Can you provide an introduction to Caltrol?

Caltrol is a well-established automation company that was founded in 1934. Our main operations are located on the West coast, where we have offices in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii. At Caltrol, we offer a wide range of services, including control systems, valves and instrumentation, reliability programs, software, and various engineering and technical services to optimize our customers’ operations.

Can you tell us about Caltrol’s involvement in the mining industry in Arizona?

Mining represents approximately 40% of our activity in Arizona. We work with all the mining majors as well as several independent mining companies. Our extensive experience in this industry has enabled us to develop mining-specific applications and solutions to help our customers with automation modernization. Many of the mines in Arizona have control systems that are coming to end-of-life, and we offer solutions to help with this issue.

To what extent are mining companies in Arizona and Nevada adopting automation as part of their processes?

Mining companies in these regions are increasingly adopting automation as part of their operations. Companies are looking for more return from past automation investments and additional, relevant data for decision-making. We have noticed a shift in the last decade towards utilizing preventive technology to detect potential failures before they occur. Advanced Process Control is another area where mines could realize major operational improvements, and we are seeing more interest in this area. Remote mining and autonomous mining are also becoming increasingly important. They offer efficiency and safety gains, as well as an opportunity to gain real-time data. This has led to an influx of data into the cloud, and we are in discussions with several of our clients about how to best manage and utilize it. In many cases, what started as a pre-emption to predict failure has left us with data we can now use for optimizing plant operations and reducing emissions.

What are the main trends that will continue to drive growth for Caltrol in the Southwest US?

One of the trends driving growth for Caltrol is the modernization of existing automation infrastructure and leveraging OT Data in the cloud. Additionally, customers are looking for more industry-specific solutions and service support. Furthermore, sustainability has become a significant focus in recent years, and we are seeing an increased demand for solutions that reduce emissions or water usage. The West Coast is leading the country in innovation around the energy transition, the transition to electric vehicles, and other alternative processes, such as organic plastics. We are partnering with these leading companies to help automate their innovations. Caltrol has participated in nine green diesel conversion projects, and we worked with SoCal Gas on their Hydrogen Home of the Future. We are helping our long-time customers in traditional industries with their ESG journey and environmental goals by providing point solutions that reduce or eliminate emissions or water usage.