HEAVY ENGINEERING AND WEAR PARTS
New products from Schlam include a broader range of buckets, the introduction of high-quality ground engaging tools and installation kits for truck beds and buckets
loaders and excavators, buckets will be available for face shovels and rope shovels. The introduction of installation kits to support both Hercules and Barracuda bucket deliveries was necessitated by the logistics associated with moving into new markets, the company said.
Haslett said the ability to support every step in the product lifecycle ensures the Schlam team are better able to provide an outstanding experience for customers.“ Within each new region, we have appointed sales and technical service representatives and typically partner with a trusted local fabricator for product assembly and service,” he said.“ Providing tailored installation kits was a missing link in the process between manufacturing and operational support through maintenance, parts and refurbishments. We can now offer a comprehensive, end-to-end solution.”
The new products have been developed in collaboration with affiliates within the USCO ITR Group after Schlam was acquired by the multinational leader in aftermarket machinery parts in September 2025.
Gaining from GET
Engineered and manufactured by Weir – ESCO division, the Nexsys ® lip and GET system for rope shovel dippers was developed using field data from hundreds of ESCO ® Whisler Plus™ system installations, lab simulation and analysis, and customer input.
This has resulted in an advanced design with substantial performance advantages, including longer service life and reduced maintenance requirements, according to the company.
Chris Johnston, Global Product Manager – Mining Expendables at Weir – ESCO Division, said:“ The ESCO commitment to continuous improvement has driven mining innovation for more than 110 years and the Nexsys system continues that legacy.”
Providing an upgrade to a standard Whisler lip, the Nexsys lip system uses hardened leading-edge inserts( LEIs) installed in the lip at the adapter positions. The Nexsys LEI provides superior material properties to a standard lip alloy, specifically in terms of hardness, the company says. This hardness advantage provides a bearing area for the adapter that is 50 % harder than a new lip, and over twice as hard as a rebuilt lip. The increase in hardness better resists deformation due to repeated impacts and provides a significant improvement in lip durability, Weir claims.
In addition to a longer wearing lip, the Nexsys LEIs deliver several additional advantages. The dual-eared design of the LEI provides greater stabilisation to the adapter, when compared with the single stabiliser on a traditional Whisler lip. This increased stabilisation reduces lip wear and reduces the loading that the stabilising features experience by 50 %. In addition, the Nexsys LEIs come gauge-fit from the factory, which eliminates the process of repetitive welding, gauging and grinding to achieve optimal fits, according to the company.
A hard-rock coal mine in North America trialled the new Nexsys lip system on a P & H ® 4100XPC rope shovel. Previously the mine ran the ESCO Whisler Plus system with great success over conventional Whisler style lip systems, according to Weir, yet it is always on the lookout for machine upgrades to improve the operation.
The Nexsys system operated at the mine for 15 months before requiring a lip rebuild compared with 10 months for the Whisler Plus system. In addition, the total time required for the adapter fit area rebuild was reduced from 225 hours to 31.5 hours – an 86 % improvement.
Weir explained:“ When a lip system provides greater service life prior to requiring a rebuild, not only does the mine reduce their maintenance costs; it also improves the machine production, minimises worker exposure to the hazards associated with maintenance activities and reduces the skilled labour requirements for the mine site.”
Johnston added:“ The Nexsys system is the most advanced lip system available for rope shovels, delivering exceptional performance and durability for our customers to improve their productivity and reduce the overall cost of ownership.”
Autonomy-ready
Philippi-Hagenbuch Inc says all of its fully custom-engineered solutions can now be seamlessly integrated with autonomous haul trucks to optimise hauling operations.
The company tailors all its equipment to fit each haul truck’ s specific features. No matter which make and model of truck customers have, they can incorporate Philippi-Hagenbuch’ s upgrades to overcome hauling challenges while achieving their desired level of fleet autonomy, it claims.
Josh Swank, Philippi-Hagenbuch Chief Growth Officer, said:“ We’ re hearing more customers talk about autonomy in hauling. We want them to know whenever they decide to incorporate an autonomous truck in their operation, they can come to us to ensure their autonomous trucks reach their full potential.
“ By making every piece of our equipment autonomous-compatible, we give customers confidence that their investment will continue to deliver maximum hauling efficiency as their operations evolve.”
As is the case with traditional haul trucks, each of Philippi-Hagenbuch’ s engineeredto-order solutions will integrate seamlessly
International Mining | JUNE 2026