenance vehicle equipped with loading platform, working platform and loading crane. The crane lifts almost 1 t. The working platform, which can be extended to a length of 4.5 m, can be slewed through 95°, thus covering a large working area. The four-wheel drive vehicle weighs 9.35 t and measures 6,750 x 2,400 x 3,100 mm (LxWxH). It is driven by a 4.4 l four-cylinder diesel engine with 85 kW output. It complies with the EU Stage 3A/US EPA Tier 3 emissions standards. The enclosed cabin for two persons is certified for underground use in accordance with ROPS and FOPS Level 2. The operator’s seat can be swivelled through 180°.
The German machine builder must have done some things right, as Codelco had previously acquired a GHH branded BVK-05 articulated crane truck manufactured in Turkey. In general, the utility program is currently developing magnificently. Parallel to Codelco, other newly developed vehicles were delivered to India, Kazhakstan and Russia. Among them the IS-26 concrete spraying machine, the new BKPT7 material transporter and the new articulated emulsion charger truck BEC100 with 17.5 t operating weight, which will be used in a gold mine in the Amur region. Here, too, GHH has incorporated the customer’s requirements to a large extent.
First super-clean Stage V diesel, then electric drives and now flame-retardant and biodegradable hydraulic fluids: GHH Vehicles GmbH, Gelsenkirchen/Germany, the manufacturer of civil engineering and mining machinery, is setting an impressive pace in protecting people and the environment. The company has already devoted itself to the immediate protection of drivers. GHH’s loaders, dump trucks and special vehicles are well known for their safe, ergonomic and ROPS/FOPS-certified cabs.
With hydraulics, the focus is now shifting to an area that is more important than often thought. The hydraulics of GHHs flagship MK-42, e. g., have a capacity of around 325 l (Figure 1). A leak in this load dump truck with a payload of 42 t would not only cause serious damage to the environment, but would also entail extensive cleaning measures on the site.
“We are therefore offering vehicles with biodegradable hydraulic fluids with immediate effect,” says CEO Jan Olaf Petzold. The fluids, supplied by the German specialist Fluid-Competence, are 98 % biodegradable. Petzold points out a further advantage: “Because they are flame-retardant, we also reduce the risk of accidents for the operators, machines and the production site by not allowing the flame to propogate”.
In view of the enormous advantages, Petzold considers the low additional costs to be justifiable. The new fluids are to be introduced successively for all product groups. The option is a safe choice for the customer: “Hazemag machines have been running with these for years”. Like GHH, this manufacturer belongs to the Schmidt Kranz Group, one of the major suppliers of machines and services, especially in mining and tunnelling as well as in raw material processing. The new hydraulic fluids would offer excellent lubricating properties, very high thermal stability and extremely high corrosion protection, told the company.
Once again, GHH is taking a leap forward in the industry. As in the past with its “Stage V-Initiative”, the comprehensive commitment to maximally clean diesel engines, as well as its extensive expansion of the share of electric vehicle drives, GHH now also wants to set an example on the “side stages” of environmental and personal protection.
Most recently, GHH attracted attention by winning the Red Dot Product Design Award 2020 and by supplying maintenance vehicles for a mine of the world’s largest copper producer in the hot Atacama desert.
GHH Vehicles GmbH, Gelsenkirchen/Germany, the manufacturer of heavy machinery for rock logistics, announces the launch of the Stage V engine range in their load haul dumpers (LHD). It starts with the new LF-14, a vehicle that is more than just a technical highlight. It marks nothing less than the current spearhead of a strategy designed to make GHH the “cleanest” supplier in the industry (Figure 1).
The Germans are already well ahead in this respect. Dump trucks and scalers meeting the currently most stringent exhaust emission standards have long been part of the product range. Take, i. e., the MK-A20 Stage V dump truck, delivered this year, the MK-A35 Stage V already operating well in the field since April 2019 and the MK-42 Stage V heading to the customer site soon. We also find a large fleet of the LF-7.6HB Stage V scaler successfully running at a mine in Europe since June 2019. More loaders are closely following with the SLP-3H, SLP-14H, LF-8 and LF-12H planned for the Stage V implementation during 2020 and the new LF-7 following in 2021.
The new LF-14 Stage V occupies a key position at GHH. With the first machine having hit customer ground in early March 2020, their second one on order and another customer having ordered three already, the LF-14 is seemingly the loader of choice. It completes the missing link in an important chain. GHH is probably the first manufacturer to be able to supply a complete core range of machines with the cleanest combustion engines.
