Sandvik, a manufacturer of loading and transport equipment for underground mining and contracting operations, is expanding its Turku plant and starting to manufacture battery-powered mining equipment. In addition to the expansion of the production facilities, the operations of the entire factory site will be upgraded and made more efficient. The major investment will create more than 100 new jobs in the Turku region.
Sandvik’s own Turku Business Park project is an investment of more than €10 million. The aim is to increase the capacity of Sandvik’s Turku factory to meet the growing needs of the mining industry and to improve the functionality of the factory site. Operations will be streamlined in all areas, including logistics, warehouse, production and assembly facilities and quality control.
A new production and storage area of 7,000 square metres will be created by converting the premises previously partly used by Tunturi to be used entirely by Sandvik. The Turku Business Park project will invest in new welding robots and assembly lines and provide additional space for the production of equipment using battery technology.
“The improved workspaces and the reorganisation of the area’s operations will increase productivity and safety at work, and enable shorter production lead times. The improvements in storage and recycling will help us to operate even more sustainably,” says Matti Seppälä, Project Manager of the project, in a company press release.
Battery-powered mining equipment also to be produced in Turku
Three completely new mining machinery assembly lines will be built. A new activity in Turku will be the production of battery-powered mining equipment on two lines. The expansion will significantly increase the Turku plant’s capacity to manufacture loading and transport machinery, reduce equipment delivery times and increase labour demand. Sandvik estimates that it will need more than 100 new employees in Turku in the coming years, both for production and product development.
The investment is driven by the continued growth in demand for loading and transport equipment for underground mining, which is also influenced by the electrification and digitalisation of the industry.
Battery-powered machines are the future of mining and Sandvik is leading the way as a developer and pioneer of battery-powered mining equipment. To strengthen the development of battery-powered equipment, in June Sandvik acquired Akkurate, a specialist in battery technology based in Kaunas. The company, which is part of Sandvik’s loading and transport operations unit, specialises in remote battery management and monitoring services. The acquisition will accelerate Sandvik’s expansion into battery-powered mining equipment and improve its current product offering.
The modifications to the Turku Business Park project will enable Sandvik’s Turku plant to flexibly build both diesel and battery powered mining equipment.
“Battery-powered mining equipment enables the electrification of mines, which increases productivity and improves working conditions. Electric equipment reduces emissions, heat and noise in mines. However, traditional diesel equipment will be needed alongside them for a long time to come,” says Mats Eriksson, Sandvik’s President of Load and Haul Division, in a press release.
The modification work started in late summer and is expected to be completed towards the end of 2023.