The agreement was made with the China National Coal Mining Equipment Group this month, after Ellton directors travelled to China to see the products and manufacturing plants.
“Ellton Longwall will be the marketing and sales leg, Ellton Industries will have an extended range of mining and lifting chains, Ellton Conveyors will supply engineering and compatibility solutions and Ellton Mine Services will supply the backup and after-sales support services for the product supplied into the Australian market,” Newton said.
He said compared to the six week average shipping time witnessed with current European suppliers, sea freight from China is expected to be just three weeks long.
Newton said the Chinese equipment group has invested millions over the past year in the latest CNC (computer numerical control) and robotic technologies, with its armoured face conveyor manufacturing plant alone spending $US100 million to update machines and factory facilities.
As part of its recent expansion and upgrade, Newton said the Chinese equipment group had purchased Parsons Chain Company UK, dismantled its plant and shipped it to China where it is currently being installed.
“We visited the new Parsons plant to make sure that we could continue to supply a Parsons product of the same quality, and were pleasantly shocked by the level of investment, organisation and determination of the Chinese group,” he said.
The roof support factory currently produces some 8000 shields per year ranging in size from 0.6m to 6.5m up to 1200 metric tonne capacity.
The specific equipment to be supplied by Ellton is yet to be finalised, but is expected to include:
- Complete turnkey longwall systems
- Powered roof supports
- Sub-level caving roof supports
- Shield roof supports
- Heavy-duty armoured face conveyors
- Beam stage loaders
- Crushers
- Gearboxes
- Mining chains
- Industrial chains
- Chain connectors
- Flight bars
- Shearers
- Hydraulic props
Newton said a number of the products would also be showcased at the upcoming AIMEX 2007.