The fact that GHH also offers vehicles with electric drive, whether cabled or battery-powered, underlines even more how serious the manufacturer is about protecting the environment and the operators of its machines.
GHH presented the LF-14 (with Stage IIIA and IV) as early as 2018. Various technology developments have been realized in the new edition. These include in particular the Volvo TAD1381VE as an engine option with Stage V: a 285 kW (1,900 rpm) power package with SCR and DPF exhaust system.
The LF-14 with 41 t operating weight carries 14 t payload in a bucket designed for 5.4 to 9 m3. The vehicle is approximately 11 m long, 3 m wide and 2,4 m high at the cabin. It can be used in both hardrock and softrock applications. GHH says, it has the best power-to-weight ratio in its class and offers the proven DNA of all the manufacturer’s machines – which are proven powerful, robust, safe and reliable. Ergonomics and overall design quality have always been a priority.
Recently, the company announced the formation of the GHH Group as a merger of several manufacturers of the Schmidt Kranz Group. GHH now not only sees itself as a “Total Solution Provider” in the field of rock logistics, supplying almost everything that drives on wheels but also in compliance with all required emission standards as well.
The Red Dot Jury has made its decision: MK-42 emerged victorious from the Red Dot Product Design Award 2020, and won a Red Dot for its good design quality. This means that GHH is one of the winners in the world’s most renowned design competition.
The MK-42 is a 42 metric tonne dump truck for underground mining, construction and tunnelling (Figure 1). It can carry up to a maximum of 45 metric tons with the dump box range from 19 m³ up to 24 m³. What´s more: Best power rating in class at 460 kW. Best turning radius and dump angle in class leading to improved performance and less material adhesion in the box due to large dumping angle of 68°.
The truck boasts optimal traction and higher driving comfort thanks to oscillating articulation and front axle suspension system. The MK-42 has a large ergonomic ROPS/FOPS certified safety cabin with high performance aircon and air filtration. The pressurized cabin is noise and dust isolated with no high pressure hoses inside and includes a strategically placed trainer seat for on the job operator training.
The newest addition to the GHH product family
GHH together with Studio Heikki Naulapää Oy created the baseline methodology and design philosophy for the MK-42 from which the GHH team developed this innovative, ergonomically designed, next generation dump truck setting the industry standard for future mining and construction products. This dump truck has been designed in collaboration with operators and miners in order to ensure the most fit-for-purpose product with best in class operator comfort and safety in mind. The powerful, rugged product design, lends not only to an extremely comfortable ride, but also provides for high productivity while maintaining low operating costs. The truck is strong on the inside and, through advanced industrial design, is also visually extremely appealing on the outside with the clear product colouring providing for maximum visibility in underground/tunnelling operations.
Red Dot CEO Professor Dr. Peter Zec on the laureates “The winners of the Red Dot Award have proved that they have created excellent products worthy of winning an award. The products won over the jury not only through their aesthetic, but also thanks to their incomparable functionality. With their designs, the award winners are setting new standards in their industry. I wish to congratulate them most sincerely on their success,” said Professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot.
Detailed evaluation of the products entered The Red Dot Award: Product Design offers designers and manufacturers from all over the world a platform for assessing their products. In 2020, designers and companies from 60 countries entered more than 6,500 products in the competition. The international jury comprises experienced experts from different disciplines and has been convening for around 65 years in order to select the year’s best designs. The adjudication process lasts several days and is based on two essential criteria: The jurors test all of the entries in order to assess not just the aesthetic but also the materials selected, the level of craftsmanship, the surface structure, ergonomics and functionality. After intensive discussions, they make a decision on the design quality of the products. True to the motto “In search of good design and innovation”, only the best designs receive an award.
MK-42 in exhibitions, online and in the yearbook On 22 June 2020, the MK-42 material will be added to the Red Dot Design Museum Essen, where all of the material of the award-winning products will be on show. The museum will thus be a hot spot for best-in-class industrial design. From that date, the winning product from GHH will also be presented in the online exhibition on the Red Dot website. The Red Dot Design Yearbook 2020/2021 comes out in July 2020. A video promotion can be found on GHH´s Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/pTi_aQFupZE.
Three manufacturers are currently repositioning themselves, rebranding and building up the GHH Group, Gelsenkirchen/Germany: One of the largest suppliers of machines for mining, tunnelling and special civil engineering (Figure 1).
