Everyday Heroes: Meet Finning's service ... - Finning Canada

On TargetOff HighwayHighland Valley Copper finds Finningsolutions to keep business movingforward, even when times are toughStory by Cait Willst’s no surprise that HighlandValley Copper mine is one ofFinning (Canada)’s most loyalcustomers. After all, Canada’s largest coppermine – located in Logan Lake, B.C. – has beenusing Cat off-highway trucks for 20 years.“We bought the first Cat fleet in 1988,”says Frank Amon, manager of operations forHighland Valley. “At the time, we had fourtruck fleets, totalling 75 units – two differentmakes, all of them old,” he says. “In 1988,we started replacing them.” Highland ValleyCopper wanted vehicles known for theirdurability and versatility, which led them toCaterpillar. “We looked at truck fleets,” saysAmon, “and the process of elimination led usto the Cat 789s; we were one of the first to usethat fleet,” he says.But, due to a global drop in copper prices,the mine had to concentrate on keeping operatingcosts as low as possible, and the decisionto upgrade to the 789s wasn’t madelightly. “Highland Valley Copper – like coppermines worldwide – was going through atough time,” says Amon. So, Finning helpedHighland Valley find trucks that would meetits needs without busting the budget. “Wewere able to find refurbished vehicles fromall over the world. We have some that camefrom Australia, even.”The 789C mining truck is, according toindustry specs, “engineered for performance,designed for comfort, and built to last.” It’s anoff-highway truck with 1770.15 horsepower,a payload capacity of 177 tons, and a loadedspeed of 52.6 kilometres per hour. Used forhigh-production mining and hauling applications,one of its most popular selling featuresis its long life.Amon says one of the most attractive aspectsof the 789s is the versatility of the fleet.“When we started purchasing the 789s, webought 10 to 12 units at a time, replacing theold ones as we went,” he says. All told, thecompany purchased 38 units. Now, thoseolder 789s serve a new purpose at the mine:“We have 14 active 789s as haulage unitsand we’ve converted two into water-trucks,”he says.These machines are still working, despitethe fact that Amon started purchasing Cat793s for mining in the early 1990s.“The 793 is a bigger truck, so it’s moreaffordable to run at a lower cost per ton,” saysCam Hergott, mining accounts manager forFinning. “Operator costs are lower, and the50 tracks & treads • Spring 2008 www.finning.ca