In the mining industry, efficient operation and rapid response to equipment breakdowns are vital for maintaining productivity and profitability. Large off-the-road (OTR) tyre service trucks play a critical role in this context, acting as mobile tyre repair shops that can navigate mining operations. They are specifically designed to handle the unique demands associated with large, heavy tyres – like the 59/80 R63 which can weigh up to 18 500 lb and have a width of 154 in. These specialised trucks are essential for servicing the enormous tyres which are integral to the operation of heavy mining equipment, such as haul trucks, loaders, and support equipment.
The mining sector relies heavily on the continuous operation of its equipment, and tyre failures can lead to significant downtime. For example, in surface mining operations, haul trucks are often the backbone of material transportation, and each hour spent repairing a tyre translates to lost productivity and revenue. Large OTR tyre service trucks enable tyre service professionals to address these issues onsite, ensuring that critical machines can resume operations swiftly.
Tyre service technicians: Ensuring operational continuity
Tyre service professionals play a crucial role in maintaining the functionality of mining operations, utilising large OTR tyre service trucks to manage the tyre programme, ensuring a long lifecycle of the tyres. Given the substantial impact of tyre failures on productivity, and the significant financial stakes in the mining industry, where every hour of downtime can lead to major losses, these technicians are essential for minimising and avoiding operational delays.
With the ability to maintain tyres directly onsite with large OTR tyre service trucks, these technicians not only perform repairs, but also inspect and do routine maintenance, such as scheduling tyre rotations, allowing heavy equipment like haul trucks and loaders to maximise uptime. This helps maintain the continuous operation of mining equipment, and also mitigates the financial impact of operational disruptions in a sector characterised by high costs and significant economic value.
This is a preview of an article that was originally published in the March 2025 issue of Global Mining Review.
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