Both companies have been at the forefront of combining GPS technology with wireless internet connectivity to "dramatically improve productivity on mining and earthmoving equipment".

The new company will have its headquarters at Acacia Ridge, near Brisbane, and will initially employ 11 people.

The new company's chief executive will be Chris Seymour, former manager southern region of BHP Australia Coal, where he was responsible for five mines and 2000 employees.

His 28 year career with BHP included assignments in the United States, South Africa, China, Chile and Europe.

The founder of MGT, David Hall, will be the company's chief technical officer, responsible for the merged company's extensive ongoing R&D activities.

Company chairman Ken Dredge had a distinguished career in the mining industry with Utah Development, as executive director Mount Isa Mines, and as CEO of Dominion Mining. Dredge is currently chairman of Tarong Energy and is a council member for Queensland University of Technology.

"The new technology offered by APS has very wide application," Seymour said.

"For example one of our customers used it on a golf course. The course design was loaded via a wireless connection onto a computer in the cab of a dozer. The GPS system can fix the position of the dozer blade within two centimeters, and tell the operator exactly how much to cut or fill to form the greens, sand traps and water hazards of the design. By following the instructions on the screen the course was formed without the need for survey pegs. Progress could be checked at all stages from the design office via the wireless connection."

APS has systems operating at Century, Yallourn, Milmerran, Drayton, Coppabella and Collinsville mines in Australia.

The company has recently signed a preferred supplier agreement with Thiess. In the US; APS has sold dozer, excavator and drill systems to mines in Alaska and Wyoming.

The US subsidiary company has a dealership arrangement with Topcon, a leading manufacturer of GPS and other survey equipment.

Seymour said the merger brings together the commercial success that APS has enjoyed with innovative three dimensional software from MGT.

MGT's ExactaTrak system uses an onboard computer that gives a dozer operator a three dimensional view of the job to be done.

On-screen arrows indicate exactly where the operator should push the dirt to complete the task in the most cost effective manner.

"Field trials on a Helvory Contractor dozer engaged in land rehabilitation at Goonyella mine showed an 80 percent improvement in productivity over older methods," David Hall said.

'The system is easy to use and has gained excellent operator acceptance,' he said.

'The inventors expect it to play a big part in helping companies to increase the rate of rehabilitation on mined land.'

The new company offers GPS-based machine guidance products for dozers, drills, excavators, shovels, scrapers, draglines, dredges and other earthmoving equipment. MiningNews.net