MINING services group Diversified Mining Services has been appointed the exclusive Australian and New Zealand distributor for the Flexiveyor continuous haulage conveyor system.

The Flexiveyor continuous haulage conveyor system.

Canadian manufacturer Prairie Machine & Parts awarded DMS the distribution rights after an extensive search for an Australia-based partner following increased demand for the product from the local market.

The appointment adds another major item to the suite of products available through DMS Underground – formerly called the Anderson Group of Companies – after the company announced last month it had sold its first three Atlas Copco Coaltrams following a five-year, $A25 million development program.

DMS managing director Terry Young said the Flexiveyor system was one of the leading systems of its kind in the world and the company had already received interest from at least six different clients looking to purchase the system.

“This is a tremendous coup for DMS and we are delighted PMP has chosen us to distribute the product throughout Australia and New Zealand,” he said.

“Flexiveyor is a unique system which is designed to provide a seamless interface between mining machinery and main line conveyor belts to ensure a continuous flow of coal … the computerised undercarriage/tracking system allows an operator to drive in and drive out of a cutting in the same wheel tracks.

“It will be a great addition to our Atlas Copco Coaltram utility vehicle and the other maintenance and support services which we offer to the mining industry.”

PMP President Murray Popplewell said DMS was the logical choice as the distributor for the Australian and New Zealand markets.

“They already have extensive experience in underground mining as well as their existing international partnership with Atlas Copco. DMS’s established ability to make product, sell product and service product will ensure customers are provided a one-stop solution when considering Flexiveyor.”

DMS underground chief operating officer Darren Anderson said Flexiveyor would replace shuttle cars and improve efficiency for underground mines.

“Flexiveyor removes the bottleneck in getting coal from the face to the surface. We are looking forward to a long and successful relationship with PMP and are confident Flexiveyor will be an attractive option for a significant number of contractors and mine operators,” he said.

DMS was formed in 2007 to provide an alternative source of mining services for large-scale mining operations in the Australian coal industry.

Under share purchase agreements, DMS, an unlisted public company, acquired six separate businesses through a combination of debt and equity.

The acquired businesses are Anderson Group of Companies, Ausgroup Industries, Ausscaffold, East Coast Engineering, AllSteel Fabrications and MachineTek Engineering.

Most of the acquired businesses are focused on servicing the coal industry with a particular focus on Queensland’s Bowen Basin and with some operations in the New South Wales Hunter Valley. DMS businesses already hold preferred supplier status with many major mining companies.

Click here to read the rest of today's news stories.