Kal Tire S.A. specialists in tires for the mining industry, has received a delivery of two Konecranes SMV 33-1200C forklifts to fulfill a tire service contract at the Centinela mine in northern Chile. The order was booked at the end of Q3 in 2021 and arrived at the mine in June 2022.
The company provides a range of tire management services for mines among other services. Since every mine has its own unique challenges, Kal Tire works closely with customers to meet their needs.
The two Konecranes tire forklifts operating at the Centinela Mine have a lift truck capacity of 33 tons and a wheelbase of 4,750 mm for the stability and maneuverability they need when loaded with heavy tires in the mine area. It is an ideal solution for changing tires on the big mining trucks and for handling the tires at the equipment storage site. Together, the local dealer TREX and Konecranes modified the forklift trucks specifically for this purpose.
“Mines are a demanding work environment for both people and equipment, requiring tough machines that maximize both safety and efficiency,” says Mario Gomez Alcayaga, Service Manager of Kal Tire, Chile. “Konecranes has provided forklift trucks with impressive cabin ergonomics, plenty of space for the driver and an unobstructed view of the surrounding area. And just in the short time they’ve been here, the trucks have demonstrated a robust performance that has already boosted our productivity and overall efficiency.”
“We worked closely with Kal Tire to find the best technical solution for their needs,” says David Olguín Tobar, Product Manager for TREX. “This is just the start of our business relationship, which will be strengthened by excellent service and after sales care for long-term customer satisfaction."
"It’s always a pleasure to work with an important new customer with a new challenge,” says Andrés Ramirez, Regional Sales Development Manager for Konecranes Lift Trucks. “Supplier Weldco Bales MFG Canada (WBM) was able to provide just the right attachments for forklifts handling mining tires. After we met Kal Tire’s specific requirements, and added the WBM attachment, their tire handling operations rose to another level.”
The fork assembly of each truck is fitted with a fully-integrated WBM tire-handling clamp. The clamp has a low-profile body and grip arm design, allowing drivers a clear view of the load. In addition, bead breaking arms on the clamp help maintain safety during vertical dismounts. A hydraulic accumulator on the lift mast provides shock absorption against the rough terrain of a mine site and a smoother ride for both driver and tires, while high-pressure filters extend the life span of the hydraulic system.
These Konecranes forklifts are also Smart Connected Lift Trucks. TRUCONNECT® Remote Monitoring follows each truck’s performance through information such as operations and usage data, alert notifications and fleet optimization. These machines are fitted with TRUCONNECT® Premium, which adds tire pressure and shock monitoring to the basic analytics. Kal Tire can easily access all their forklift information in one convenient location online through the yourKONECRANES.com customer portal.