Fig. 2. The new brand logo of the GHH group. // Bild 2. Das neue Logo der GHH Gruppe. Source/Quelle: GHH
This step is illustrated by a common logo consisting only of the letters GHH and a corresponding corporate design, which is gradually being introduced (Figure 2). The rebranding includes new clear product colouring providing for maximum visibility in underground mining and tunnelling operations. The slogan “Solid as a rock” underlines the company’s claim to offer high-performance, Rock Solid equipment for mines and construction sites all over the world.
From now on, the GHH Group brand will be backed by GHH Fahrzeuge GmbH (Germany), GHH Mining Machines (South Africa) and Mine Master (Poland), including various partner companies. They have long been part of the Schmidt Kranz Group, a privately owned German based company, which owns other key companies in the industry, including Hazemag, a manufacturer of large machinery processing plants and MTS Perforator with drill steels and tunnel boring machines.
In fact, GHH can be regarded as a rock in the industry because its roots go back to 1758, and it has a well-established strong foundation built over years of design and development experience in the mining and tunnelling industries.
At its peak as a mechanical engineering conglomerate, GHH had almost 100,000 employees. Industrial giants such as MAN, Roland and MTU once belonged to it. In 1995, GHH Fahrzeuge GmbH split off as a specialist for underground equipment. Within 25 years, the manufacturer had advanced to become a major player in the world market.
GHH, in Germany, exports its load haul dumpers, dump trucks and scalers around the globe. In addition to drill rigs, bolters and long hole production drill rigs from Mine Master in Poland and low profile and narrow vein loaders from GHH Mining Machines in South Africa. GHH has various partners, in geographical locations, that have ranges of products that all add to the “total solution provider” approach.
Through deep cooperation with partner companies in various geographical locations like UVB from Botswana, Mine Machines from Zimbabwe, Overprime from Peru, Titan from Turkey, Tembo from Netherlands and MacLean from Canada, GHH Group has added a significant number of products to their portfolio including low profile utility vehicles, and narrow vein loaders, spray concrete units, utility vehicles, passenger transporters, light cranes, scissor lifts, mini dumpers, lifting platforms and ANFO loading trucks as well as light duty full electric vehicles, and MacLeans standard and battery equipment, which adds to the already eco-friendly Stage V offering. GHH supplies almost everything that is needed especially for underground mining carried out “on wheels”.
The course has long been set for the future. Productivity, environmental protection and personal safety should continue to be the three fundamental characteristics of every machine. Real values that should bring real benefits. (GHH/Si.)
Best of its kind: GHH Fahrzeuge GmbH, Gelsenkirchen/Germany, developed the new MK-42 dump truck with this claim in mind. In fact, in some areas it is the first in its class.
The German manufacturer of heavy machinery for civil engineering, tunnelling and mining is considered a rock in the industry. Its roots go back to 1758. The company separated from a former industrial conglomerate, which included giants such as MAN, Roland and MTU. It became part of the Schmidt Kranz Group, which also hosts companies such as MineMaster and Hazemag. Today, GHH is nothing less than a full-range supplier in the world of rock logistics: For almost everything that drives on wheels.
In other words, plenty of good DNA to build outstanding dump trucks. The new MK-42 is now proving its worth (Figure 4): up to 45,000 kg payload, 19 – 24 m3 dump volume, maximum drive power, great turning radius, large dumping angle and excellent ergonomics and safety. The MK-42 has a streamlined, innovative product design which just received the Red Dot Design Award.
The 460 kW Mercedes OM473 forms the engine basis, fulfilling the latest emission standards according to Stage V. GHH also offers Tier 3 and 4 versions. Alternatively the Volvo TAD1651 or 1671 is available. The vehicle rests on Kessler axles with an oscillating articulation and front axle suspension. The power is transmitted by a converter and gearbox combination from the Dana 8000 series. The MK-42 is designed for use in harsh environments, especially in underground hardrock mining applications. Its dimensions are surprisingly compact at 3,062 x 10,535 x 2,719 mm (W x L x H). Thanks to the large dumping angle of 68° high efficiencies in productivity are fully supported by improved cycle time.
Special emphasis was placed on a safe and simple design in the best sense of the word: Low maintenance and repair costs are a core discipline of the manufacturer, with operator safety and comfort in mind through the entire design process. The ROPS/FOPS certified cab is ergonomically designed to be spacious, quiet, pressurised and effectively air-conditioned, to ensure maximum operator comfort while minimizing fatigue. And the strategically placed trainer seat provides for effective operator training maximizing the outputs and minimizing time spent on training.
