This 130-tonne excavator was delivered to Gaia Technical, one of the largest technical–construction companies in its sector. Gaia Technical has worked with Liebherr excavators for over a decade and has been very happy with the performance of its two 120-tonne class R 984 Cs in that time. So when it came time for Gaia Technical to update its excavator fleet, the company wanted Liebherr’s latest loading solution in a similar size class – which just happened to be the R 9150.
‘We have been satisfied with the performance, fuel efficiency and reliability of the two R 984 C machines in our fleet for many years,’ says a Gaia Technical spokesperson. ‘Based on this positive experience, we proceeded with the purchase of the R 9150, aiming for even better results in terms of fuel consumption, performance and ease of operation.’
Liebherr support in and out of the pit
Because this was Tsekouras’ first time assembling an R 9150, Liebherr Mining sent one of its experienced product support representatives to site to assist with the project. Thanks to the cooperation between Tsekouras and Liebherr staff, putting the excavator together was seamless.
‘Collaborating with Liebherr’s technician exceeded our expectations. His extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of the machine assembly process, the precise procedures that had to be followed for accurate and efficient task execution, as well as the critical insights and technical nuances related to the machine's assembly, operation, maintenance and support proved to be extremely valuable to us,’ says a Tsekouras spokesperson.
Knowledge shared is knowledge squared
When a new Liebherr machine enters an existing market, it’s important that those responsible for maintaining and repairing that machine know exactly how it works and how to support customers should any troubleshooting be required. Because Tsekouras will be the ones to service the R 9150 when the time comes, it’s imperative that the service team has a comprehensive understanding of the excavator. As such, Tsekouras’ service team travelled to Liebherr’s excavator production facility in France for an advanced technical training seminar all about the R 9150. During the seminar, the technicians were able to expand their excavator expertise and gain hands-on experience in working on the excavator itself.
‘Our participation in the R 9150 training seminar proved to be extremely valuable for our technical department,’ explains a Tsekouras spokesperson. ‘The professionalism, expertise and willingness of the factory trainers to address every question and help us deepen our understanding of the machine’s operation will significantly enhance our ability to provide the highest level of support to the customer, ensuring they can fully use the machine’s capabilities.’
Looking ahead
The introduction of the R 9150 into Ptolemaida-Florina coal mine is an exciting milestone for the Greek mining industry.
‘The R 9150 is an incredibly versatile machine that provides outstanding performance in any jobsite it happens to be in. We’re looking forward to seeing how the excavator supports Gaia Technical’s work in Ptolemaida and to further deepening our relationship with Tsekouras in the coming years,’ enthuses Claus-Dieter Homberg, regional manager for sales projects at Liebherr-Mining Equipment Colmar SAS.
