SEW-EURODRIVE sets the pace with power packs in African mining
Customers can select their preferred base and coupling configuration, ensuring each SEW-EURODRIVE power pack is precisely matched to the application’s performance and reliability requirements. (Image source: SEW EURODRIVE)
Comprehensively supporting the mining sector with commodity-specific drive train solutions, SEW-EURODRIVE has cemented its reputation as a trusted partner to the industry - a testament to its customer-centric approach, says National Sales and Marketing Manager Jonathan McKey
“Twenty years ago, we secured our first major power pack contract for a platinum mine in Limpopo,” McKey recalls. “That project marked the beginning of our deep involvement in mining and today our gearboxes, motors and coupling combinations are operating in almost every mining environment across the continent.”
From platinum and gold to coal, copper and beyond, SEW‑EURODRIVE’s engineered drive train solutions have become integral to mission-critical applications, underscoring the company’s strong track record and ongoing commitment to the mining sector.
“As in every industry we serve, the success of our power packs lies in a systematic responsible approach that begins with a clear understanding of what the customer really needs,” McKey explains. “We don’t just develop application-specific solutions - we take it a step further by building a sustainable cost effective supply chain and long term support ecosystem to back those solutions well into the future.”
McKey notes that SEW‑EURODRIVE takes a deliberate and strategic approach when entering new sectors, ensuring that each move is carefully planned, focused and sustainable. “We prioritise focus,” he says. “It is about understanding the landscape before we enter - not just from a technical standpoint, but also from a long term support and capacity perspective.”
With mining, the company’s journey began in the platinum sector, where SEW‑EURODRIVE developed gearbox solutions specifically engineered for the prevailing conditions on site.
“It was vital to understand the gear ratios, power requirements and velocities commonly used in platinum operations,” explains McKey. “That insight allowed us to rapidly grow our footprint in that segment expanding into neighbouring operations and quickly growing our customer base. From there, we moved into chrome mining.”
As SEW‑EURODRIVE expanded into new mineral commodities, it applied the same principle - understand the application first, then develop fit-for-purpose drive train systems. In chrome, this meant developing a new stocking standardised gear ratios and power ratings for its power packs. When coal mining became the next target segment, the unique characteristics of that environment called for yet another redesign, this time with lighter material and faster conveyor speeds requiring adapted solutions.
“Today, we are arguably the dominant force in mining across Africa when it comes to industrial gearbox solutions,” says McKey. “That position wasn’t built overnight. It was the result of a highly informed, step-by-step expansion that has seen the company entering each commodity with a clear operational plan and investing heavily in building our local capacity to support it.”
That investment began with local assembly, first introduced at SEW‑EURODRIVE’s Nelspruit facility in 2006. Over time, this evolved into a significantly expanded local production and warehousing operation at the company’s head office in Aeroton, Johannesburg - where a Phase 2 expansion is now nearing completion.
Service and technical support have always been at the heart of SEW‑EURODRIVE’s value proposition, and the mining sector was no exception. “We knew early on that delivering quality products wasn’t enough - we had to match that with world class aftersales service,” McKey says. “That meant upskilling local service teams and embedding our global standards into everything we did on the ground.”
“Alongside our new designs, local assembly and upscaled stockholding, we brought in additional service staff and trained them extensively,” he continues. “We never enter a sector lightly. When we commit, we invest and this is to ensure every customer is fully supported across the entire lifecycle of their equipment.”
“Today, SEW‑EURODRIVE is not only a trusted partner for electro-mechanical drive solutions, but is also helping customers embrace smart mining with the introduction of automation and digital control technology,” McKey says.
“The traditional combination of motor, gearbox and fluid coupling for controlled start-up is evolving,” he notes. “Now, customers want flexible drive systems with precise speed control and the ability to adjust production rates on demand - and our technology is delivering that.”
In addition to its core gearmotor offering, SEW‑EURODRIVE also provides full open gearing solutions for mills and other critical applications. This includes girth gears, main mill motors and gearboxes, pinions and related components; all of which can be manufactured and delivered quickly, offering a reliable drop-in replacement for competitor systems.
