With an extensive network of skilled service engineers, technicians, and artisans, FLS ensures that customers benefit from expert support to maintain optimal plant performance.

According to Mikhail Kirienko, Head of Field Services for Europe, Middle East & Africa at FLS, the value of the company’s site services lies in the confidence that customers place in its technical teams.

“By remaining close to our customers and maintaining a regular on-site presence, we build strong trust-based relationships,” says Kirienko. “This gives customers the assurance that we can identify challenges early and implement effective solutions.”

FLS’s regional field services footprint includes teams located in South Africa, Germany, Italy, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Mauritania and Zambia.

Kirienko notes that FLS’s field services are focused on delivering a wide spectrum of services, focusing on maximising equipment availability and minerals recovery while minimising the total cost of ownership for the customer.

“This goes beyond simply being available for maintenance or repairs,” he explains. “Our priority is to help customers keep their equipment in optimal condition, which requires regular assessments benchmarked against OEM standards.”

While global FLS service teams manage the installation and commissioning of new equipment, regional teams are dedicated to supporting customers’ operational needs. These teams conduct on-site inspections and provide expert recommendations – whether for minor repairs or complete rebuilds – to ensure equipment consistently delivers maximum performance.

“The delivery, installation and commissioning of equipment is just the beginning of the customer’s journey with FLS,” says Kirienko. “Our field service teams play a vital role in equipment availability and continuous operation optimisation, through regular maintenance and, where appropriate, equipment upgrades or optimisation.”

He highlights that effective maintenance relies on more than just skilled personnel – it also requires the right component or spare parts stock at the right time. This, in turn, depends on a deep understanding of wear patterns and component lifecycles, guided by ongoing equipment condition monitoring.

“This is where an OEM can deliver real value,” he explains. “We not only help customers develop effective strategies for monitoring equipment performance and organising effective maintenance to minimise unplanned downtime but also support customers with process and operation optimisations based on worldwide FLS equipment installations experience leading to more profitable and sustainable business.”

Such proactive support contributes to greater stability in plant performance, laying the foundation for ongoing metallurgical and process optimisation. As Kirienko notes, equipment performance and mineral recovery can often be improved through upgrades to components such as mill linings, crusher linings or screening media.

“However, you can’t assess the impact of these upgrades if plant performance is erratic due to poorly maintained equipment,” he says. “This is why condition monitoring and preventative maintenance are so critical to unlocking a mine or mineral processing plant’s full productivity potential.”

Safety and sustainability are also integral to the value delivered by FLS’s field services. All engineers and technicians working on site comply with strict internal safety protocols – often exceeding mine standards – and are required to hold formal safety certifications.

“We embed sustainability across our service offering, from product stewardship and responsible sourcing to supporting flowsheet efficiency that reduces energy and water consumption,” Kirienko adds. “Our site services ensure these sustainability benefits are maintained and measurable over time.”

“Recognising that each customer and site has its own operational preferences, FLS offers flexible service models. These range from remote support and once-off site visits to regular inspections, shutdown maintenance support and comprehensive service level agreements,” he concludes. 

FLS has completed a significant upgrade to its polyurethane manufacturing facility in Delmas, Mpumalanga, positioning the site as a key global hub for the production of its advanced NexGen wear -resistant material. This development forms part of a wider modernisation programme by FLS, aimed at strengthening supply chains, increasing manufacturing efficiency and enhancing sustainability across its global footprint.

Brad Shepherd, Director Service Line – Screen and Feeder Consumables at FLS, says the investment at Delmas aligns with the company’s global strategy to standardise and optimise production processes. 

“This is a milestone for us,” says Shepherd. “We are integrating cutting edge technology and modern manufacturing methodologies across all our polyurethane plants, and Delmas is leading the way. The upgrade enables us to respond more quickly and reliably to customer needs across Africa, the Middle East and Europe.”

The centrepiece of the upgrade is the introduction of purpose-built infrastructure to produce NexGen screen media – a polyurethane material developed by FLS to deliver extended wear life, reduced maintenance and improved operational efficiency. In on-site trials, screen panels made from NexGen have demonstrated up to three times the wear life of conventional rubber and polyurethane products, making it a gamechanger for industries that rely on high performance screening solutions.

