Rio partners Chinese truck supplier, threatens OEM stranglehold
In a move that will have the haul truck hegemony looking over its shoulder, Rio Tinto has for the first time partnered with a Chinese haul truck manufacturer.
Rio Tinto’s team in front of the 230t haul trucks bound for the Pilbara.
Xiangtan Electric Manufacturing Corporation (XEMC) recently delivered four custom 230t haul trucks Down Under, bound for a three year trial at Mt Tom Price mine in the Pilbara.
XEMC, China’s largest haul truck producer, is in the process of establishing a wholly-owned Australian subsidiary and will provide on-site support to Rio including engineers.
The trucks will be operating by August, according to Rio. The company said that pending the trial’s results, it will look at expanding its fleet of Chinese trucks within the Pilbara and across its entire portfolio of mines.
Rio said the haul trucks meet international and Australian standards and come fitted with equipment that is usually an after-market addition.
Rio Tinto and XEMC executives celebrated the completion of the trucks in China before they were shipped to the Pilbara. Also in attendance was Australia’s China ambassador Frances Adamson.
Look out for the August AJM print edition for a comprehensive interview with the leader of Rio Tinto’s emerging markets procurement team, Mark Rivers and Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s general manager of fleet strategy and delivery, Neil Coney.
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