Rental equipment will not find application in safe mining conditions.
What is your view on the current market for large mining equipment segment in India?
Because of the Central government's ambitious coal mining target, we foresee good potential in the next few years in coal mining. Also, this ambitious coal production target will require opening higher capacity mines and technologically advanced and reliable large mining equipment.
What is your assessment of the Indian market for large mining equipment categories over the next 5-10 years in terms of numbers and value?
We estimate that equipment, parts and service related to both surface and underground mines will be several billion dollars.
What is the year-on-year growth trajectory of your project? What will be the key success factors?
During the first 2-3 years of this growth period, the key will be sweating the existing equipment fleet and increasing their availability and utilisation. This can be achieved by partnering with reputed OEMs. However, in the later years, it will be important to start with fewer but much higher production mines and related infrastructure than what we have today - both in underground and in surface. During these years, it will be necessary to partner with bigger and professional contractors, global mine developer-cum-operators (MDOs) and reputed and reliable global equipment manufacturers. Also imbibing safety practices all across will be the key.
What will be the deterrents? Will used and rental equipment be significant show-stoppers?
Used and rental equipment are typically construction machines being used today in mining applications which will be unsafe in new and bigger mines and will not find application in high productive and safe mining conditions.