The new MK-42 fits seamlessly into the manufacturer’s range of dump trucks. It has the perfect partner in GHH´s LF-14 loader with three pass loading. Extensive consulting, aftermarket support, parts sales and technical training are just a few of the services GHH offers to all customers all over the world.
Exclusively for Russia, GHH markets a special version named MK-A45. Global sales will start shortly as the prototype truck enters its final stage of rigorous testing. The new dump truck is sold by GHH Group, including all its subsidiaries and dealers.
Two major manufacturers of construction machinery and equipment are now cooperating on the world market: GHH Fahrzeuge GmbH from Gelsenkirchen/Germany, and MacLean from Ontario/Canada, announced their cooperation at a plant inauguration in Mexico in February 2020 (Figure 1).
MacLean intends to use the new production facility in Queretaro to reach customers in Latin America in particular, and to increasingly serve North America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The integration of GHH’s product lines means that the company can now offer a complete range of products. The partnership is also a clever move for the Germans, as it gives them access to new sales markets, especially in the USA, Canada and Mexico. In return, GHH is supplementing its own range and introducing Mac-Lean in countries such as Russia, -Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and India.
“The combination of the product ranges is a milestone for both companies. More and more customers want manageable supply chains to reduce costs. This is not only about the main product, but also about logistics, maintenance and safety”, says Managing Director Kevin MacLean. He appreciates the quality of GHH’s machines, know-how and level of innovation. GHH Managing Director Jan Petzold underlines the increasing importance of the supplier position in the target group. “Being able to offer everything from a single source is a key factor and more relevant to success than ever”.
His company is well positioned. In fact, GHH has significantly strengthened its position in the market, not least through extensive cooperations. These complement the company’s own core range of loaders, dump trucks, mixers and scaler vehicles. Meanwhile, GHH offers much more, as the holding company (Schmidt Kranz Group) includes other specialists such as Mine Master and Hazemag. MacLean fits in well as a new partner. The Canadians have been building high-quality machinery for predominantly complementary applications for decades, and also serve a broad clientele.
Fig. 1. GHH is pushing the use of radio remote controls with its T-RX100J model. // Bild 1. Mit dem Modell T-RX100J forciert GHH den Einsatz von Fernsteuerungen. Photo/Foto: GHH
Safety first in mining and tunnelling: For this reason, the German machine manufacturer GHH Fahrzeuge GmbH, Gelsenkirchen, is pushing the use of radio remote controls whereever it suits the application. Its T-RX100J model (Figure 1) is particularly light, comparatively inexpensive and also works with other OEM equipment. It can be used to control heavy equipment by radio remote, from a safe distance, including load haul dumpers, dump trucks and drilling rigs. It is recommended for use in aeras where the operator would be exposed to increased danger. Some key applications include sublevel stoping, because of rock instability, as well as block cave, due to the potential for rock burst.
The control unit weighs only about 1,200 g. It is hooked into a central neck strap. The ergonomic housing is made of impact-resistant plastic and protected against dust and water according to IP67. Two programmable joysticks and switches for all common machine functions are available to the operator. An LCD display shows parameters such as temperature and oil level.
A special feature is the tilt sensor. If the control unit tilts unexpectedly, e. g., because the operator falls, the dead man switch stops the machine. The degree of response can be changed to meet individual requirements. The safety circuit also triggers if the radio connection is interrupted. Communication with the machine is digital and therefore highly stable. For failure protection, the RRC uses twin processors with self-diagnosis function. A large emergency stop switch is located in the middle of the console. The overall ergonomics are exemplary.
On the machine side, a receiver box with aluminium housing is installed. At 1,600 g it is also very light and compact, and also extensively protected. The connection is made via analogue and digital interfaces, with radio channels in MHz and GHz bands. The operating range is –25 to 70 °C. As an option, a video function can be added. A motion picture is send via Wifi transmission from a camera on the maschine to a screen clipped onto the RRC. This option may be used to recover machines from stopes with a tele-remotely controlled LHD.
GHH sells the remote controls in increasing numbers. The latest customer is a mining contractor in Chile who uses it to remotely control his load haul dumpers (competitive model), in an underground mining application. The control system is adapted by GHH to the requirements of the operator and the machine, tested and handed over after instruction.