Warren Walker, Head of Global Manufacturing – Polyurethane Operations at FLS, explains that Delmas is the first of the company’s five global polyurethane plants to complete this transition. “We have installed new, latest generation polyurethane machines, precision tooling and dedicated preheating ovens for inserts,” he says. “This allows us to significantly increase our output while ensuring consistent quality.”

The facility now includes two trommel screen media stations and three screen media stations, each tailored to produce NexGen products. One of the standout technologies introduced is a programmable auto-calibrating polyurethane machine capable of adjusting material hardness to suit specific applications. 

“The flexibility to produce varying hardness levels is critical,” Walker notes. “It means we can tailor our screen media precisely to the customer’s application, ensuring optimum performance and longevity.”

To complement this, a high capacity polyurethane machine capable of pouring up to 42 kg per minute is in operation at the facility. This system is particularly suited to applications requiring large volume pours, such as flotation spare parts and vertical mill components.

The Delmas facility already benefited from a significant upgrade in 2019, when a state-of-the-art six-axis machining centre was introduced for tooling precision, along with robotic welding systems for manufacturing screen media panel inserts and a CNC controlled spiral welding machine to produce wedge wire products. The latest round of investments builds on this foundation and brings the facility to the forefront of global polyurethane production capability.

Energy efficiency was a key consideration in the new layout and equipment design. “We have incorporated smart energy saving features like individual temperature control on each casting table station,” Walker says. “This avoids the need to heat large surface areas unnecessarily and contributes to our carbon reduction goals.”

Further supporting these goals is the installation of 300 kW of solar generation capacity at the Delmas site, completed in 2024. Plans are already in place to expand this by another 500 kW in 2026, along with the integration of a battery energy storage system (BESS), enabling greater energy independence and resilience.

FLS’s offering from Delmas extends beyond screen media manufacturing. The facility is equipped to handle the complete fabrication of vibrating screens, from raw material processing and in-house machining to assembly and factory acceptance testing. This vertical integration allows the company to deliver customised solutions with tighter control over quality and lead times.

Shepherd emphasises that FLS operates both as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and a screen media specialist, supplying screen panels for all types and brands of vibrating screens, feeders and trommel screens. 

“We don’t just supply products,” he says. “We work closely with our customers through our network of on-the-ground specialists to assess site conditions and select the best screening media for their specific needs.”

He notes that many older processing plants are treating materials that differ from their original design specifications. In these cases, screen efficiency can often only be improved by optimising the screen media. “This is where NexGen makes a real difference,” Shepherd says. “Combined with the correct aperture design, it allows customers to get more life and better performance from their screens.”

Unlike injection-moulded polyurethane, which can compromise the structural integrity of screen panels, FLS’s proprietary process retains superior mechanical properties, resulting in a tougher more durable product. “We have never used injection moulding because it reduces the quality of the end product,” Shepherd explains. “Our process delivers a product that stands up to the toughest operating conditions and offers lasting value.”

Walker adds that the expansion at Delmas not only supports FLS’s global operations but also contributes meaningfully to the South African economy. “Our commitment to local manufacturing is evident in the scale of our investment and the jobs we have created,” he says. “We have expanded our workforce, prioritised local recruitment and significantly grown our apprenticeship programme.”

A strong focus has also been placed on developing female artisans. In 2024, six women from the local community were recruited into a three year trade apprenticeship programme, receiving training in welding, fitting and boilermaking.

“Our investment during a period of economic uncertainty underlines FLS’s long term commitment to South Africa and to our customers in the broader EMEA region,” says Walker. “We are not just building products – we are building skills, opportunities and partnerships that will power sustainable growth for years to come.”

Strong partnerships between mines and their supply partners are based on optimising the health of their productive assets, which remain at the core of operational efficiency. This is according to Alistair McKay, FLS Vice President for Capital Sales in Europe, Arabia and Africa. 

“Collaboration and partnership really need to add value to both sides,” McKay explains. “If there is insufficient value being created in the relationship, there can be very little collaboration or partnership.”

