MINING
Shifting from reactive to scheduled Central to the strategy is JacTrack, a system that links hose and assembly usage to individual machines to anticipate failure before it happens.“ Through JacTrack, Jachris shifts around 80 % of replacements into scheduled maintenance instead of field failures. This reduces safety risk, recovers lost hours, and cuts unplanned stoppages across fleets.”
A maintenance lead at a West African operation credits the system with stabilising performance:“ Our breakdown rate dropped, and inventory planning stabilised.”
For operations managers, fewer emergency breakdowns mean steadier fleet utilisation and less disruption to downstream transport schedules.
Single-point accountability Having multiple contractors working on a single asset often leads to blurred responsibility and lost time. The Jachris model is built around a singlewindow structure, with on-site teams managing hose and fluid power requirements under one accountable framework.“ On remote sites, time often works against operators. We keep critical hose and fluid power assemblies on the ground, and the right specialists beside the machine. That is how hours become minutes and long queues disappear,” says Bouwer.
The approach is aimed squarely at protecting availability in environments where every lost hour compounds logistics risk.
Building skills close to the ground The company is also investing in local technical capability to address persistent skills shortages that affect maintenance quality and response times.“ We believe that the strongest uptime strategies are built from within. This is why we invest consistently in local capability development through a world-class internal training framework that reduces reliance on expatriate labour, lowers costs, and strengthens long-term operational durability. We have a responsibility to build capacity around our customers’ operations, which we take very seriously,” says Bouwer.
A hard line on uptime
As mining operators navigate volatile commodity markets and rising operating costs, the margin for mechanical failure continues to narrow. In this environment, uptime is not a performance bonus; it’ s a commercial necessity.
Bouwer reiterates this by saying:“ Our position is simple: to put more specialists on site, stock more critical components directly where machines operate, and replace fragmented vendor chains with one accountable partner. By doing this, the sector will start to see reactive maintenance turn into predictable, scheduled maintenance.”
For transport-intensive mining operations, keeping machines running is not just about engineering efficiency. It is about safeguarding supply chains, export revenues and competitiveness in a tightly constrained logistics environment.
“ The future of the continent’ s mining success will rely on machines that work,” says Bouwer.” If a partner cannot stand on your site and take responsibility for your uptime, they are not your partner. Jachris was built for this ground truth, and we intend to keep Africa’ s industries moving.” �
sabusinessintegrator. co. za 27