Could you comment on Epiroc’s performance in recent years?

Between 2018 and 2019, the mining industry saw accelerated growth, with increased mining activity and a high demand for equipment purchases. Today, the drastic rise in commodity prices, with copper and cobalt in the spotlight, have drawn more attention to the DRC. Epiroc has been on a positive growth path, galvanized by iconic projects like the Kamoa mine, but also with the return of big mining houses that had previously stalled production with the onset of the pandemic.

What are Epiroc’s most recent investments?

We are investing in a new office, warehouse and a workshop with latest technology in Kolwezi, in a bid to be closer to our customers. The relocation from Lubumbashi to Kolwezi will be completed this year. Epiroc has also made substantial investments in new regional distribution centers in both South Africa and Zambia, which will allow us to reduce the lead time and delivery time of spare parts and serve our customers better.

How do you observe the market’s openness to digitalization and automation?

The mining industry is more ready to adopt advanced equipment. With Epiroc 6^th sense, we enable automatic drilling both in surface and underground and remote operating of loaders and trucks.

When it comes to digitalization, the need for real time data is the key adoption driver, which is also a part of Epiroc’s 6^th sense solution. Mine operations want to know how much ore they extract from the mine or the exact location of the people at the site (who wear tags and they can be easily found should anything happen). In underground projects, these concerns are even more seriously considered.

Epiroc continues to invest heavily in digitalization, automation and electrification. Epiroc has released a full fleet of battery-powered equipment, but we are also working by converting and adapting older models; if a customer uses a machine that is 5-10 years old, we can upgrade it so it runs on battery power.

Could you elaborate on Epiroc’s electrification strategy and how this pans out in the DRC?

Epiroc is committed to the Sustainable Developments Agenda 2030. We want to support our customers so that we together can make a difference. This change in technology also makes a difference for the people working with the equipment, there is less emission and noise and at the same time, it is reducing the cost for the mine owner when it comes to TCO, ventilation and reduces supply chain constraints for transport of diesel. Each mine is unique with different challenges, which is why Epiroc have a team of application specialists to support our customers with simulations and calculations to make sure they are getting the most benefits as possible from the investment.

How prepared is the local workforce to respond to the industry’s needs for greater technology application?

Generally, the young population is very savvy in using cellphones or computers. This is a generation that easily adapts to new technologies, so we identify a solid talent pool in the DRC. We also count on our own training centers and the know-how support from both Sweden and South Africa to prepare our recruits and hone the skills of our personnel.

Could you comment on Epiroc’s CSR activity in the DRC?

Epiroc’s legacy “Water for All” CSR program is employee-led, our employees donating from their salaries into a fund which goes to support water-scarce communities. A recent such project was just outside of Kamoa, but these initiatives are carried out across the continent.

Epiroc is also partnering local universities to support students with technical trainings.

Finally, one of our core priorities today is to promote and ensure greater diversity along both gender and ethnicity. By recruiting a more diverse team, we bring together a richer variety of experiences and views, something that our customers resonate with. The culture of our company has always been to strive to do better, and this is what we do every time we have the chance to.

What are Epiroc’s priorities for 2022?

Our focus is to get the workshop up and running so that we can immediately support our customers with components and spare parts. Equally important for us is to innovate through zero emission products and continue to play a key role in the automatization of the industry – through which we want to guard safety and maximize productivity.