FLS’s strategy begins with a strong regional footprint ensuring that the company is close to its customer base to enable not only quick response times but also proactive maintenance strategies. McKay stresses that this approach enables regular visits to support asset health, rather than only being reactive to issues arising.

“Our proactive stance means that mining operations benefit from our ongoing performance monitoring, training and skills transfer – all of which contribute to long-term productivity and asset performance,” he says. 

Following the capital acquisition stage, a productive partnership enhances the adaptability of the operation to the changes in ore body characteristics that invariably occur over time. This affects key aspects of the feed parameters, while also influencing the consumption of water, power and reagents, for instance. 

McKay highlights that such a partnership is also based on a shared commitment to sustainability principles and to reducing the environmental impact of mining and processing activity. This includes limiting carbon emissions through energy efficiency.

“This means making the most of equipment capacity through technology that enhances efficient operation while increasing throughput,” he says. “The use of LoadIQ, our mill scanner technology, is one example of how we help customers to use mill capacity to the fullest extent – delivering more from the same asset and power draw.”

It is also critical to have a research and development component to drive sustainability efforts, he argues. Technological advancement behind FLS’s next generation polyurethane screen panels, for instance, are enabling wear life to be extended by up to four times. 

“This supports efficient operations by allowing longer periods between replacement and maintenance, thereby boosting plant uptime and general efficiency,” says McKay. “Better production levels from the same asset base means that capital investment delivers the best value and operating costs are kept to a minimum.”

He also points to recycling of wear parts as another important element of responsible asset management. While FLS invests continuously in technologies like composite liners for longer life, there is a time when liners need to be replaced. 

“As part of our circular economy approach, we have ways of recycling these worn liners so that there is less wastage in the value chain,” he says. “These initiatives support our partnership with customers, as they also need to report on their sustainability performance in increasing detail.”

He also emphasises digital advancements with FLS’s PerformanceIQ® providing a holistic platform that integrates asset health and performance monitoring. 

“Condition monitoring and asset health are often seen as separate silos, but linking the two ensures optimal performance,” McKay explains. These tools help shift asset management from a reactive to a proactive approach, reducing unexpected downtime and improving overall productivity. By monitoring equipment continuously, operators can identify trends and potential failures before they occur. 

“We encourage customers to monitor assets on an ongoing basis, leveraging AI and digital solutions to enhance decision making and ensure proactive maintenance,” he concludes. 

An African mine will be among the first adopters of the innovative Rail-Running Conveyor (RRC) technology, commercialised by full flowsheet provider FLS in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, Australia

“Designed to dramatically reduce energy consumption, improve safety and cut capital and operating expenditure, Rail-Running Conveyors are a gamechanger for mines which must rely on extended conveying distances to move material,” says Martin Lurie, FLS Global Product Line Manager for Rail-Running Conveyors (RRC). Any mine that carries substantial tonnages over more than 500 to 1,000 m can achieve far higher efficiencies using this technology.

“The first full-scale operational system will be commissioned in southern Africa in mid-2025,” he says. “It is designed to carry 5,000mtph of copper ore over a 3,25 km run, and is expected to save approximately $1 million each year in power costs when compared to a conventional trough conveyor.”

A second system, destined for the same mining customer at a mine in the Americas, has also been under construction and will carry around 13,000 mtph, also delivering significant power savings and safety improvements. Lurie describes the customer as visionary in looking ahead to the technologies that will empower the future of mining, and also as an indispensable partner in bringing the RRC to full-scale maturity.  

Lurie highlights that the energy losses incurred by an RRC is anything between one-fifth to one-tenth of those experienced by traditional trough and pipe conveyor systems respectively. “The friction losses on a conventional long distance conveyor,” he points out, “largely determine the power capacity that must be installed, the size of the structures required and the downtime incurred to maintain and replace pulleys and drives. Reducing these energy losses therefore has a positive knock-on effect on the costs of a range of other aspects.”

