Komatsu Ltd sees AHS as a major focus to increase mining customer produc tivity in the Covid-19 era

AMERICAS

Operating income fell by 57.5 percent from the same time a year before, to JPY60.3 billion, with regard to earnings for the six month period. "This was mostly attributed to reduced sales volume and a shift in the regional makeup of sales in the manufacturing, mining and utility equipment industry, although Komatsu operated to minimize fixed costs." Optimistic mining markets were provided with other markets cited as flat or sluggish or having decreased as gold in CIS and iron ore in Asia and Oceania.

Sales of the manufacturing, mining and service equipment company declined by 21.2 percent to JPY876.5 billion from the same duration a year earlier. Profit in the segment dropped 59.8 percent to JPY52.2 billion. "Comatsu also worked to improve the Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) as an attempt to concentrate on value generation by creativity, one of the three foundations of the growth strategy in the mid-term management plan, raising the total number of AHS trucks in service to over 260 units as of 30 September 2020."

In addition to enhancing protection and maximizing customer mining activities, Komatsu says it will also continue to encourage mining automation as a way to help mitigate the risks raised by the coronavirus pandemic, such as decreased efficiency. The company also references "the introduction of remote operated loaders and creation of mining platforms" in the corresponding slides. No more specifics have been presented, although it is believed that this applies to teleremote mining shovels.

Komatsu Ltd sees AHS as a major focus to increase mining customer productivity in the Covid-19 era

Komatsu Ltd said that combined net revenues across divisions totaled JPY957.7 billion in its recently published six-month study to September 2020, down 21.1 percent from the same duration a year earlier. Demand fell in the manufacturing , mining and utility equipment market, concentrating on North America , Europe & CIS and Asia, as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was especially affected. As a consequence, revenue decreased a year ago from the corresponding era.

Komatsu expects that demand will stay constant in China over the six-month timeframe from October 1 , 2020 to March 31, 2021, and will return to a recovery track in North America, Japan and some other regions. "While Komatsu will continue to invest in growth areas, concentrating its energies on the mid-term management strategy, the advantages of decreased fixed costs may also be anticipated through reassessing project goals and enhancing operating performance." and its combined subsidiaries are engaged in a three-year mid-term management strategy (FY2019-2021), DANTOTSU Value, FORWARD Together for Sustainable Development. Komatsu is upholding three pillars of development strategies under the mid-term management programme, initiated in April 2019, namely:

D Production of value by way of invention

D Company reforms-based development plans

D Structural changes relating to development growth through an optimistic period of earnings recovery and potential resolution of ESG issues." With respect to market reform-based growth initiatives, Komatsu has worked to merge the mining product brands produced by Komatsu Mining Corp to further improve its mining equipment business.

The group said earlier this year that it will keep its famous P&H and Joy labels for the longest-related products: P&H for its electric rope shovels, hybrid shovels, draglines and 320XPC blasthole drills; and Joy for longwall systems and equipment for space and pillars. But all surface wheel loaders, modern blasthole drills and all underground hard rock machinery have been rebranded as Komatsu, with color variations where necessary, such as hard rock machines going from Joy orange to Komatsu gold.

Komatsu ended by stating that it has also managed to improve its International Markets aftermarket activities. Komatsu is providing a modern support package with a warranty duration that is greater than that of extended standard services as a big initiative. Komatsu embarked on this new initiative in India in September

For its 100th anniversary in 2021 and beyond, Komatsu Ltd

this year, after China, Thailand , and Indonesia.