INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS:

Jennmar Corporation
Tel: 1-(412) 963-9071
Fax: 1-(412) 963-9767

Consulting Alternatives S.A.C
Tel: (51-1) 372-3082
Fax: (51-1) 372-3082

RELATED COMPANIES

Royal Bafokeng Holdings
Tel: +27 (0)11 530 8000
Fax: +27 (0)11 530 8039
E-mail: info@bafokengholdings.com
Website: www.bafokengholdings.com

MOGS
Tel: +27 (0) 11 530 8060
Fax: +27 (0) 11 530 8069
E-mail: info@mogs.co.za
Website: www.mogs.co.za

Stope Technology Services
Tel: +27 (011) 974-8013
Fax: +27 (011) 974 2019
Email: sales@stopetek.co.za
Website: www.stopetek.co.za

Profile

Mining Products for underground support systems
Elbroc is the longest running stope support company servicing seismically active deep level gold mines and the coal market locally and overseas. The Platinum market has recently been added to the portfolio. With an unmatched safety record stretching back to their establishment in the 1960s, this Isando based SABS/ISO9001 production facility provides service commitment, quality products with an in-house development capability.

The in-house capability has lead to the introduction of the Omni 150 prop (sacrificial and re-usable hydraulic prop), the XT 150 (sacrificial friction prop) and the TS 90 (Temporary 8t hydraulic support) in the last few years. The Omni 150 made its international début in the USA in 2004 and has developed a great track record underground. The XT 150 is about to be launched overseas with similar success expected. The TS 90 is to be launched locally in 2008. These three products are now added to the existing RB 80 prop (re-usable hydraulic prop), the Gemini grout pump and 6B hydraulic pump already offered. Elbroc provides after sales service by supplying replacement parts and refurbishing used equipment.

Elbroc pride themselves on superior quality and service, and make no compromises in terms of mining safety. Elbroc place an emphasis on clear communication, to ensure that they meet the specific requirements of their customers. This is borne out by the fact that they have an ever increasing customer base locally and in the USA with customers as far a field as Russia. The aim is to increase international exposure by creating partnerships with companies involved in underground support.

Our vision is to be a company that:

• is the leader in its field of business
• is recognized by its clients as being pro-active, professional, ethical, reliable and providing value for money products
• is regarded by its employees as an employer that encourages, recognizes and rewards consistent and dedicated effort and that offers challenging career paths and opportunities
• gives an acceptable return to its shareholders
  

Achievements

• The longest serving stope support company in the South African mining industry
• Successful business since the 1960s with a proven track record
• Market leader and largest supplier of hydraulic props since inception
• Not a single fatality in any stope face supported by our props when Hartebeesfontein Gold Mines experienced the severe earth quake in 2005
• Strict adherence to ISO 9001 certification

Beliefs and Values

• no compromise for the safety of workers
• superior quality and service
• striving to be the best
• team work and focus
• importance of the details of execution, the nuts and bolts of doing the job well
• informality to enhance communication
• saying it as it is
• ethics and transparency are essential ingredients for long term growth and survival
• ‘partnerships’ with our clients and suppliers working to common objectives
• we believe in the importance of people as individuals

History

The Edward L Bateman Ltd engineering group (ELB) has its roots in strata control products as far back as the 1960s. In 1976 ELB established a dedicated task force to produce a stope support system for the deep level hard rock mines of South Africa.

These efforts culminated in the patented Rapid Yield Hydraulic Prop presently known as the Elbroc RB 80 hydraulic prop. This product was manufactured in the ELB factory in Isando, which also manufactured parts for the automotive industry with clients such as Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen and Ford. These same high quality standards became an essential ingredient for the hydraulic prop manufacture to ensure its reliable operation for the safety of miners in the stope face.

In 1987 the ELB factory obtained its ISO certification which it has maintained to the present day. Despite the much higher capital cost of hydraulic props, it has been shown that the operational cost to the mines over the life of the prop was far lower than operational costs of any other of the ‘cheaper’ support systems besides the tremendous safety advantages it offered.

A key factor was the proper installation, monitoring and control of these props in the work place as hydraulic props could be reused on a continuous basis, unlike the ‘cheap’ props which could only be installed once and then sacrificed. This involved the development of a sophisticated computerised monitoring, tracking and control system.

Further innovative designs followed with the introduction of the Omni 150 hydraulic prop, XT mechanical prop and TS90 temporary support

The year 2004 was a milestone for Elbroc when the first container of RB 80 props was exported to a gold mine in the Buryat Republic of Russia. Substantial design changes were made to enable the props to operate at temperatures as low as -20 degrees centigrade. Repeat orders were received. This was followed by Omni 150 props being exported to North America and Germany, for application in the coal mines.

In 2005 Elbroc established a CNC machine shop to satisfy a 100% in house capability covering design, development, machining, fabrication, assembly and testing.

Up to September 2001 the business formed part of the Edward L Bateman group at which time a successful management buyout was concluded. Today the company is owned by Mining Oil and Gas Services Pty Ltd (MOGS), a BEE empowered company.