Sandvik opens Seremban underground equipment factory

Sandvik inaugurated its underground loader and truck assembly factory in Seremban, Malaysia, on May 14, 2024. Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun officiated at the opening. The project carries an initial investment of RM150 million.

The Sendayan Techvalley Industrial Park facility covers more than 8,000 square metres and contains 15 assembly cells. Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions president Mats Eriksson outlined a manufacturing programme covering conventional diesel and battery-electric equipment.

Production programme

The Toro LH517 loader is scheduled for a production ramp-up over the coming year. Eriksson also set out the following manufacturing milestones, with the truck programme forming part of a cross-manufacturing plan:

• Toro TH545 trucks: production later in 2024;
• battery products: manufacturing from the third quarter of 2024;
• battery-electric vehicles: assembly scheduled for 2025.

Sandvik's March 2023 development plan envisaged gradually expanding annual manufacturing capacity to 300 loaders and trucks, together with 500 battery cages, by 2030. Those figures are long-term capacity targets for the Malaysian operation rather than quantities already produced at the opening.

Battery-electric equipment

The Toro LH518iB belongs to Sandvik's battery-electric underground loader range. Introduced in March 2023, the 18-metric-tonne loader incorporates valves, harnesses and other hardware for automation readiness. An optional AutoMine onboard kit provides scanners, an AutoMine box and wireless connectivity. The machine's self-swapping battery system includes AutoSwap and AutoConnect functions, with operator controls designed to support battery changes.

The manufacturing site lies within the 445-hectare Sendayan TechValley business park, approximately 70 kilometres south of Kuala Lumpur and 15 kilometres west of Seremban. The factory stands about 90 kilometres southeast of Port Klang, Malaysia's largest seaport.

About Sandvik

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions supplies mining and construction equipment, tools, parts, services and digital solutions. Its application areas include rock drilling, rock cutting, loading and hauling, tunnelling and quarrying.

The business forms part of Sandvik Group, whose wider offering includes machining, rock excavation and rock-processing technologies. The Group supplies equipment, tools, services and digital solutions for manufacturing, mining and infrastructure operations.