Smith Power Equipment ( SPE ), a division of Smith Mining Equipment , has expanded its Kubota product offering significantly , with the new Kubota RTV-X900 side-by-side utility vehicle — already operating underground at a number of South African mines . The RTV-X900 is imported as a stock unit and Maubra Utility Products modifies the RTV-X900 into a mine-ready unit .
Much of SPE ’ s early success can be traced to its long-standing involvement in the utility sector , where the company started out supplying agricultural tractors and mowers . In 1991 , the company acquired the rights to distribute the Toro Company ’ s golf course maintenance machinery , and in 1997 , it added the Polaris brand to its offerings . In 2000 , Smith acquired sole distribution rights for Japan ’ s Kubota Corporation — including its range of small tractors , utility vehicles , diesel engines , and excavators — allowing the company to maintain its foothold in the mining sector while also expanding into sectors including agriculture and forestry .
Despite the decline in the country ’ s gold production over the past few decades , South Africa is still one of the world ’ s top gold producers , and with eight of the world ’ s 10 deepest mines , it remains a leader in deep underground mining and safety . The tasks involved in a successful mining operation are manifold , and the deeper the mine gets , the more considerations are in play . The ability to move equipment , personnel , and supplies from the shafts to the rock face is vital , and it is here that the Kubota RTV-X900 comes into its own .
The layout of a deep-level mine may include hundreds of kilometres of tunnels that can make the transfer of staff and goods a hugely complex and potentially extremely hazardous undertaking . Historically , this was accomplished using a combination of a ‘ cage ’ for vertical transportation and manual or trolley-based transportation for horizontal movement .
Smith Power Equipment , importer of Kubota since 2000 , has expanded to offer products for companies operating in the mining , construction , agriculture , and forestry industries . Its offering of the Kubota RTV-X900 utility vehicle is modified by Maubra Utility Products for various mining applications .
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