Having previously run a different brand of ADTs, NVJ Legacy first switched to John Deere in May this year, initially taking delivery of two 42-t 460P articulated haulers and a 744P wheel loader in a stockpiling application at a coal mine in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
After carefully evaluating its operational needs, the mining contractor concluded that the 42-t rated payload articulated haulers, together with a 744P wheel loader, with a 26 630 kg operating weight, were somehow too big for the operation at hand.
Taking advantage of the flexibility of the John Deere rental facility, NVJ Legacy swapped the existing fleet for two 38-t 410P articulated haulers and a mid-sized 724P wheel loader with 19 859 kg of operating weight. The smaller machines, says Victor Lepotho, operations director at NVJ Legacy, are correctly sized for the scope of the contract, which entails the hauling of processed material (-50 mm) from the processing plant to the stockpiles, moving about 5 000 t per day, which equates to about 200 000 t per month.
First encounter
Commenting on what necessitated the switch to John Deere, Lepotho tells Quarrying Africa that the team first stumbled upon a fleet of John Deere ADTs working at a certain coal mine in Mpumalanga. Aware of the John Deere reputation in the farming sector, the management team investigated the performance of these machines. Feedback from that mine was positive, which generated increased interest from NVJ Legacy.
To gather more information on the machines, the NVJ team attended the John Deere Open Day on 18 April 2024, where the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) introduced new production class models to its dealers and customers. Of note is that the new products that made their debut on the day were the first John Deere machines in the local market branded with the new Performance (P) Tiering system, including the 460P and the 744P.
Upon further discussions with both John Deere and the dealer, NVJ Legacy was thrilled to learn of the John Deere rental facility which, according to Lepotho, was ideally suited for an upcoming contractor seeking to establish itself in such an unforgiving business environment.
“As a start-up, we have to prove our capabilities before our scope of work can be expanded, which is critical to our growth. How best do we do it? By maintaining high levels of machine availability, productivity and efficiency. The John Deere rental facility has given us access to new premium gear without having to ‘break the bank’. To date, the machines have helped us to prove our mettle at this particular contract. To provide context, the current fleet of 410P machines is running between 350-400 hours per week, and has to date done just over 1 000 trouble-free hours, achieving a massive 99% availability,” says Lepotho.
Why rental?
To cater for the various needs of the market, John Deere recently introduced a rental facility through its dealers. Griffiths Makgate, sales manager Construction and Forestry AME at John Deere, says the Rental division was established to offer flexible and cost-effective equipment solutions to the market.
Rental, adds Makgate, gives contract miners access to the equipment they need with minimal upfront costs and credit constraints associated with outright purchasing. Renting also reduces the need for a down payment and allows mining contractors, especially start-ups such as NVJ Legacy, to redirect the little cash they have to other pressing areas of their business.
“Rental makes sense for most emerging mining contractors such as NVJ Legacy. Buying new equipment comes at a huge upfront cost, which most start-ups cannot afford. Given the growing local procurement strategy in mining, where local mining contractors are given preference as part of mining companies’ enterprise development efforts, rental makes sense for these young companies,” says Makgate.
With the John Deere rental fleet serviced and maintained by the dealer, NVJ Legacy has eliminated the headache associated with servicing own equipment, keeping parts and employing a dedicated service team on site.
“The dealer comes to service our machines at 500-hour intervals. This gives us the opportunity to focus on our core business, which is production. If there is a possible issue, the JDLink™ telematic portal is quick to pick it up and issues are resolved timeously,” says Lepotho.
Impressive performance
Having run the 410P – which made its local debut in May this year – for about two months, Lepotho has been impressed with the performance of the truck. Of particular interest is the power and speed with which the ADT goes about its duties on site. Operators have also been impressed by the comfort of the truck.
The quiet, pressurised cab of the 410P features an easy-to-read monitor and rear-camera display plus an optional automatic temperature control (ATC) system that allows operators to simply select a desired temperature to get and stay comfortable. Standard high-back air-suspension seat adjusts multiple ways for all-day support. Operator comfort, says Lepotho, translates into productive operations.
With fuel constituting a major portion of any mine’s operational costs, the fuel economy of the 410P has been impressive to both the contractor and the mine. Given that the mine runs a “wet contract”, it keeps track of each contractor’s fuel bill. According to Lepotho, the John Deere 410P haulers have proven to be a cut above the rest on site, with the fuel consumption way below the mine’s benchmark.
This is made possible by the three drive modes – Normal, Eco, Traction – which allow operators to adapt to their situations and enhance the abilities of the ADT to fit their applications. Normal mode is for situations where the truck does not always have to be at full throttle and moving at top speed. Eco mode, when conditions allow, conserves fuel by smoothing throttle input, reducing maximum revolutions per minute (rpm) and optimising transmission response to match prevailing conditions. Traction applies added control to the auto-differential-lock system and powertrain to maximise traction over soft and slippery ground.
Lepotho is also impressed by the JDLink™ connectivity service, which makes it easy for the mining contractor to stay connected and on top of its business. With this technology, NVJ Legacy has been able to run data-driven operations, tracking various operational parameters such as machine location, engine hours, fuel level, machine performance, idling times and machine health data.
“All things considered, we are very happy with our decision to opt for John Deere. Firstly, the machines have performed beyond expectations, putting us in good stead to get our contract scope expanded. Secondly, we are grateful to John Deere for its partnership. Despite the fact that we are just a small company, they treat us like any other big customer. The service has been impeccable and the rental facility speaks directly to our operational needs. In future, even when the procurement profile shifts to outright purchase, we will remain loyal to John Deere,” concludes Lepotho.
