West Africa has long established itself as one of the continent’s most exciting regions for exploration and mining, and Sandvik Rock Processing continues to build on its strong footprint of technical support for its crushing and screening solutions. Notably the company’s product offering includes stationary crushers, screen and feeders, mobile crushers and screens and rockbreakers.

From on-site engineering services to parts warehousing, training and condition monitoring, the company has built a responsive multi-tiered support system designed to ensure smooth reliable operations for its customers.

“We understand the pressure in the mining sector for increased operational uptime, safety and productivity,” says Michael Okunola, Service Manager for Sandvik Rock Processing West Africa. “As supply partners to the industry, this can only be achieved through our continued investment in human and material resources on the ground - close to customers for rapid response.”

On-site support

As part of the company’s suite of support services, Okunola highlights the various levels of its on-site engineering support programme. Customers can select from a range of offerings, including having Sandvik Rock Processing engineers on the mine for 365 days a year. Depending on how remote the mine’s location is, the management may prefer an engineer to visit the site on a monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly or annual basis.

“Our services are completely tailored to customers’ needs,” he emphasises, “but the primary focus is generally the same: to closely monitor the condition and operation of equipment on site and to ensure proactive maintenance and to optimise its performance.”

He explains that the company’s local service technicians are the first responders to customers’ needs providing on-site diagnostics and trouble-shooting, along with emergency work and routine maintenance. Sandvik Rock Processing also has after-market engineers who can commission equipment, and conduct visits in line with customer preferences.

Parts availability

Effective maintenance means having the necessary parts available when they are required, he points out. Sandvik Rock Processing therefore offers its support in helping mines with customised inventory management. Under a parts management agreement, the company’s team even visit mines to assess which inventory items have been used and which need replenishment.

“Under our vendor-managed inventory (VMI) system, for instance, we monitor stock levels on behalf of the customer and ensure timely replenishment,” he explains. “We try as far as possible to help the customer to avoid running out of parts, which can lead to delays and downtime.”

This may require moving critical spares onto customer sites as consignment stock, so they can be stored for immediate access. Okunola highlights that Sandvik’s SAM digital service plays a valuable role in facilitating operational excellence in the region’s crushing and screening plants.

“Our SAM platform helps our technical personnel - and even the customer - to monitor the consumption of parts and facilitate procurement,” he explains. “Our technical team use SAM to track the daily operation of our equipment, analysing data to diagnose issues before they become critical; we can then advise the customer what actions are required to ensure that machines are always running efficiently and at the lowest lifecycle costs.”

Regional presence

Underpinning its commitment to parts availability is Sandvik Rock Processing’s strategically located regional facilities, with a West African hub in Kumasi, Ghana. This includes a warehouse and workshop facility from which the company supports customers throughout the region.

“We also have a facility with a warehouse in Bamako in Mali, and in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso,” he says. “A recent addition to our footprint in the region is our warehouse in Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire. Each of these sites has their own team to provide technical support and logistical coordination to customers.”

The workshop facilities provide refurbishment services for key equipment as well as component rebuilds and routine preventative maintenance. He highlights that the company’s presence in these locations enables rapid response times, reduces lead time on deliveries and generally enhances customers’ operational uptime.

Building local capacity

Recognising the importance of skilled operators and technicians in West Africa, Sandvik Rock Processing invests heavily in skills development and training initiatives. These can be conducted on site or remotely and include tailored modules based on specific types of equipment as well as technical refresher training to keep customers up to date with the latest technologies and best practices.

Among the most important capacity building offerings is operator maintenance training which is most useful when conducted in a real-life practical environment. When customised for specific mines, this training can focus on the actual equipment installed on the site.

“We also run ‘train-the-trainer’ programmes which empowers supervisors to share knowledge internally,” he says. “Trainees receive certificates of competence, strengthening their career development and enhancing local skills in the process.”

Sandvik Rock Processing also supports apprenticeships as part of its local talent development initiatives. This includes internships and partnerships with technical schools. The company’s e-learning platform further expands its reach, allowing customers to access training on topics such as equipment operation, preventative maintenance and safety procedures.

“Our local technicians are well-trained, and benefit from continuous upskilling through regular visits to the company’s facilities,” says Okunola.  

He concludes that the company’s growth plans in West Africa are a clear signal of its commitment to the market in the region, ensuring that its technical support is close at hand and fully resourced.