Komatsu has decided to adapt its longwall mining equipment business and announced it will provide Joy engineered Powered Roof Support (PRS) solutions through partnerships with PRS manufacturers.
“As customers look to cut costs in the evolving coal market, we want to help provide flexibility while continuing to offer the core competencies we are known for in this space: Joy custom-engineered PRS solutions,” said Jason Savage, senior vice president, Joy underground soft rock for Komatsu Mining Corp. “We will continue to provide, and further develop, the design and technical support of engineered PRS solutions to help our customers mine efficiently and safely while enabling access to lower cost manufacturing sources to reduce up-front investment.”
The company remains fully committed to supporting and serving the global longwall market by providing Joy engineered PRS solutions; designing roof supports; continuing to design and manufacture its Joy armored face conveyors, shearers and longwall controls (including PRS controls); and providing project management, quality and integration services for longwall systems.
The company said it expects no disruptions to existing order fulfillment. It said it will continue to service and support all Joy longwall products including PRS through its global service network and will fully support existing customers for the lifetime of their operations.
Komatsu said there may be changes to the company’s manufacturing footprint as a result of this shift, impacting its Manchester and Worcester facilities in the U.K., but no immediate changes have been announced and there are no further details available.
