Strong partnerships between mines and their supply partners are based on optimising the health of their productive assets, which remain at the core of operational efficiency. This is according to Alistair McKay, FLS Vice President for Capital Sales in Europe, Arabia and Africa.
“Collaboration and partnership really need to add value to both sides,” McKay explains. “If there is insufficient value being created in the relationship, there can be very little collaboration or partnership.”
FLS’s strategy begins with a strong regional footprint ensuring that the company is close to its customer base to enable not only quick response times but also proactive maintenance strategies. McKay stresses that this approach enables regular visits to support asset health, rather than only being reactive to issues arising.
“Our proactive stance means that mining operations benefit from our ongoing performance monitoring, training and skills transfer – all of which contribute to long-term productivity and asset performance,” he says.
Following the capital acquisition stage, a productive partnership enhances the adaptability of the operation to the changes in ore body characteristics that invariably occur over time. This affects key aspects of the feed parameters, while also influencing the consumption of water, power and reagents, for instance.
McKay highlights that such a partnership is also based on a shared commitment to sustainability principles and to reducing the environmental impact of mining and processing activity. This includes limiting carbon emissions through energy efficiency.
“This means making the most of equipment capacity through technology that enhances efficient operation while increasing throughput,” he says. “The use of LoadIQ, our mill scanner technology, is one example of how we help customers to use mill capacity to the fullest extent – delivering more from the same asset and power draw.”
It is also critical to have a research and development component to drive sustainability efforts, he argues. Technological advancement behind FLS’s next generation polyurethane screen panels, for instance, are enabling wear life to be extended by up to four times.
“This supports efficient operations by allowing longer periods between replacement and maintenance, thereby boosting plant uptime and general efficiency,” says McKay. “Better production levels from the same asset base means that capital investment delivers the best value and operating costs are kept to a minimum.”
He also points to recycling of wear parts as another important element of responsible asset management. While FLS invests continuously in technologies like composite liners for longer life, there is a time when liners need to be replaced.
“As part of our circular economy approach, we have ways of recycling these worn liners so that there is less wastage in the value chain,” he says. “These initiatives support our partnership with customers, as they also need to report on their sustainability performance in increasing detail.”
He also emphasises digital advancements with FLS’s PerformanceIQ® providing a holistic platform that integrates asset health and performance monitoring.
“Condition monitoring and asset health are often seen as separate silos, but linking the two ensures optimal performance,” McKay explains. These tools help shift asset management from a reactive to a proactive approach, reducing unexpected downtime and improving overall productivity. By monitoring equipment continuously, operators can identify trends and potential failures before they occur.
“We encourage customers to monitor assets on an ongoing basis, leveraging AI and digital solutions to enhance decision making and ensure proactive maintenance,” he concludes.
