OREANDA-NEWS. September 24, 2012. GE’s Power Conversion business (NYSE: GE) today announced it is supplying Actom Industry Pty (Ltd) with its advanced electrical technology for winder equipment for separate mining projects in Zambia and South Africa. As a leader in the domain of electrical drive systems, Power Conversion’s solution for Actom features its tried-and-tested MV7000 variable speed drive coupled to an induction motor. Mining projects are often located in remote areas with harsh operational environments and call for exceptionally robust and dependable systems with very little routine maintenance requirements.

Actom and GE are collaborating on the supply of complete mine winder systems for expansion projects at the Mopani Copper Mine in Zambia and the Royal Bafokeng Platinum, Styldrift No. 1 Shaft 1 Project in South Africa.

Actom is the largest manufacturer, repairer and distributor of electro-mechanical equipment and turnkey solutions in southern Africa, employing about 7,500 people.

 “We are pleased to work with GE to deploy our mine winder systems featuring GE’s electrical technology, which offers very high levels of reliability and efficiency in harsh mining environments. These qualities are essential to help ensure that our customers are able to meet their production schedules,” said Mark Wilson, Actom’s CEO and chairman.

"GE’s collaboration with Actom Industry to support these important mining projects in Africa underscores the increasingly vital role that advanced energy technologies will play in meeting the production challenges of the metals extraction sector," said Joe Mastrangleo, CEO of GE’s Power Conversion business.

According to the Freedonia Group’s January 2012 study, “World Mining Machinery,” commodity prices are expected to remain high by historical standards, thus stimulating growth in demand for mining equipment. This growth is anticipated to climb 8.5 percent annually through 2015 to USD 92 billion.