Satstats with shipping bars in place.
| Satellite stations cut travel time for fuel fill-ups - 09/05 By Sari Huhtala Rock-Tech Sales and Service Ltd. is aiming to help mining companies reduce costs associated with fuel storage and delivery through its recent acquisition of a patent for a satellite fuel station. Unlike permanent fuel bays, the SatStat can conveniently be picked up and moved to a new location. After three years of success as an authorized sales and service distributor of the Satstat, a portable, self-contained fuel unit, Sudbury-based Rock-Tech made the move earlier this year to purchase the SatStat patent from Valcom Ltd. and begin manufacturing the product line. “We were dealing directly with customers as distributors of the product and we realized there are other needs for it,” said Paul Lemieux, Rock-Tech’s technical sales and product manager. “We saw huge potential for the product in the long term. “The fact that we had developed a really good relationship with Valcom helped us in obtaining the product.” Prior to SatStat coming into the market in the early 1990s, Canadian mining companies used conventional fuel bays underground, but that has huge costs associated with it, said Lemieux. The SatStat, designed to meet all of Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act and related regulations for mines, provides a cost-effective alternative to conventional fuel bays, he said. The unit’s design meets containment, fire suppression and isolation standards. While there are other portable units on the market, none of them conform to the strict regulations for use underground, said Ricky Lemieux, Rock-Tech’s technical sales and service manager. Mobility “It allows the user to move it to different areas of the mine, and from one mine to another,” Ricky said. “You can have different products dispensed from it, like oil and fuel, so again you’re reducing costs.” To date, Rock-Tech has designed six units, manufacturing each to different specifications. Paul and Ricky Lemieux (left to right): Rock-Tech makes leap from distribution to manufacturing The system accommodates bulk oil containers that are provided by suppliers. It also eliminates the use of oil drums by using cubes that are reusable, damage-resistant and leak-proof, so there are no costs associated with damaged drums and skids. Minimal site preparation is required to accommodate the SatStat. Depending on the customer’s needs, the units can be manufactured to dispense fuel using air or electrical power. For fire suppression, they can be supplied with water hookups or chemical suppression systems. The larger portable stations are designed in three or four sections so they can be taken apart and bolted together, allowing for easy hoisting from one underground level to another. Once in the mine, they can be moved around using a forklift. Unlike permanent fuel bays, which require ongoing monitoring and decommissioning once they are no longer in use, the portable unit requires no additional service and can conveniently be picked up and moved to a new location. “If there are any spills, they are contained and simply pumped out,” said Ricky. Typical systems range in capacity from 200 gallons to 2,000 gallons, and are priced between $20,000 and $70,000. “You can have three of these units for the cost of having one dedicated fuel bay,” said Paul. “Having several units allows workers to have a fuel storage system close to their working area so it cuts down on tramming and the congestion that occurs when everybody heads out to fuel their vehicles at a fuel station.” While the unit is primarily intended for underground applications, there is a market for the product in manufacturing plants where fuel and oil need to be contained, as well as within the aggregate industry, said Paul. The average lifespan of the unit is about 20 years. But, depending on the area of the mine where the unit is located and the amount of oxidization and underground humidity, units are sometimes shipped back at the 10-year mark for reconditioning. Service The company provides both on site and in-house repair service. “We have certified technicians looking after the units in the field and we provide inspection audits to ensure regulations are being met,” said Paul. Most of the manufacturing and assembly of the product takes place in-house at the company’s Walden Industrial Park location. Since purchasing the patent, Rock-Tech has manufactured and sold seven units, bringing the total number of units in operation at Canadian mines to approximately 200. While maintaining a strong share of the domestic market, the company is keeping an eye on opportunities in the U.S., and is now in the process of inspecting “every nut and bolt” of the fuel station to ensure it meets U.S. regulations. Rock-Tech started out in 1999 as a distributor for Breaker Technology (BTI). Since then, it has acquired a number of product lines representing various companies, including RockTek U.S., Valcom, and RDH Mining Equipment. A branch office in Val d’Or serves the mining industry in northwestern Quebec. In 2004, Rock-Tech expanded to its new location in the Walden Industrial Park, with additional staff and capacity to better serve the region’s mining industry. www.rock-tech.net |
| Satstat with bladder in front |
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