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ALS and Stewart Group expand in Asia
ALS Group’s acquisition of Stewart Group
adds a range of inspection and analysis expertise
to existing services in the Asia Pacific
region. The Minerals Division of ALS has a
strong presence in the area with geochemistry,
metallurgy, coal, environmental, tribology,
food, pharmaceutical and industrial
services offered through dedicated labs in
China, Mongolia, Laos, Cambodia and Australia.
The acquisition now means customers
can also benefit from Stewart Group’s expertise
in inspection and analysis services.
Stewart Group Inspection and Analysis inspects,
weighs, samples, analyses and reports
on the quantity and quality of commodities to
produce findings that can be used for final
commercial settlement purposes. It also provides
accurate global services for metals, including
copper, as well as minerals, ores,
precious metals, ferro alloys and solid fuels.
Teams of surveyors are strategically located
in major ports, smelters, refineries and steelworks
around the world to undertake precise
inspection and sampling of commodities.
Major Asian markets covered by Stewart
Group Inspection and Analysis include China,
Mongolia, Kyrgyz Republic, Singapore,
Malaysia, Thailand and India. Many of these
are key areas for copper testing.
ALS and Stewart Group’s Singapore facility
The acquisition of Stewart Group adds inspection and analysis expertise to the services provided ALS Group in the Asia Pacific.
is strategically positioned to offer minimized
freight and travel times. It offers a comprehensive
selection of independent inspection
and analysis services to the metals and minerals
industry, with an emphasis on quality,
service, rapid turnaround times and providing
accurate, consistent results. The Singapore
lab is an LME-approved sampler and
assayer, offering pre-shipment inspection, supervision
of loading and discharge, sampling
and sample preparation, moisture determination
and analytical services for alloys, base
metals, precious metals, ferrous and non-ferrous
metals and LME-listed materials.
Stewart Group Inspection and Analysis provides
Asia with globally-recognized testing,
inspection and certification services to ensure
customers have access to industry-leading
technology, quality results and staff with indepth
industry knowledge and experience.
The Singapore lab includes industry-leading
laboratory plant and equipment. The business
is ISO 9001-compliant and the laboratory
is accredited by SAC-SINGLAS to ISO
17025. The laboratory will continue to develop
and expand service provisions for precious
metal testing in Asia.
Stewart Group Inspection and Analysis group
general manager Chris Walker says, “The Asia
Pacific region is clearly a key growth area and a
vital part of our future success. Our advantage
is that, with Stewart Group combining with ALS
Group, we have a good spread of locations in
the area from which to offer our services, keeping
us ahead of the game.”
Third Hitachi equipment plant for Japan
HITACHI Construction Machinery plans to build
its third mining equipment factory in Japan as
demand for thermal coal rises in Asia. The plant,
near a port in Ibaraki prefecture, is expected to
start production in 2013 and is part of Hitachi’s
three-year, $2.4 billion expansion plan.
Hitachi aims to increase mining revenue as
competition in its main construction-equipment
business intensifies from China. The new assembly
plant is expected to increase Hitachi’s
sales from mining equipment to 220 billion yen
(US$2.8 billion) by March 2014, or 20% of revenue.
Demand for coal is rising in nations such
as China and India, where demand exceeds
supply by as much as 14% during peak hours.
This demand is expected to lead to further investments
in mines in nations including Australia,
Indonesia, Africa, Russia and China.
Hitachi, Japan’s second-largest maker of
construction equipment, holds 40% of the
global share for mining excavators weighing
between 120 tonnes and 800 tonnes. A 550-
tonne excavator, which is twice as heavy as
an Airbus SAS A380 superjumbo and as high
as a three-storey building, is used to scoop
ore and load to dump trucks.
So strong is the demand for its equipment
that at present Hitachi’s waiting list for supply
of equipment is at least 12 months and the
company is in discussions with customers
about new orders to be delivered in 2013.
Hitachi plans to expand supply of excavators
weighing at least 120 tonnes by 60% to
360 units by March 2014 and more than double
output to 510 units in the following five
years. A company spokesman also says
sales of dump trucks weighing at least 140
tonnes will probably triple in three years.
Hitachi’s larger Japanese rival Komatsu in
November 2011 agreed with Rio Tinto Group
to supply at least 150 driverless trucks to Australia’s
Pilbara iron ore mines by 2015 while
Caterpillar, the world’s largest construction and
mining equipment maker, forecast revenue in
2012 will rise as much as 20%.
66 | ASIA Miner | January/February 2012