“Customers achieve savings on the scope of the conveyor equipment itself, the cut-and-fill civils requirements, the volumes of concrete used, the strength of the belt and the number of drive stations necessary,” he says. Due to the lower tension acting on the conveyor belt, a lower rating of belt is possible. Faster speeds and a deeper trough also mean that a narrower belt may suffice for the same throughput. Importantly, the rating of the drives does not need to be as high.

“Where a 6 MW drive may be specified for a conventional conveyor, for instance, this technology may allow a 2 MW drive to be installed,” he says. “This then has further positive impacts on the ratings required for motors, transformers, E-houses and power supply.”

The head and the tail of an RRC remain the same as in traditional systems, he explains, with the rail-running section making up the bulk of the distance. The basic mode of transport is steel-wheel-on-steel-rail instead of a belt running over idlers. This fundamental difference is what cuts energy consumption so drastically. 

The system uses small carriages to carry the belt and these are automatically exchanged at maintenance houses when required. This removes the safety risks associated with personnel changing out idlers out along the length of the conveyor. Having fewer transfer points also has a safety benefit as these can be sources of injury during maintenance as well as health threats from dust exposure.

“The RRC system has been a decade in development, drawing heavily on two established technologies,” he says. “These are underground mining rail technology on the one hand and overland conveyor systems on the other.” 

Lurie explains that the University of Newcastle’s Dr. Craig Wheeler and colleagues obtained patents on the family of designs and FLS has an exclusive license with the University to exploit similar technology that FLS had also been developing. 

The FLS/University of Newcastle team believe that the RRC innovation is a paradigm shift for conveyor systems – not only in terms of energy saving and carbon footprint reduction but also in terms of the distance that a conveyor can travel and the challenging terrain through which it can operate. Thanks largely to the way the belt sits stationary in the cradle, an RRC can negotiate tighter curves and can also climb steeper angles without the material on the belt rolling back and spilling.

“Our straightforward calculations of the potential impact on existing mining operations shows unprecedented savings resulting from this system,” he says. “One study, for instance, investigated the benefits for a customer who has to move material over 15 km between the pit and the plant. Where seven conveyors were currently required we could do the same job with three – while consuming only a quarter of the energy.” 

Lurie adds that the customer’s comparisons to other high efficiency bulk haulage modes available to the mining industry reveal unmatched efficiency ranging from pit to plant, across the plant and onwards for the next 50 or 100 km, if needed.  

Driven by its MissionZero strategy, FLS invests in sustainable technology development to underpin increased mining output – especially of those minerals in growing demand by economies moving toward a lower carbon future.

One such mineral is copper, which is essential for a vast array of decarbonising technologies, according to Alistair McKay, FLS Vice President for Capital Sales in Europe, Arabia and Africa. The European Union has recognised the importance of these commodities in its Critical Raw Materials Act, which defines both strategic and critical minerals. 

“In the category of critical minerals, there are 16 commodities which are vital,” says McKay. “A shortage of these minerals could derail economic activity, so we have put our weight behind industry efforts to raise levels of sustainable production.”

FLS therefore commits over 50% of its substantial research and development budget to technology that will have a noticeable impact on reduction of carbon emissions, as well as on water and energy consumption whilst improving plant performance. Among its innovations is the rail-running belt conveyor, which has proved itself to be a gamechanger in energy efficiency and operational flexibility. It can reduce the carbon footprint of operations by between 20% and 90% – with commensurate savings in energy costs. 

“The key to this technology is the way it overcomes the friction losses that are inherent to conventional belt conveyor systems,” he explains. “While a traditional belt conveyor has friction losses of between 0,070 and 0,110 kilowatt-hours per tonne per kilometre (kWh/t/km), our rail-running conveyor can reduce these to between 0,015 and 0,030 kWh/t/km.”

In the primary crushing circuit, FLS’s Eccentric Roll Crusher (ERC®) is another efficiency-focused technology – reducing energy consumption by up to 40% while able to increase throughput by as much as 20% for the same product size. Key to its success is the design integration of grizzly and crusher, and its high reduction ratio of 1:6. 

