Thiess’ Executive General Manager Americas Darrell White said the fleet would further bolster Thiess’ capability and deliver productivity and efficiency gains for clients. “South America is essential to Thiess’ long-term growth and building our diversification into commodities such as copper and gold,” Darrell said. “The T 264s boost our fleet numbers and provide our clients with the opportunity to increase production capacity. This commitment to new fleet follows our recent investment in infrastructure, which includes a dedicated maintenance workshop, and building workforce capability through in-house and industry scholarship and pathway programs.”
Liebherr Chile’s Mining Division Director Dale Clayton said the Liebherr partnership with Thiess spanned three decades and enabled new products to enter the market, including the recently upgraded 240-tonne truck to Chile. “The T 264 truck has a 240-tonne nominal payload capacity and an impressive payload to empty vehicle weight ratio, leading to faster acceleration speeds, better speed on grade and higher hauling capacity resulting in shorter cycle times and a lower cost per tonne,” Dale said.
“The combination of a high-power Cummins QSK60 2,700 hp diesel engine with the extremely efficient Liebherr AC electric propulsion system allows for maximum productivity and reduced downtime. Our La Negra Facility and Reman Centre is well placed to provide spare parts and components as well as training and technical support. Also, our teams are experienced in servicing mining fleet in the unique conditions Chile offers.”
The T 264s will be manufactured at Liebherr Mining Equipment Newport News Co. in Virginia USA and will then be shipped to Chile. Assembly of the trucks will take place at Liebherr’s La Negra Facility before being transported to site, ready for commissioning.