Handling coal in the Borneo jungle

SDLG, a branch of Shandong Lingong Construction Machinery Co., Ltd (Lingong) – a Chinese manufacturer of construction equipment – has supplied a coal handling operation in Indonesia with a new motor grader.

In the heart of the Borneo jungle, Korean-owned electricity provider, PT KEPID Technology Indonesia, operates the motor grader at the coal handling facility. The company has reported that it has been pleased with the SDLG machine’s power, fuel efficiency and control.

Located at a river port around 200 km from South Kalimantan’s capital – Banjarmasin – the coal handling site receives crushed coal via trucks that transport it from a nearby crushing plant before it is loaded onto awaiting ships. The SDLG G9190 motor grader is used to keep the loading and unloading area flat and smooth for optimal on-site operations.

Used primarily as a support machine, PT KEPID Technology’s operations manager, Daniel Krismantoro, explains that the company realised it did not need all the bells and whistles of a premium machine when considering this latest equipment addition. “The grader isn’t in operation all day, every day, so we don’t need an expensive machine – just something that will do the job when we need it,” he says.

Since taking delivery of the motor grader two months ago, Krismantoro claims to have been pleased with its performance. “The fuel efficiency and power rival any other brand of motor grader, so we feel like we’ve got a really good deal for the price of the machine,” he says.

The G9190 motor grader was launched last year at the Mining Indonesia trade show in Jakarta. The machines are manufactured at Lingong’s facility in Linyi, China.

Lingong said it was focused on changing worldwide perceptions of Chinese-made products. The company hopes to prove the global behemoth can provide durable and reliable equipment at a lower cost to other competitors. According to Lingong, a major factor in helping the company achieve this is its manufacturing and design process, the Lingong Production System (LPS). This process eliminates waste and improves efficiency.

The G9190 motor grader is powered by a 146 kW rated German-designed Dalian Deutz Stage II electronic injection engine, which saves energy and improves performance. The low-noise engine is matched to the grader’s electro-hydraulic transmission control system.

Also featured on the G9190 grader is the new generation cab with falling-object and roll-over protection structure (FOPS/ROPS) for improved operator safety. The cab’s design incorporates ergonomic control layout for improved precision grading, as well as a shock-absorbent seat, which increases comfort.

Rudi F, a machine operator at PT KEPID Technology, said that the motor grader was the first SDLG machine he has operated. He said: “I’m impressed with the performance – it performs as well as any of the other brands of motor grader I’ve operated – but the cab is much more comfortable.”

Krismantoro explained that keeping a good relationship with an equipment supplier that provides aftermarket and afterpurchase support was vital in any operation. “For us, a good relationship with your local dealer is highly important – and is what will keep us buying their products,” He said.

Rural Kalimantan can be a difficult place to navigate with unmade roads, potholes and speed restrictions. Lingong stressed the importance of getting its technicians and spare parts to a customer site quickly – even if it means transporting them by river boat. 

Written by Lingong. Edited by Sam Dodson

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/handling/22072014/handling-coal-in-the-borneo-jungle-1113/