FLS has also taken its High Pressure Grinding Roll (HPGR) solutions another step forward, with the release of the HPGR Pro. McKay points out that HPGRs have gained considerable popularity for their energy savings, which the HPGR Pro has enhanced. 

“ The key attribute of the HPGR Pro is the innovative  rotating side plates, which can also be retrofitted onto equipment already in the field,” he says. “This advance has allowed the improved feeding of material onto the rolls, to ensure a uniform pressure profile across the full width of the roll. This not only improves throughput but reduces the concentrated wear in the mid-sections of the grinding roll, thereby improving throughput and further cuts energy consumption.”

Coarse particle flotation is also making a contribution to efficiency in production, through FLS’s coarseAIR™ technology. Floating coarser particles means that minerals can be liberated with less grinding, saving on energy and grinding media, he notes. Importantly, mill capacity can be enhanced at the same time – by more than 30%. 

“We are continuously progressing our technologies, leveraging the power of innovations of the REFLUX Classifiers – which are incorporated in the coarseAIR as well as our REFLUX Flotation Cell (RFC),” says McKay. “The RFC reduces residence time of material from an average of over 30 minutes to between three and four minutes – while achieving an increase in recoveries of 1 to 3% and using around 27% less energy.”

He concludes that FLS’s MissionZero drive continues to support mines’ carbon emissions and sustainability goals while allowing more ambitious production targets.

Responsiveness to customers – driven by dedicated support teams – is allowing FLS to leverage its wide selection of innovative technologies and services in addressing customers’ pain points.

According to Bhavesh Parbhoo, Head of Service Sales for Sub-Saharan Africa at FLS, the company’s success over 140 years means that it is today a large and complex organisation that is home to leading expertise and solutions. Guided by feedback from customers, the company has streamlined the way it engages with each site or customer, explains Parbhoo.

“Our wide range of offerings means that there are many touchpoints for customers – depending on whether they are looking for capital equipment, parts, consumables or professional services,” he says. “We have now simplified the way that customers can access these offerings, while keeping our focus on designing solutions that match their needs.”

Taking a unified team approach to customer relationships allows FLS to apply its wealth of knowledge and varied skill sets to a wide range of market challenges. This has been facilitated by regular value sessions between FLS and the customer, he notes, where key performance indicators are discussed and measured. These typically focus on equipment availability, maintenance predictability and skills sharing with customer personnel.

“Where we have applied this approach, we can see significant improvements in all these KPIs,” he says. “Among the technologies that have recently seen high levels of success across these measures are our nextSTEP rotor and stator, to improve performance of forced-air flotation equipment, and our screening panels, which have demonstrated much longer life.”

Interventions like these have allowed FLS customers to improve their recoveries, and to drive down their total cost of ownership of equipment. A useful tool in this engagement process has been FLS’s customer relationship management (CRM) system, which centralises customer information to avoid data silos. This keeps all team members appraised of progress in the relationship between FLS and the customer. 

Team performance is enhanced by continuous skills development through the FLS Training Academy, which is situated at the FLS Service Centre at Chloorkop, Midrand. These focused training services are also offered to customers, he points out.

“Among the challenges that many of our mining customers face – especially those in remote rural areas – is finding local skills to maintain state-of-the-art equipment,” says Parbhoo. “Now they are able to send their personnel to us, for them to be trained in our fully equipped facility on the specific equipment that the mine operates.”

After the necessary period of training, FLS is able to certify the trainee’s capability, and the mine can then absorb them into the workforce. He highlights that this is an example of where FLS can address customer challenges well beyond the specification and supply of the equipment itself. Another critical customer need is safety on site, which includes any supply partners or subcontractors working on the mine’s equipment. 

“Our safety culture at FLS in embedded in the training of service and other staff, ensuring that all activity on operational sites is compliant with mine health and safety standards,” he says. “Customers must always be in control of their safety levels, and can be assured of that by mature partners like FLS.”

With its service centres in strategic locations in Africa, FLS builds closer relationships with customers to help transform mine efficiency. 

