Otraco Onsite Management offers complete management of your site tire operation from the smallest wheelbarrow to the largest haul truck and loader. Trained, qualified and experienced personnel take full responsibility for every aspect of tire operation, eliminating the day-to-date hassles for mine management personnel while leaving them in full control.

There are two main levels of Onsite Management service:

• Management only
• Management & Maintenance.

With a Management only service, we provide a Tire Manager based on site to manage the complete tire operation and to supervise the Client company’s tire maintenance personnel. Otraco’s site based Tire Manager is provided with technical and training support, as required, from our head office.

Under a Management & Maintenance service arrangement Otraco takes full responsibility not only for tire management but for all tire maintenance as well, involving Otraco workshop personnel to provide the maintenance service. This is usually the most effective means of achieving the goal of cost minimisation for our Client.

Under either Onsite Management service, the Client, who has real time access to comprehensive management reports, retains full control of the tire operation – at both a site and corporate level.

Onsite Management is tailored specifically to each Client and driven by the need to:

• Increase mine profitability
• Minimize tire costs
• Maximize mine equipment availability and productivity
• Maintain the highest possible safety, quality and environmental standards
• Enhance efficiency through continuous improvement
• Reduce mine management hassle and time, allowing you to concentrate on your core business – mining   
• Raise tire awareness and safety levels throughout the Client’s organization.

Otraco’s responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Tracking, analysing and managing all tires and rims
• Recommending the optimum brand/specification of tire for each equipment application on site – to minimize tire operating cost and maximize equipment availability and productivity
• Assisting with the drafting of tire supply and warranty agreements, analysing responses and recommending supply allocations
• Providing a monthly report providing management with information on all matters affecting tire related costs and performance; the information is presented in easy to read graphical form; an overview highlights important trends and exceptions; a written section covers major topics and presents recommendations; typical areas covered in the report include:
  • Tire selection
  • Test programs for tires, rims and related products
  • Tire and rim maintenance and reconditioning programs
  • Warranty management
  • Cost and performance analysis
  • Tire and rim annual budgets
  • Tire and rim delivery schedules and stock levels
  • Mine condition monitoring
  • Mine operator tire awareness and practices
  • Continuous improvement
• Chairing a monthly meeting with Client production, maintenance, logistics and safety personnel to take actions on Otraco and Client recommendations
• Managing tire and rim maintenance and reconditioning
  • Drafting and implementing tire related safe working procedures
  • Ensuring the highest quality tire inflation pressure control
  • Tire condition monitoring
  • Implementing the optimum tire fitment policy to maximize tire life and minimize mine equipment downtime
  • Managing tests of tires, rims and tire related products
• Managing tire warehousing and scrap tire disposal
• Overseeing tire operation
  • Recommending on haul road, bench and dump design and maintenance
  • Conducting routine mine condition inspections and providing feedback and recommendation
  • Providing tire awareness and safety training to all relevant Client personnel

Areas that we focus on to minimize costs and optimize productivity include:

TIRE PRESSURE CONTROL
This is the single most important aspect of tire maintenance. Operating tire life may vary by 20% or more, based solely on whether tire pressures are maintained at optimum levels. Otraco is the industry leader in this area.

SCHEDULED TIRE MAINTENANCE
Otraco ensures that downtime due to tire maintenance is kept to an absolute minimum. Our servicing methods are being continually refined to extend plant availability with documented work procedures in place for all mining equipment currently available. This approach has successfully reduced downtime by as much as 35% on several Client sites.

MINE EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
Tire wear rates and patterns are monitored closely to identify potential vehicle wheel alignment or suspension problems.

TIRE REPAIR
Tire repairing and retreading is assessed for its overall economic viability – not only on a tire operating cost basis, but with a view to mine equipment downtime. Repair programs require contact monitoring and regular (at least annual) economic evaluation. Where repairing is viable, tire life is maximized by adopting the most cost-effective repair techniques enabling maximum life to be extracted from each tire.

RIM MAINTENANCE
Rim maintenance, including routine magnetic particle inspection and anti-corrosion treatment, is generally conducted on site, eliminating the need to transport rims or to employ the services of additional contactors.

MINE HAULROAD DESIGN & MAINTENANCE
Otraco recommends and monitors haul road, bench, loading and dumping area design and maintenance – an essential element is maximizing tire life and equipment productivity.

TRAINING, EDUCATION & TIRE AWARENESS
Training of mine operators, supervisors, designers and maintenance staff is an integral part of our service. Reducing tire costs requires a team effort, and safety is greatly enhanced by raising the tire awareness level of minesite personnel. We routinely include tire awareness training as part of mine operator site induction programs and conduct regular refresher courses.

MANAGEMENT REPORTING
Routine analysis of tire-related issues is presented to the Client in a General Monthly Report. This includes detailed recommendations to reduce tire costs and avoid potential problems. Reports contain written and graphical details of all tire and rim-related elements along with performance and operating recommendations in areas such as tire selection, mine design, plant maintenance, operator training, budgets and inventories.

TIRE ANALYSIS
A controlled tire-testing program is used to identify lower operating cost tires and to select the right product for each application. Otraco provides detailed analysis and recommendations on brand choice, quantity and delivery schedules. Final purchasing decisions and commercial negotiations with tire manufacturers and suppliers remain with the Client.

WARRANTY MANAGEMENT
Otraco manages the tire warranty program and submits warranty claims on behalf of the Client. All warranty claims are submitted on technical merit with substantiating engineering reports.