Phillips Machine expands its activities in South Africa with new facilities/local manufacturing

Phillips Machine South Africa, under the direction of Larry G Cantley, Phillips Machine South Africa Managing Director, is a branch of an American based Phillips Machine that has been involved in almost all phases of repairs, remanufacture, fabrication, development and sales of underground mining equipment, for the past 35 years in the US. The South African branch has been trading with the Phillips name since 2008 and has moved into newly-built premises, which includes 1,000 m2 of workshop space, 250 m2 office space in Middelburg, Mpumalanga Province, where Phillips Machine SA has commenced local manufacture of equipment line, and will be hosting an opening ceremony to all South African mining groups early in February 2010.

Phillips Machine says the specific equipment it has supplied to the local market “includes battery and cable operated shuttle cars, ranging from 16 to 20 t payloads, higher payloads than comparative models in the current market, due to a free flow frame design. Also battery operated scoops with a three-post canopy for better visibility, equipped with Enersys cells (of which we are a South African Agent) for improved battery usage, and a fully sealed dual bearing centre section.”

Phillips Machine SA also overhauls, fabricates new and assembles industrial mining batteries on any underground equipment.

And Phillips Machine SA’s latest addition has been the complete supply of a cutter drum to STA Mining, with which it has achieved up to 20% reduction in vibration, improved sump and sheer speeds, better turning and visibly less washing on the pick holders.  Phillips Machine SA will have a lacing fixture in-house to re-lace cutter drums to customer requirements by the end of January 2010.

The company says “Our equipment log currently consists of 13 x FC16 (16 t) battery operated shuttle cars, three PM2110-FC16 (16 t) cable operated shuttle cars, 15 x PM2110-FC20 (20 t) shuttle cars and 13 Model number S280 battery operated scoops in the field, and a current back order list to fulfill in 2010.”