According to Dirk Wesselman, Head of Field Services for sub-Saharan Africa and West Africa at FLS, being geographically close to customers is a vital starting point in providing high quality service support to the mining sector. Based at FLS’s Chloorkop Service Centre in Gauteng, Wesselman highlights that the visibility and responsiveness of the company’s field service technicians underpins its support commitment to customers in Africa.

“Our strategy of continuously growing our service centre footprint, and strengthening the capability of those centres, lies at the heart of operational efficiency and equipment reliability,” he explains. “Having technicians regularly on site with customers means they can frequently check the optimal performance of our crushers, screens and other equipment.” 

The service teams support the full range of FLS equipment in fields from liquid-solid separation to crushing, feeding and milling, including high pressure grinding mills, and even laboratory equipment. 

“Since the acquisition of TK Mining business, we also continue to support the large installed base of ThyssenKrupp legacy mining equipment in the mining sector,” he points out. “Our presence in key mining regions ensures that we can respond rapidly to customer callouts to ensure minimal downtime. More importantly, our regular on-site presence builds our understanding of customers’ needs – so that we can work with mines to plan maintenance and avoid unscheduled stoppages.”

In addition to facilitating planned maintenance for mines, Wesselman highlights that many customers rely on OEM maintenance contracts with FLS as part of their efficiency programmes. 

“These maintenance contracts are drafted to meet the customer’s specific requirements,” he says. “This arrangement puts a skilled team of specialised technicians at the service of the mine to ensure constant monitoring and rapid response. It can also be further enhanced with a ‘reliability engineer’ who focuses on detailed monitoring of all related equipment, to keep it performing optimally.”

Wesselman also highlights the company’s installation, commissioning and maintenance (ICM) contracts, which usually support a ‘plug and play’ plant upgrade involving a filter press or high pressure grinding roll (HPGR). 

“Working with contracting houses, we are involved from the manufacturing stage through to installation supervision, cold and hot commissioning, and the ongoing maintenance,” he says. 

The collaborative relationship between FLS service centres and mining customers is often built on the regular audits and inspections that the OEM’s technicians conduct on the equipment on-site. This creates the baseline for understanding the equipment’s condition, so that appropriate interventions can be specified to keep the equipment operating at OEM standards.

“We have developed our depth of infrastructure and expertise with exactly this goal in mind,” he says. “With the information gathered from our inspections, we can support customers as they systematically plan and prioritise their repair and maintenance requirements.”

Where components and equipment need off-site repair or refurbishment, these can be taken to the company’s well-equipped service centres where specialised artisans conduct the work with state-of-the-art equipment in accordance with OEM standards. 

Philip McCormick, Head of Service Centres – Chloorkop and Stormill, highlights that these centres’ depth of capability represents the company’s commitment to supporting customers with cost effective refurbishment and repair services that can be delivered in short turnaround times. McCormick also emphasises the value of FLS’s Training Academy in producing artisans and technicians who are specialised in the range of FLS offerings.

“With their specialisation in our products, our technicians are also able to identify any non-operational equipment on customers’ sites which could still be refurbished,” he says. “We even have examples where equipment like girth gears and mill drive pinions has not been stored correctly, and now requires refurbishment. Our workshops can add considerable value by restoring these items to functionality, so that they don’t need to be replaced with new units.”

Mining customers are to benefit from the stronger regional capability being developed by FLS, which is making the company even more responsive to customer needs. 

This is one of the key outcomes of the company’s strategic evolution underway, according to newly appointed FLS President Sales and Service for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Bernard Kaninda. As a leading full flow sheet technology company, FLS occupies a distinctive place in the market, says Kaninda, giving it a special relationship with customers.

“Being a partner through all their mineral processing requirements, FLS walks with customers throughout the lifecycle of a comprehensive range of equipment and solutions,” he says. “This engagement gives us greater impact in helping the mining industry achieve its sustainability goals.”

FLS aligns itself with industry imperatives by committing to energy and water reduction targets, and committing to reach zero emissions by 2030. To achieve these goals, he says, it was imperative to further grow the region’s capability – shifting from the previous regional definition which comprised sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and Southern Asia to a more cohesive EMEA region.

