Epiroc split from Atlas Copco in 2017. Could you introduce the role of the Turkey office and your main service offering?

As of April 2018, Epiroc Turkey covers eighteen countries, including Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Lebanon, Jordan, and Yemen. While Atlas Copco used to have a manufacturing plant in Tuzla, now the focus is on providing services. Epiroc has very high growth targets organically and inorganically.

What is Epiroc’s competitive edge in a market with many mining equipment providers in Turkey?

Epiroc has had a separate entity in Turkey for a long time, whereas most other international players rely on country distributors. The company has always worked to build its own customer centers worldwide. While there are smaller local manufacturers and competition changes depending on the application, Epiroc focuses on premium products, such as tunneling machines, blasting machines, and underground transport, for which there are not many local players.

In what mining equipment manufacturing applications is Turkey particularly strong?

Turkey’s strength in mining equipment manufacturing depends on the technical needs. If the application is not too complex, local manufacturing is easy. Companies in Turkey are good at water well drilling, dimension stone applications, and hydraulic breakers. Epiroc focuses on premium markets and is planning to do some local acquisitions.

There are big investments happening in base metals in Turkey. Which markets are you targeting in particular?

Epiroc targets all minerals except coal and works with the big producers in Turkey. The company also sells drill rig consumables to drilling companies, and most exploration contractors manufacture drill rigs in Turkey. Epiroc targets the gold sector in particular as their level of investment matches with their premium products. However, the industry still faces challenges with permits and social and environmental problems.

Atlas Copco acquired a 34% stake in Mobilaris in 2017 and has invested heavily in automation. Is the market ready for this in Turkey, and how can it help with safety?

While some of the big producers in Turkey are looking at automation, the market is not at that level yet. It will come, but it will take time for mining companies to use more automation services. However, Epiroc rigs now have digital features to monitor them worldwide, and the company is hiring data engineers to provide more services to customers. Epiroc has pilot data hubs and is investing in this area in Turkey. Automation services can limit the number of people underground and thus have a big impact on safety.