Introducing High Quality Hydraulic Hoses and Fittings

Hydraulic hoses and fittings are used across a wide range of mining activities and applications, such as heavy off-road mining vehicles, underground mining equipment, lifting buckets of ore, or shifting mountains of overburden. Given that the market for these kinds of products within the Mexican mining industry is rapidly expanding, many international companies are trying to capture a part of this market. RYCO Hydraulics, a leading Australian manufacturer of quality hydraulic hoses, fittings and accessories, started operations in Mexico in May 2012. Founded in 1946, RYCO Hydraulics offers a broad range of hydraulic hoses to suit different types of applications, particularly within the mining industry. “Every mobile equipment application for the mining industry uses hydraulic systems. All the ‘arteries’ of the hydraulic equipment work thanks to hoses and fittings,” says Fabián Lizardi, Sales Manager for Mexico and Central America at RYCO Hydraulics. The Australian company manufactures a wide range of fittings in various sizes and thread types that are supported by RYCO manufactured hydraulic hoses with high working pressures. All hoses are manufactured under strict quality controls and meet the most popular technical standards. Lizardi points out that all of the company’s products follow Mining Design Guideline number 41 (MDG41), set up by Australian authorities, which is considered to be the latest and most up to date specification for all fluid power applications.

“Companies within the extractive industry sector are really concerned about purchasing high-quality products that meet every safety requirement and regulation needed to operate in the mining market,” Lizardi says. However, the company goes beyond complying with safety standards and offers added benefits to the final users of its products. “For example, if a safety norm requires a hose to have the capacity to handle 3,500psi, RYCO will produce a hose that can handle up to 5,000psi. The company will always try to design products that offer a 20% additional benefit over what the norm requires,” he adds.

The company’s strategy for consolidating its brand within the Mexican market focuses for the most part on applications for mining activities. Lizardi points out that many underground connections in Mexican mines are still being secured with a single staple, despite this being an obsolete technology: “Through simple alterations and practical innovation, RYCO can improve safety levels by increasing the pressure capacity of the hose.” RYCO aspires to be more than a product supplier and also provides integrated services, such as technical support and training, to its customers. “Given that RYCO’s business is just starting in Mexico, providing training and support services not only guarantees that the company’s products are used in the right way, it also presents added value for its customers,” says Lizardi. RYCO’s plan is to enter the distribution market in order to create a network of specialists that can supply spare parts such as belts, pulleys and bearings, as an added service for the final users of the hydraulic hoses and fittings.

Lizardi explains that if a hose breaks the equipment or the complete system stops working. Given that some mines are located in remote areas and are very hard to reach, out of order equipment could result in high cost. Lizardi also describes how performance is measured, based on the productivity of the company’s industrial plants, as well as on the safety of the products for their final users: “Our customers have not experienced any accidents related to the quality of our products. The company helps maintenance workers to detect parts that need to be replaced with new ones, which also helps to prevent accidents.”