“We believe the move to an EMEA region will better create the capabilities we are looking for, combining the strengths of Africa and Europe, and our learnings in the Middle East,” Kaninda explains. “We expect to be able to respond more quickly with services, spares and equipment, and are building local resources to achieve these improvements.”

The focus on communication and partnership is being fostered through clusters within the region, which are empowered with adequate resources for quick response times and effective support for end-users. 

“As a partner that tailor-makes solutions for our customers, we go further by guaranteeing the performance of that equipment,” he says. “This means being able to respond effectively as and when the situation demands, so we need to be in close proximity to the customers’ sites – and very familiar with the conditions they experience.”

The clusters in Africa ensure a strong presence in Southern African countries – including South Africa, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo – as well as West Africa and North Africa. These are areas where FLS already has a significant footprint of equipment in operation. 

“The mining sector is dynamic, however, so we are constantly expanding our equipment footprint and will be establishing a presence wherever we have a significant installed base,” he says. “It has always been a matter of pride for us that FLS customers will receive the same close attention irrespective of where they are around the globe.”

Streamlined logistics are an important aspect of the strategic shift, which will reduce delivery times through better availability of inventory in-country. Teams in the clusters will also facilitate faster access to service and parts. 

“We are also committed to the communities in the regions where we operate, and are increasing our local employment as we develop our presence in different countries – especially in Africa,” says Kaninda. “We believe in building local capability and this is visible in our teams, in which 90 to 100% of staff are already local in the various clusters.”

These teams are supported by specialised training provided by facilities such as the FLS Training Academy at the Chloorkop service centre in South Africa. This well-equipped regional training hub underpins ongoing skills transfer to build the company’s skills base and succession pipeline, he says, ensuring all customers receive the same FLS experience. So successful is Chloorkop’s model of combining technical services with training, that the company plans to replicate such a facility in the Middle East. 

“This will allow us to upskill youth and enhance our positive economic and social impact on the community,” he explains. “There is no reason why we shouldn’t even look at another such centre in Africa, as there is growing demand for artisans and other specialised skills.”

Africa remains vital as a provider of mineral resources for the transition to a lower carbon future, concludes Kaninda, highlighting that FLS will continue to partner with customers so that mining itself becomes more responsible to the environment and community.

Supporting customers in achieving optimal plant performance is today more vital than ever, in the face of inflationary cost increases and volatile commodity markets. 

These concerns are behind FLS’s service focus at Electra Mining Africa this year, where the company is driving sustainable productivity through its solid and growing support and maintenance infrastructure. According to Alistair McKay, Vice President Mining: Europe, Arabia and Africa at FLS, this includes engaging visitors at the event on the value of the company’s innovative digital solutions. 

“In addition to our market leading solutions for mining plants, we will be sharing our extensive foundation of expertise, technical services, spares and consumables to support customers,” says McKay. “The show gives us the opportunity to demonstrate how these resources can lower operating costs and drive profitability.”

Key to FLS’s success in doing this is its understanding of exactly how its solutions are performing in customers’ processing facilities. As the original equipment manufacturer, he argues, the company is best placed to partner with mines to optimise performance and to maintain equipment health at the highest level. 

“There is a global shortage of skills to conduct this important work, making it essential that we continue to both replenish and enhance the necessary levels of expertise for our ever-advancing equipment,” he explains. “This is why we invest so heavily in our training facilities and trainers – to upskill not only our own people but those of our customers.”

He highlights that there is “nothing worse” than for customers to invest in high quality, high production equipment, which then underperforms due to insufficient knowledge. The company is also leveraging digital solutions in this endeavour. 

“While there is a plethora of digital solutions in the market, we have focused our energies on creating solutions that meets strategic priorities,” says McKay. “This means being able to monitor and analyse the health of the asset, while leveraging this data to optimise the performance of that asset.” 

Visitors at the exhibition can also see how FLS’s digital solutions integrate with its control centre, from which it can provide customers with 24/7 support. 

In terms of new offerings at the FLS stand, visitors will be witness to the launch of the new NexGen Polyurethane formula for the company’s wear products and can discuss application opportunities with the company’s experts. The NexGen Polyurethane is relevant to screening media and mill trommels – particularly at the front-end of the concentrator where impact and abrasion is high. 

