Speaking at the company’s press conference at MINExpo, Allan Osterwise, Joy senior vice president, global sales & marketing outlined some of the company’s successes in servicing the underground coal equipment market.

Osterwise said Joy created value through its experienced workforce, its strategic presence in 45 locations and through a focus on a lowest cost per ton strategy. The company generates some US$700 million in revenue annually with growth targeted in the emerging markets of Russia, China, India and Poland he said.

After-sales support was an important theme of the Joy presentation. The company said it has ensured field engineering and technical support are available to customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Over the past four years the focus in the U.S. market has been to develop ‘centres of excellence’ where experts on a specific product and quality control processes are focused on one facility and one product. Joy plans to offer the same level of support in its emerging markets. For instance the company recently opened a facility in Baotou, China, where demand is escalating Osterwise said. In the Russian Kuzbass region Joy has recently expanded its service capacities.

From the equipment point of view the company focus was very much on its new drive technology, OptiDrive, launched officially at the show. Proven on Joy’s 7Ls shearer, the new AC variable frequency drive system integrates electrical, software, electronic and mechanical systems and has been made available across the equipment range, including miners, shuttle cars, shearers and the flexible conveyor train (FCT).

Joy has a very successful FCT installation in the U.S. which is running at an availability of 97%. Joy said one continuous miner loading onto the FCT was producing equivalent tonnage of two continuous miners and four battery haulers.

Joy also displayed a 14CM15A continuous miner, the company’s new high performance low seam miner. This new machine incorporates new design features including, variable frequency 80 hp AC traction motor; 32in–36in diameter, 400 hp

solid head cutting mechanism; straight conveyor return deck design; and integrated hydraulic and water valving.

New J525 and J750 longwall shearer ranging arms were on display featuring high cutting speeds, durability, reliability and long life, together with ease of refurbishment.

The J525B is fitted with a higher reduction planetary for the lower drum speeds required with larger drums and dual cowl actuators while the J525A ranging arm specifically is designed for smaller range drum diameters and utilizes a single cowl actuator.

The J525 ranging arm, adaptable to the 7LS1A, 7LS2, and 7LS 3 JOY shearers, brings a 25% more powerful cutter motor in a similar size package to the JOY J450 ranging arm.