DRILL CONSUMABLES_proof 26/10/2016 10:31 Page 2
DRILL CONSUMABLES
With the recent acquistions, Robit has widened
its product range to cover full string
consumables for top hammer and Down The
Hole product ranges
addition, the company has a sales office in Hong
Kong. Bulroc (UK) Ltd has altogether 46
employees.
“Through this acquisition Robit PLC
strengthens significantly its Down-the-Hole
business area. Through the two simultaneous
acquisitions – Bulroc (UK) Ltd and Drilling Tools
Australia Pty Ltd (DTA) – Robit Plc becomes a
remarkable global supplier in this Down-theHole business segment. It is notable that the
two acquired companies’ product ranges
support each other.”
These two acquisitions mean that Robit’s
cumulative net sales will pass €75 million. The
company is looking for further active growth in
each of its three strategic business areas: Downthe-Hole, Top Hammer and Digital Services.
Earlier in the year Robit signed a Sale and
Purchase Agreement to acquire 100% of the
shares of Drilling Tools Australia Ltd (DTA), a
subsidiary of Ausdrill Ltd. DTA is a specialist in
the Australian drilling consumable market
offering Down-the-Hole and Top Hammer drilling
equipment with corresponding engineered
solutions for the mining and construction
industry. The company is based in Perth, Canning
Vale, Western Australia with 69 employees.
Through DTA, Robit has also entered into a
2.5 year preferred supply arrangement for the
supply of consumables with Ausdrill, which is
one of the major mining contractors in the
world. “The acquisition of DTA is an important
part of Robit’s global growth strategy. Robit’s
target is to achieve a strong foothold in the
Australian market, one of the biggest markets
for drilling consumables in the world. The
acquisition enables the local production of high
quality drilling tools in Perth ensuring better
availability and shorter delivery times of
products to customers in Oceania and the Far
48 International Mining | NOVEMBER 2016
East. Through the acquisition, Robit gains new
customers from important players in the
Australian mining market. The mining segment
represents about 25% of Robit’s global net sales
before the transaction. Through the acquisition
Robit will also further strengthen its product
portfolio.”
“I am very pleased that after a long
negotiation process with Ausdrill Ltd we were
able to reach an agreement in bringing DTA and
Robit together, building company net sales close
to €70 million. This step, together with our
targeted high organic growth of 15%/y, will take
us to the next level in our strategy”, says Harri
Sjöholm, the Chairman of Robit. “By combining
Robit’s global manufacturing expertise with
DTA’s high quality service culture we are able to
service customers better and grow our business
in Australia and Southeast Asia”, says Mikko
Mattila, the CEO of Robit. “As Robit is a
renowned manufacturer of quality drilling
products with an extensive global distribution
network, they will be able to service Ausdrill’s
drill consumable needs into the future”, says
Ron Sayers, the Managing Director of Ausdrill
Ltd.
Atlas Copco launches Powerbit
Powerbit is the all new range of top hammer
drill bits for surface drilling from Atlas Copco
Secoroc. They’re “built to take on any rock, from
hard to soft, and from abrasive to non-abrasive.
These bits last much longer. They give drillers
more metres before the first regrind, and many
more metres between regrinds. With Powerbit,
drillers are guaranteed to get more performance
from each bit.”
The Atlas Copco Secoroc development
engineers “have looked at all aspects of drill bit
technology to ensure the longest possible
service life for Powerbit. The bit shape is entirely
new and the bit body steel is harder and
stronger. Moreover, the new button technology
is so effective that it is patented many times
over.” The previous semi-ballistic buttons have
now been replaced with Atlas Copco Secoroc’s
unique, patented trapezoid shaped buttons –
known as Trubbnos. In addition, the patented
Enduro Extra surface treatment “gives
outstanding strength in all types of rock. So far,
Powerbit has been put through more than 20
series of tests at 13 test sites all over the world.
A total of more than 50 km has been dril led in a
great variety of rock conditions. At these sites,
service life is up to 20% better than the
competition and the penetration rate is up to
10% more effective than other leading bits on
the market. Extensive experience, together with
thorough research, simulation and testing, have
allowed Atlas Copco Secoroc to make the
Powerbit range much more compact and
versatile than before.”
There are now approximately 30% fewer bits
in the company’s range for top hammer rock
drilling applications – it says making bit choice
much easier. “Atlas Copco Secoroc is known for
the quality of its top hammer shank adapters
and drill rods. A tried and tested combination of
material choice, heat treatment, and the unique
T-WiZ threads, means high up-time and effective
drilling. With the launch of Powerbit, drillers
now have a top-of-the line range of drill bits to
match. Tests show that these bits work
extremely well in any rock formation, and they
outperformed the competing bits on all test
sites.”
Atlas Copco has also introduced G14, “a
collection of its 14 best and most universal core
drilling matrices. The Great 14 Group makes bit
selection simple and easy, and are the only
matrices a driller will ever need. Atlas Copco is
known for cutting edge innovation in diamond
tools, and keen insight into what the core
drilling industry needs for sustainable
productivity. The company has analysed its
Excore, Hobic and Craelius product lines, and
brought together the 14 best and broadest
performing matrices. This not only makes
stocking the right bit simpler, but also makes it
easier to select the right matrix and optimise its
performance for a given application.”
Each bit includes a colour-coded matrix
selection chart sticker, that can be placed
nearby for quick reference. And every bit is
labelled with a removable sticker outlining the
optimum drilling parameters for that matrix,
ensuring drillers are getting the most
productivity out of each bit. “These are our best
and most universal matrices,” says Artur Makos,
Product Line Manager of High Performance
Diamond Tools at Atlas Copco. “By
communicating with drillers, we’ve learned what
works in the field and created a group that will
improve productivity and make life easier.”
Bringing together well known matrices from