Solid Energy, which specialises in operating under the difficult conditions on the west coast of New Zealand, last week revealed that it aims to be in the running to buy the Pike River mine.

DMS chief operating officer Darren Anderson said the agreement with Solid Energy could be a springboard for further growth in the country’s coal mining industry.

“This is the first overseas contract for our underground division and it marks the start of our full-time presence in New Zealand,” he said.

“As a major coal miner, Solid Energy is an ideal client for us in New Zealand and we look forward to showcasing our capabilities there with a view to developing our business over time.”

Under the terms of the agreement, DMS will supply labour, materials and machinery to upgrade existing and install new ventilation control devices at the Spring Creek mine using a mixture of products.

Many of the products have been developed in conjunction with Spring Creek personnel to suit its unique conditions. DMS will supply many products that were developed in-house, including spray concrete stoppings and seals, as well as fabricated machine doors, overcasts and regulators.

To service the contract, DMS has hired a local manager and most of the workers will come from the local Greymouth area.

“DMS have shown they can provide Spring Creek an innovative, cost-effective service to assist meeting our goals in regards fit-for-purpose ventilation control devices. I look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with them,” Spring Creek mine services superintendent Kevin (Dinghy) Pattinson said.

DMS has previously supplied two of its Atlas Copco Coaltram CT13 utility vehicles to work in New Zealand mines and has provided ancillary services to Solid Energy.

The Spring Creek mine is operated by Solid Energy and owned by Spring Creek Mining Company, a joint venture between Solid and Cargill, a major international company in the food, agriculture and energy sectors. The mine employs about 180 people.