HIGH PROFILE
FAMUR says it is well underway with the integration of the assets of FAMUR and Kopex’ s mining machinery units and is currently concentrating on the operational aspects of this process
of understanding enables better identification of our needs by the supplier and a quicker response to them, thus resulting in a significant increase in effectiveness of business processes. The third advantage is the supply chain integration. One of the aspects of the mining-related part of our industry consolidation is a possibility to reduce the number of suppliers and to improve operational efficiency, enabling us to reduce internal costs.
Q How have you been informing and educating customers in mining about the changes following the acquisition?
Since the beginning of the mining-related industry consolidation in Poland, we have been providing a clear and reliable communication of the process. We have been informing investors and business partners about further stages of the integration. Within our relations with mining clients, apart from the formal communications they get as part of our obligations of a listed company, they have been also informed directly by our sales departments in charge of individual markets. We have been informing them regularly about the advancement of the integration process, as well as about individual solutions becoming part of our offering that could be interesting for them.
Q Internationally are there markets where Kopex was stronger and where you will now build up a stronger FAMUR presence?
The development strategy of the FAMUR Group is based on the Go Global foreign expansion program. I am convinced that the integration with Kopex will enable us to intensify our activities on foreign markets, through the use of the long-term international experience of Kopex. The cooperation with Kopex so far has shown that within product development or sales on export
markets, the integration of the two companies can bring many benefits. For instance, in Argentina or in South Africa, the Kopex brand is already well appreciated by mining customers and thus creates a solid foundation in these countries for further development. Both groups have also been building their position successfully in Eastern European and Central Asian markets – mainly in Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine. This is a great base that we intend to build on. For many years we have also put great emphasis on developing our operations in Turkey. From a longterm perspective we are also looking at development in South Asian countries – notably India, Indonesia or Pakistan. This is the region where the energy demand is very high and the energy model will continue to be based on conventional energy sources such as coal for many years. In all cases, we adapt the FAMUR Group’ s offering to customers’ individual needs and to specific conditions in individual countries. We take into account both geological and mining conditions and the local business culture including language and customs as well as capital or legal regulations. I am convinced that the many years of Kopex’ s experience on foreign markets will enable us to achieve an even faster pace and greater growth rates in our international operations.
Q In terms of the complete new product line, which products are seeing the greatest demand, and which innovations and new technologies in your offering are you focussing on in terms of increasing automation, safety and productivity in mining?
The global economy has been transforming for many years, from a traditional model based mainly on heavy industry, into a system based on innovative technologies and the idea of Industry 4.0. This concept is increasingly visible in the mining sector. Through our experience and our wide range of modern solutions, FAMUR wants to become one of the main mining partners in this process. Therefore, we have constantly improved our products and the relevant standards. This has contributed to increasingly advanced solutions being offered to our customers. We apply the latest achievements in the field of IT, robotics and automation industries. We are preparing to implement activities intended to create a longterm R & D program aimed at multi-faceted support for the transformation process in the domestic
and global mining sector towards Industry 4.0. Through our experience and competencies, FAMUR has launched a number of innovative technical solutions such as our E-mine systems or the innovative FS-800 longwall shearer. Currently, together with the research community, we are also working on a Smart Mine project, where the key issue will be the application of industrial automation and Big Data.
Q Going forward is the intention to use the strength of the combined company to increase your offering to the metallic and industrial minerals industry and diversify more outside of the core coal mining market?
We focus mainly on the activities that can broaden our competencies and the product portfolio. Today, we are a group whose wide range of machines, solutions and services offered enables us to respond comprehensively to mining customer needs all over the world. In practice, it means that for example, when in Indonesia or in India there are plans to implement a power plant project with an associated new mine, FAMUR Group is able to proceed with a number of activities to help prepare and launch such an investment, including but not limited to development of the deposit( seam), building the mine, providing a mining machinery and equipment transport and handling system, as well as training the employees, ensuring after-sales service and developing a finance model for the undertaking. It is worth highlighting that today’ s FAMUR includes not only solutions for underground exploitation of seams. Since the acquisition of the company FAMAK in 2014, we have started to build a new and very important area of FAMUR’ s activity. It has allowed us to expand our business with solutions for the surface mining and material handling industry including not only options for coal, but also other raw minerals. Within this segment we also deliver transport and handling systems for power distribution companies or ports. FAMUR FAMAK by delivering carburising and coal processing systems is present in the largest investment projects in the Polish power industry. The company has also fulfilled orders for EMO – the biggest handling terminal of hard coal and iron ore in Europe, has taken part in the first contract to modernise Bulgarian open-pit mining in the last 26 years, and is going to deliver a ship unloader for Tata Steel. As for the underground segment, we have been consolidating the market, and have gained competencies in designing full technological mining production lines, complemented by properly selected generative capacity, that enables us to provide comprehensive implementation of mining project investments all over the world. IM
46 International Mining | FEBRUARY 2018