Posted by Paul Moore on 9th February 2023
Following the preliminary news that broke almost precisely a year ago in February 2022 that Caterpillar was divesting its underground coal longwall business to water hydraulic systems significant Hauhinco Maschinenfabrik based in Sprockhoevel, North Rhine-Westphalia, information have actually lastly emerged of the brand-new longwall business, which is Hauhinco Bergbautechnik or HBT.
Its primary bases remain in Sprockhoevel along with the previous Caterpillar underground mining center (and previous DBT center) in Luenen. The proficiency and abilities of the previous Cat area at Wuppertal will likewise be moved to Sprockhoevel. But it likewise has areas in China, India, Australia and the U.S.A., with management groups generally previous senior Caterpillar staff.
Fittingly, its brand-new blue and yellow striped logo design is really comparable to the previous DBT, or Deutsche Bergbau-Technik, a famous name in coal mining equipment & innovation, which was gotten by Bucyrus in 2007, with Bucyrus then being gotten by Caterpillar.
Initial action products consist of decreasing interaction barriers, enhancing contact and interaction from the HQ to areas, plus building and enhancing joint endeavors in India and China, customer support groups and circulation channels, increasing capability and enhancing automation procedures in Automation. HBT likewise plans to increase item offerings, consisting of legs and cylinder production plus putting brand-new shearers with tactical consumers. Finally concentrating on accomplishing on-time shipments.
The management group is rather a line up. Notably HBT has longtime Caterpillar Product Manager for Underground Technology Jay Armburger on board, as CTO Longwall and Automation along with CEO of the United States arm HBT Americas LLC, where another Caterpillar veteran, Dayven Johnston is now General Manager. Long time Hauhinco staff member Ron Osselborn, is President/COO of HBT Americas. In Australia, Kevin Parsons is CEO, a previous ex-Caterpillar Commercial Manager. China is directed by 2 brand-new Directors – long time ex-Cat staff members Neil Li and Cindy Yang. India’s secret Director is Chandrashekar V, previously Cat dealership GMMCO MD and CEO.
HBT CEO Christopher Koslowski states on the establishment of the brand-new group: “It has been a long journey to bring us together to this Day 1. We thank you for your patience and great efforts, and the team from Cat for the relentless efforts to make this happen…we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead, forming a powerhouse of longwall mining technology and beyond, venturing together further into the mining industry as well as broadening our horizons by applying our wealth of knowledge and expertise to other industries.”
He includes on the business’s brand-new method: “Our engineering approach is listening, analysing, shaping, and delivering. Our engineering includes the entire product lifecycle with serviceability and TCO as an integral part of the engineering DNA…the objective of customer satisfaction across the value stream, including, importantly, the aftermarket focus, is our utmost aim. Anything that we do is geared towards our customers. That is the only place where we can create sustainable value, and that is the only place that ensures our existence. Our approach to customers is guided by listening, analysing, adapting, and delivering. For this, we need to be closer to our customer base. The distribution model is best described as direct. Over the next months, the direct approach model will take shape – everywhere. This will bring about organisational change within each region, as we grow into our direct model role.”
He was likewise eager to stress the brand-new business’s green method moving forward: “Our approach to our environmental responsibility and responsibility within our respective communities will lead to an industrial transformation of our company. The first real sign of this you will see with the upcoming investment into photovoltaic electricity production in Sprockhoevel and Luenen. By the end of 2023, we strive to be grid independent during daytime production, producing a sizeable surplus of electricity to feed into the grid. In 2024 we strive for a further technological step toward energy independence by installing hydrogen capabilities in Luenen. Our carbon footprint will be measured and equalised by 2028.”
