We work closely with customers to offer the most optimal machine combination.

BKR Prasad, General Manager - Marketing, Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery Company

What types of mining equipment do you manufacture and what is the range of products you offer?

Tata Hitachi is a joint venture and a subsidiary of Tata Motors, India, and Hitachi Construction Machinery, Japan. From a mining equipment
point of view, the organisation produces excavators, dumpers, wheel loaders, and other attachments.

Tata Hitachi has manufacturing facilities in Kharagpur and Dharwad. Both plants have the latest technology in CNC machining centres, robotic centres, and a wide range of fixtures and manipulators for manufacturing world-class products. Tata Hitachi also has access to the product range of our parent company, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Japan.

Tata Hitachi offers excavators from 0.02 CuM (TMX 20) bucket capacity to 6.5 CuM (EX 1200) bucket capacity in India, of which excavators from 3.0 CuM - 6.5 CuM bucket capacity are used in open-cast mines and are manufactured in India.

Beyond 10 CuM (EX 1900) and up to 45 CuM (EX 8000), Tata Hitachi offers excavators imported from Hitachi Construction Machinery, Japan. These excavators have the option of being diesel or electric-driven, depending on the requirements of customers.

Our range of wheel loaders comprising the country's first hydrostatic transmission 3T WL (TL340H) & 5T (ZW 225) payload are being manufactured in India, and those beyond 5T, which are 7T (ZW 310 -5A), 9-10T (ZW 370 -5A), and 11-12T (ZW 550 -5A), are sourced from Hitachi Construction Machinery, Japan.

As far as dumpers are concerned, Hitachi manufactures AC drive dumpers of 190T (EH 3500 AC-3), 240T (EH 4000 AC-3) and 290T (EH 5000 AC-3) classes, which are sold and serviced in India by Tata Hitachi. We recently introduced EH 3500 AC-3 dumpers in coal mining applications.

How do you ensure that your equipment meets the safety standards set by the Indian Government and international organizations?

Tata Hitachi has a dedicated research and development department that is primarily engaged with various government statutory bodies like the DGMS (Directorate General of Mines Safety) that frequently interact with changes in safety standards and regulations.

Further, our industry association iCEMA also works with the government in framing the regulations and the same is available to us well in advance so that these regulations can be developed and incorporated into the equipment manufactured in India.

The Tata Hitachi team also constantly interacts with Hitachi Construction Machinery, Japan, and communicates about the latest developments and changes in government regulations, so that the same can be incorporated in the machines that are offered to Indian customers.

How do you ensure that your products are environmentally sustainable and comply with environmental regulations?

Tata Hitachi has been developing products/features that can reduce the impact on the environment like controlling the wastage of hydraulic oil/exhaust gases from engines. The engines fitted on mining equipment are compliant with EPA tier I/II BS norms etc.

As these machines use hydraulic oils for operation, Tata Hitachi is currently using special hydraulic oils that come with extended changing intervals, resulting in reduction in wastage during the life of the equipment.

Tata Hitachi typically uses advanced design principles and analytical tools to design and validate our structures, where the weight component is minimised using better materials without compromising the stability of the machine. Use of alternative materials other than steel is also in practice wherever the application allows it.

For the effective use of resources, we promote 'circular economy' through our Used Equipment business and Remanufacturing of the parts. Tata Hitachi machines also come with Lead and Chrome-free paints and are highly fuel efficient.

Can you describe the special features or technologies that differentiate your mining equipment from that of your competitors?

From a technology point of view, the recent past has witnessed a lot of developments, especially in IoT which is working towards remote monitoring and health monitoring of equipment.

Tata Hitachi uses Consite in the GI series of excavators to capture and send data on performance parameters like idle hours, operating hours, engine run hours, etc. It also sends alerts on any abnormal behaviour in the equipment health like hydraulic oil temperature going up, engine oil temperature going up etc, which helps the customers avoid failures on the engine/hydraulics.

Consite generates a monthly report and sends updates to customers. The analytics of the captured data help to improve the operational efficiency of the machines. Consite can be accessed through the website or mobile app.

Sourced from Hitachi Construction Machinery, Japan, Tata Hitachi offers Fleet Management System by WENCO which has a capability to improve the efficiency of the fleet working in mines. WENCO can be integrated with excavators, dumpers and other support equipment, wherein the operating equipment allocations can be monitored from a control room at the mine site. This assists in enhancing the utilization of the fleet more efficiently.

What challenges do you anticipate facing in the mining equipment market in India over the next few years, and how do you plan to address them?

Mining is a tough job, and the mine operators work under tremendous cost pressure. Also, the mining project duration varies from 3-5 years (operating period). The volatility of the economy, whether in manpower cost or fuel cost going up drastically, also affects the mining operations. If these cost increases are not factored in at the time of taking the contracts, the operating project cost may become unviable.

Therefore, we work closely with the customers at the bidding stage itself - wherever possible - to offer the most optimal machine combination.

Further, the mining equipment market is cyclical and we closely follow emerging customer requirements to adjust our production to meet the required demand.

How do you stay informed about changes in regulations and policies that may impact the mining equipment industry in India?

Tata Hitachi is part of various forums and industry associations where discussion on such changes in regulations and policies are held. There have been initiatives by the policy makers to involve the mining equipment manufacturers, which has also helped the organization to be ready for the Indian market.

How does your company work with mining companies to ensure that your equipment is integrated effectively into their operations?

Tata Hitachi offers solutions like Full Maintenance Contracts/Annual Maintenance Contracts. A competent crew is deployed at site for a defined period, who have the responsibility of ensuring the availability of working equipment.

The team also helps build competency at customer site by way of handholding/training the operators and informing them about maintenance of the equipment. These activities start once the equipment reaches at the site, which helps in effective operations at customer end.  

What is your company’s vision for the future of the mining industry in India, and how do you plan to contribute to its growth and development?

Tata Hitachi's vision statement states the organization’s focus is on mining in India. We have been working very closely with mining companies, mine operators, etc., which have become our listening and learning tools for our future development. Also, by being a part of Hitachi Construction Machinery, Japan, we get regular input on developments happening globally in the mining equipment industry. These updates help us make ourselves future-ready.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Company and Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery Company have always been forward-looking in drafting approach to product design, and consistently offering the latest innovations to valued customers. Like offering electric-driven mining excavators, ranging from 11 CuM to 45 CuM bucket capacities, have gained global recognition for their exceptional performance and reliability.

Also, the recently introduced Fuel Consumption Optimisation (FCO) technology in mining excavators such as the EX-7, aims at improving fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. These machines are now available in the Indian sub-continent and have already found satisfied customers in India.

With the announcement of battery-operated rigid dump trucks, Hitachi Construction Machinery enters in a space where a 190T dumper will be offered with battery option in days to come. The offered 190T dumpers model EH3500AC-3 comes with electric drive technology using AC drive systems complemented by battery option would be optimum combination. Autonomous Haulage Solutions (AHS) on the dump trucks models EH3500AC-3, EH4000AC-3 & EH5000AC-3 will give a new dimension to mine as it would be a man-less driving.