Man transport manufacturer Brookville Equipment had that key customer connection in mind when it introduced Brookville Services, a new division that will bring service and direct OEM support to mines’ man transport fleets.
Brookville Services was launched in May 2011 by six veteran Brookville Equipment staffers.
Brookville officials said that the new arm, which will be located at its headquarters in northwestern Pennsylvania, was developed out of the company’s belief in the continuous improvement of its offerings to customers.
While Brookville Services manager Cameron Miller noted that the company had never wavered from its commitment to its client mines after placing a man transport unit into service, it was just that – responding to operations’ feedback – that was integral to its decision to launch Brookville Services.
The formation of a dedicated services group for Brookville Equipment’s growing fleet of underground machines means committed staff are better able to respond to customer needs and provide a preventative maintenance program.
Man transport vehicles are typically used to send workers to the work areas at the beginning of the shift and transport the workers back to the surface at the end of a long work day.
In that down time the man transports often sit idle but must be ready to spring into action when called upon.
To maintain that reliability, Miller said, the unit needs to stay in top operating condition.
Brookville Services can assist in maintaining that fleet with preventative maintenance schedules and routine visits with mine maintenance staffs to assure that wear items and other repairs are properly recorded.
This data can be used to generate better lifecycle management projections that will make better maintenance scheduling.
This is especially important with diesel-powered man transports, where each specific unit can carry a pre-operations checklist developed by the services division for monitoring performance indicators.
“Our services offering is the direct result of responding to our customers needs and strong leadership that invests in products and offerings that will provide maximum benefit to the end user,” Miller said.
“While Brookville may not be the first mantrip OEM to offer such services, we intend to revolutionize and redefine the very definition of customer service.”
The new service division, which will be available to all US mines seven days a week, will manage emergency call as well as regular maintenance issues.
A staff of certified, safety-trained mechanics, electricians and engineers will be at the ready for any operation and can oversee the commissioning of new equipment as well as operator training on the units, overall mine personnel training and even technical and engineering support.
In addition, the arm will handle longwall preparation planning and support, equipment rebuilds, component repair and returns and fleet management services. Both warranty and post-warranty field support will remain in place under the Brookville Services umbrella.
The addition of such capabilities for mines’ mantrip fleets is also key to production, as ensuring a greater lifespan of a man transport unit will keep crews on their appointed rounds on time and keep them arriving safely.
As such, Brookville Services is currently working with many of its client mines to rebuild or repair their mantrip fleets.
“By returning the equipment to the OEM at mid-life or end of useful life intervals for rehabilitation, the customer is assured full OEM support and experience resulting in repaired or remanufactured equipment that is productive and reliable, resulting in longer life,less unplanned downtime and, ultimately, lower cost of ownership,” Miller said.
“The importance of reliable equipment in coal mining cannot be understated; however, what good is machinery if the organization cannot get its most important investment, their employees, to the equipment in a reliable and expedient manner?”
