PUC Bands Boost Conveyor Safety

Q: What have been the most significant contributions GGD Bandas has made for the Mexican mining industry?

A: IThe commercialization of our products used to be carried out by distributors but three years ago we decided to remove this intermediary and approach the end user directly. Today, we supply 100 percent of conveyor belts and our strongest area is in the mine interior. Safety has been significantly improved due to improved technology. We have replaced rubber with PVC in the bands. This transition has already been embraced by other mining markets in Russia, China, and Australia.

Q: How does your technology encourage efficiency across mining operations?

A: There is a type of conveyor system that uses steel cabling as a structural element and as such it requires constant monitoring to identify failures. In the past we had to bring the technology and technical assistance from overseas to address these failures, and obviously this led to longer lead times and higher costs for clients. We decided to purchase this technology and offer the services ourselves. Choosing the right supplier of this technology was difficult but we found a Russian supplier that has a strong presence in the Chilean mining sector. The supplier’s ties to the Chilean market enabled us to create a strong business environment and we were able to adapt it to the needs of the Mexican mining sector. The first projects we will carry out will be sent to Russia for evaluation to ensure a high quality service. The main advantage of this product is the safety it ensures since damages in conveyor systems are sometimes not discernable to the eye and the scanner detects them swiftly. The maintenance is faster and there is no need to import technical expertise and machinery from abroad, and everything can be dealt with locally.

Q: How do you help mining companies embrace new solutions to allow them to enter this new technological era?

A: Many industries in Mexico are accustomed to working with US technology given the strong ties between the two countries. We have seen that some mining companies are fully committed to one type of technology and country of origin, and it takes some time to convince them of alternatives. The advantage of GGD Bandas is that we have Asian, American, and European suppliers, and this enables us to offer a range of opportunities that uphold different norms.

Mexico is a complicated country in which to do business since for many years it was battered by low quality products from other markets. To remove this distrust from the mining sector we have to rely on testimonies or success stories in other industries and carry out multiple testing stages. In these evaluations, companies can analyze and benchmark our products against their traditional alternatives. The process of becoming an integrated service supplier is long since we must demonstrate the cost benefit of our solutions and our in-depth engineering expertise.

Q: What advantages has the company spotted by upholding norms from a wide array of markets around the globe?

A: Our presence in several industries means we are able to transfer technology from one sector to another and offer a wide product portfolio. This diversification means we are flexible in the solutions we offer and we are able to spot areas of opportunity. The cost of energy is extremely high so we are improving our conveyor systems to reduce energy consumption.