In the heart of the mining industry, where reliability and longevity are paramount, L&M Radiator, a Wabtec company, stands out with its MESABI® brand, a global leader in copper grommeted tube radiators. The brand’s dominance is not merely a result of market share but a testament to its unyielding commitment to quality and innovation. This commitment was evident during a recent discussion with L&M Radiator’s leadership in both Western Australia and Chile, where the company’s market strategies and technological focus were laid bare.
L&M Radiator’s market position is a testament to its tried and trusted heat exchanger solutions, which have earned the company a unique loyalty from mining customers. This loyalty is not unfounded; MESABI® radiators are known for their proven longevity and reliability, making them a staple in large mining haul trucks and a range of other mining machinery. The company’s sales manager, Tony Coppins, and general manager, Richard Chapell, provided insights into the company’s operations and market strategies, painting a picture of a company that is not just leading the market but also shaping it.
In Western Australia, L&M Radiator’s facility in Welshpool, Perth, serves as a hub for both aftermarket and OEM businesses. The aftermarket business, which accounts for 80% of the company’s operations in Australia, involves servicing a wide range of mining equipment, including trucks from Caterpillar, Komatsu, Liebherr, and Hitachi, as well as underground equipment from Epiroc and Sandvik. The company’s OEM business, on the other hand, involves supplying radiators for Epiroc’s underground trucks and LHDs, with the Perth facility handling supply in Australia, Sweden, China, and India.
Chapell emphasized the company’s commitment to quality and reliability, stating, “The customer may or may not specify MESABI® when these machines are first built – but in general it is first fit anyway in most cases, including most Caterpillar and Komatsu trucks including from the 793 to 798 and the 730E to 980E.” This commitment is evident in the company’s approach to radiator rebuilds, with Chapell stating, “These trucks are typically completely rebuilt every three or four years and we at MESABI® offer a fully certified rebuild of the radiator. For Western Australia we do that ourselves 100% in Perth.”
The company’s strength in the Australian market is a result of the miners’ preference for MESABI® products, with Coppins stating, “The market position for MESABI® in Australia has been driven by the miners wanting our product on their fleets and actively specifying it.” This preference is a result of the company’s focus on serviceability, longevity, quality, and reliability, with Coppins adding, “The fact that these miners specify Mesabi – which is a premium product – means OEMs and dealers are less likely to look at cheaper and lower performance solutions over time.”
So, what sets MESABI® radiators apart? According to Coppins, the most significant differentiator is the field repairability of MESABI® radiators. “Probably the most significant is that MESABI® radiators are a field repairable product – that means everything down to individual tubes. With a MESABI®, you can simply plug the top and bottom seals and keep on working, until you can get the equipment back into the shop for maintenance.” This feature is a game-changer in the mining industry, where downtime can be costly. Chapell echoed this sentiment, stating, “MESABI® specifically offers a heavy duty radiator with copper cores for the mining industry, which is suspended in a rubber seal, so the core cooling product does not deteriorate through cracking and leaking causing failures.”
The life cycle of a typical MESABI® radiator is a testament to the company’s commitment to quality and reliability. Chapell explained, “Take a Komatsu 930E – it will have been shipped from Peoria to Australia with a new MESABI® radiator – the engine module on these trucks, which includes the radiator, all on the engine frame, typically lasts about 30,000 hours in the Pilbara which is around four years.” The radiator is then fully stripped and repaired, with only the tubes that need replacing being replaced. The radiator is then tested and goes back into the market with a 36-month warranty against seal leakage.
This news shapes the development in the sector by setting a new standard for radiator quality and reliability. The mining industry is notoriously harsh on equipment, and the ability of MESABI® radiators to withstand this harshness and
