Haulage: State of the industry 2023

While the world worries about economic slowdown and recession, the mining industry remains strong. The drive toward electric power and other high-tech solutions drives the continued need for growth and focus on mineral resources, keeping the mining sector strong. We expect to see steady growth in copper and gold mining. But just because this sector remains strong does not mean operations are complacent. They recognize that to increase profitability, they need to increase their focus on efficiency. When it comes to hauling, efficiency is really at the heart of what we consider. We work with customers to design a custom solution to help them maximize their hauling capacity. We broadened our steel supplier base in 2023 to meet the demands for custom designs and to fulfill the demand for custom-engineered haul truck equipment without sacrificing on quality.

Along the lines of maximizing capacity this year, we saw increases in demand for lightweight truck bodies that remove weight from the structure to allow more space for increased payload. The downside is that these bodies have historically had a shorter wear life. We never want to sacrifice quality and longevity, so we work hard to find the right balance of lightweight and high quality. This year, we switched to manufacturing our HiVo mining class bodies with Hardox 500 Tuf steel, meaning stronger, more abrasion-resistant bodies with a payload capacity of 10% to 20% more. At the same time, the durability and life of the body are better than any competitive lightweight unit on the market.

We have also seen increasing interest from producers in custom solutions for specific applications. This has led to expanding our HiVol hard rock bodies by offering an asymmetrical option for underground mining applications. These bodies are engineered with an elongated floor on the driver’s side and shortened floor on the passenger’s side. The unique body shape lowers the center of gravity, making the truck more stable and increasing operator safety. Additionally, the custom design features a hoisted, low-side body in which the passenger side is taller than the driver’s side to factor in loading conditions, such as the loader itself, mine height, loading direction, and cycle time. This asymmetry gives clearance for the loader on the driver’s side and allows the passenger side to act as a backboard to catch material as it is loaded, avoiding unnecessary spillage.

As we look toward 2024 and beyond, we plan to keep a close eye on interest rates and how commercial development and construction will be affected. We have seen an increase in demand for many raw materials, with a downward trend for materials related to construction. Overall, we believe the conditions are right for a strong 2024, and we are looking forward to helping mines improve their hauling efficiency to meet continued demand in the year ahead. 

Josh Swank is vice-president of sales and marketing at Philippi-Hagenbuch.