Suppliers Roundup (December 01, 2003)

Miller takes home two awards

North Bay-based Miller Technology, which produces personnel carriers for use underground, has received two awards.

For the second time in the past decade, Miller was named Company of the Year in the Northern Ontario Business Awards (16-50 employees category). It was also honoured by the National Research Council of Canada as one of its Top 100 Innovators.

President Ron Miller, a former chief designer with Jarvis Clark, started Miller Technology in his garage in 1979. The company’s first big success was the 4-wheel Mine Kart; this was followed by other multi-function utility carriers.

Record revenue for Finning

In the third quarter, Vancouver-based Finning earned $36.6 million (or 48 per share) on record revenue of $925 million. The revenue was 17% higher than in the corresponding period of 2002.

The company is a division of Finning International, whose president, Douglas Whitehead, says the higher revenue resulted from new acquisitions and sales of equipment and power/energy systems.

During the quarter, Finning commissioned a $6.3-million power plant in Ladner, B.C., developed in conjunction with Maxim Power. Also, Finning’s South American division announced a $12-million equipment sale and 5-year, $84-million maintenance contract with Minera El Tesoro, part of the Antofagasta Minerals Group in Chile.

Finning South America also sold $70 million worth of equipment to Minera Argentina Gold, a wholly owned subsidiary of partners Barrick Gold and Veladero Gold.

Komatsu unit joins Quadrem

Komatsu South Africa has joined Quadrem, an online marketplace consisting of more than 4,000 suppliers.

Komatsu, which manufactures mining and construction equipment, intends to save on costs by using one process for transactions with multiple customers.

A spokesman for Quadrem says more than US$1.3 billion in purchases will pass through the online hub.

Third-quarter revenue was up 18% from the corresponding period of last year.

Established in 2000, Quadrem has divisions in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, and the U.S.

Size matters for Knelson Gravity

Langley, B.C.-based Knelson Gravity Solutions has unveiled what it says is the world’s largest centrifugal gravity concentrator.

Known as “Konzilla,” the Knelson XD70 concentrator is 4 metres high and tips the scales at more than 18 tonnes. The unit can process up to 1,000 tonnes per hour.

The announcement coincides with Knelson’s 25th anniversary. The company was started in 1978 when designer Byron Knelson introduced the first centrifugal concentrator to the world’s mining industry. Today, more than 2,500 Knelson units are operating in 70 countries.

Bucyrus expands web site

Bucyrus International, maker of drilling and heavy machinery for mining operations, is now offering additional upgrading information over the Internet.

By visiting www.bucyrus.com, customers can look up electrical grade information sheets for various Bucyrus machinery. Electrical upgrades can improve productivity.

Product upgrades for draglines, drills, and shovels have been available on the Bucyrus company’s web site for some time.

The Milwaukee, Wis.-based company has been in business for 123 years.

Gemcom launches software

Gemcom Software International is marketing a new mine management computer application known as GEMS 5.2.

The software includes an improved graphical user interface for the volumetrics application, a new production scheduler for block caving, and greater security and support for geostatistical databases.

Gemcom describes the software as superior to its widely used GEMS 5.1.

The company’s products are used at more than 1,000 mine sites by such industry titans as Anglo American, BHP Billiton and Noranda.