Menar, a leading South African mining company with a growing diversified minerals portfolio that includes thermal coal, anthracite, manganese and nickel, has expressed excitement about the arrival of the New Generation Volvo articulated dump trucks (ADTs). Speaking at the recent official launch of the new range, CFO Jamie Biggs was particularly excited about the all-new A50, which he believes ticks all the right boxes for Menar’s operational requirements.

Following its global launch at the start of this year, the much-anticipated New Generation Volvo ADT range made its southern African debut at a grand Babcock launch event attended by key customers at the end of June. Among the big mining names in attendance was Menar, which was represented by a number of its executives, including its CFO, Jamie Biggs.

Menar is a big proponent of Volvo Construction Equipment machinery, as reflected by its large fleet of Volvo ADTs and complementary loading tools. The company, confirms Biggs, currently runs a large fleet of 55-tonne (t) Volvo A60H articulated haulers, which are paired with 90-t Volvo EC950 excavators. The existing fleet has been running for about six years now, with a replacement cycle for the third cycle looming large.

“We typically replace our ADTs at 15 000 hours and we intend to keep it that way. At those intervals, they are still in a very good operational condition and can fetch a good resale value. Replacing equipment at the right intervals also offers benefits such as reduced repair costs and better fuel efficiency, ultimately lowering the total cost of ownership and increasing profitability,” says Biggs.

Ahead of the company’s replacement cycles, Biggs is thrilled about the availability of the New Generation Volvo ADT range from local dealer, Babcock. “From what we have seen, fuel efficiency will be a key factor of interest to us,” says Biggs, citing new innovations such as the new electronic system and the new Volvo developed transmission, which deliver fuel efficiency improvements of up to 15% depending on model and application.

Biggs is looking forward to incorporating new technology into Menar’s fleet. A feature of interest is the new range’s Volvo drivetrain with Terrain Memory. With its ability to identify and remember any slippery road segments, the drivetrain ensures superb fuel efficiency without compromising on power. Automatic drive combinations, with 100% differential locks and all-terrain bogie and hydro-mechanical steering, also combine to provide unmatched traction, stability and precision control.

Of major interest to Biggs is the all-new A50, which he believes will offer greater operational efficiency at Menar’s sites. With its 45-t payload, the all-new A50 delivers 10% more productivity and 8% greater fuel-efficiency when compared to the previous generation A45GFS – making it an ideal solution for high-production mining sites. For the A50, service costs are reduced by up to 6% over 12 000 hours of operation due to simplified servicing, longer change intervals and easy component access.

“We are also excited about the fully hydraulic suspension concept on the A50 – which is said to take the concept to new heights as the only full suspension machine of its size class on the market,” says Biggs, highlighting the resultant significant improvement in cycle times, an increase in hauler production per operator-hour and lower costs when compared to standard suspension ADT counterparts.

“Given the uptime-conscious nature of our mining operations, aftermarket support is a key factor in our buying decisions. For years, Babcock has proven to be a dependable partner, offering comprehensive aftermarket support that includes readily available spare parts, expert service and service contracts, which are crucial for quickly addressing any issues and minimising costly production delays. We look forward to placing our orders for the new range once the commodity cycle turns, especially in coal,” concludes Biggs.