“We will also be talking to visitors about our local production facilities that allow products like these to be readily available to our mining customers,” he says.

FLS’s leading slurry pumps will also be showcased for their performance and energy efficiency. McKay concludes that this year’s Electra Mining Africa will be the first since the company’s acquisition of Thyssenkrupp’s mining business.

“We can therefore show visitors our fully integrated FLS portfolio which has leveraged the best-in-class offerings of both companies,” he says. “This range of products and technologies continues to support optimised and sustainable operations at lower costs.”

Visit FLS in Hall 6 Stand D16. 

To support its full flowsheet technology capabilities, FLSmidth is continuously developing vital skills at its well-resourced Training Academy at the company’s Chloorkop Service Centre in Gauteng.

According to the FLSmidth Training Academy Head Steve Parkinson, the training underpins the ground-up succession strategy of ensuring long term competence within the business – with the depth to embrace evolving technologies that continuously improve its offerings. 

“Our considerable investment in skills development nurtures local talent to provide us with a strong pipeline of relevant and quality expertise,” says Parkinson. “This knowledge base is shared within FLSmidth not only across the continent but globally. At the same time, we invariably train more people than we can absorb, so we provide a rich resource of trained individuals for other players in the local mining and engineering sectors – including our customers and competitors.”

Through a rigorous selection process countrywide that targets unemployed youth under 26 years old, 10 apprentices are enrolled every year at the academy. They spend three years in formalised training towards their qualification and future role as an artisan. FLSmidth employs as many as it can accommodate within its resource planning and budgeting; the company also goes the extra mile in trying to find placements for the others, either among its customers or the broader industry.  

“In this way, we develop our own specialised in-house expertise while creating a skills pipeline that supports the local economy and builds a stronger base for the manufacturing, mining and other sectors,” he explains. “This is part of our commitment to the growth of mining and industry in Africa.”

Such training is only possible because of FLSmidth’s depth of skill already at work in its advanced Chloorkop Service Centre on the same site. Here, the company conducts turnkey refurbishment and repair services, supported by infrastructure that includes a large fabrication shop, an assessment and assembly area, and a heavy machining section with both conventional and CNC equipment.

“The rules of supervising and mentoring apprenticeships require that there is at least one artisan for every three apprentices,” explains Parkinson. “We therefore leverage our existing skills base to nurture the artisans of tomorrow – ensuring that each apprentice is closely supervised and well managed to enhance the practical learning process.”

FLSmidth also hosts a two-year Engineering Graduate Internship programme, where it develops graduates in disciplines such as mechanical, chemical and metallurgical engineering. Each intern is supervised by an FLSmidth engineer working in the relevant field. 

A further training programme being offered is a unique learnership that FLSmidth conducts in collaboration with the German Chamber of Commerce. The Commercial Apprenticeship Training scheme (CATS) involves a two-year learning programme, earning the successful participant an Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) qualification at Level 5 in South Africa, as well as a German qualification – the Diploma in Industrial Management Assistant.

An information technology (IT) learnership is also offered for 20 local people with disabilities; with its focus on computer-based system development skills, the field is less inhibiting for people with disabilities, he points out. This initiative aligns well with the company’s social responsibility strategy and its sustainability goals.

“The track record of the Training Academy in South Africa has been so successful that we now have valuable experience to share with FLSmidth operations globally,” he says. “Colleagues abroad are able to draw on our model to achieve similar results in their regions. A number of our trainees have, in fact, already been placed in operations abroad, proving the world class quality of our outputs.”

Within the FLSmidth Service Centre itself, the quality of the learners from the Training Academy is already well proven. For example, the current foreman of the machining shop was an apprentice in this facility just 14 years ago. There have also been general workers admitted to the apprenticeship programme, qualifying successfully to become qualified machine operators.

The Training Centre also provides staff and customers with product training, says Parkinson. This generally covers three levels: the first level is general knowledge about products, the second level is basic operations and preventative maintenance, and the third level focuses on specialised maintenance.