“The interest in technologies like fleet management systems is no longer confined to tier-one mining sites.”
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What has Wenco’s performance been over the past year, and how does Africa fit into the company’s growth?
We are seeing strong global momentum with systems running at over 100 mine sites and over 130 successful deployments worldwide. The interest in technologies like fleet management systems is no longer confined to tier-one mining sites. A broader range of mining companies are realizing the cost savings and productivity advantages of investing in specialist mining technology. Most recently, we signed two new African sites and are working on landmark assets like First Quantum Minerals’ Kansanshi copper mine in Zambia. West Africa and the Middle East probably have the highest number of new developments and technology uptake.
Could you introduce Wenco’s new Stockpile Manager? How does it work with the FMS system?
In many cases, stockpiles contain multiple grades of material sourced from different parts of the open-cast area, making it difficult to track precisely where each type of material is located. Traditional tracking methods are limited. Stockpile Manager consolidates dig and dump events into a high-resolution block model, giving you the same detail for stockpile inventory you have for in-situ ore blocks. With Stockpile Manager, you now have an accurate ore model for your stockpile, just like you would with your orebody. This allows selective stock picking to deliver the optimal grade to the crusher.
Stockpile Manager is bi-directionally integrated with Wencomine FMS. Stockpile data continuously updates and feeds into FMS, so blending decisions and production planning are based on accurate, real-time information. That precision transforms operations, managing complex ore blends or maintaining consistent plant feed quality.
What makes SmartCap unique, and how is it different from sensor-equipped cameras?
SmartCap is the only EEG-based fatigue monitoring system on the market capable of detecting impairment in real time before microsleep happens. Unlike a camera that simply records an incident after it happens, SmartCap provides early warning. It measures fatigue at the source using EEG sensors, giving operators alerts well before microsleeps occur. Camera systems wait until the eyes close before ‘waking’ the operator, which we think is too late.
Because it is wearable, SmartCap goes where you go. It monitors continuously, unlike cameras, which can struggle to find facial features for up to a quarter of a shift. SmartCap can even detect eye-open microsleeps where the brain is asleep, but eyes stay open. What further distinguishes it is that it shifts the responsibility from a policing approach (where cameras or other systems monitor workers) to an empowerment model where the operator actively manages their own alertness.
Fatigue causes 65% of haul truck accidents in mining, so we are focused on making SmartCap the definitive solution to empower operations to mitigate this risk and protect their workforce.
How is Wenco supporting clients moving from closed OEM ecosystems to open autonomy systems?
Wenco pioneered the Open Autonomy standard. In 2018, we submitted the proposal that ultimately became ISO 23725, published in 2024. This standard essentially enables any fleet management system to work with any autonomous solution. We also founded the neutral platform OpenAutonomy.com, which promotes interoperability between autonomous systems.
There is a myth that open autonomy complicates compliance, but requirements apply equally to closed and open solutions. What needs to evolve is not technical or regulatory, but cultural. The industry assumed single-vendor solutions were inherently simpler, but that is changing as early adopters demonstrate results. Operations realize they do not have to write off mixed fleets to embrace autonomy.
We strongly believe that OEMs should not force clients to adopt their proprietary autonomy solutions. Instead, they should be free to manage a mixed fleet using open autonomy through whichever FMS provider they prefer. For example, we have deployed our FMS at Hancock Iron Ore across a mixed autonomous fleet of Caterpillar and Hitachi trucks.
This flexibility is transformative for African operations with mixed fleets and long equipment lifecycles. You can modernize strategically based on your operational and financial realities rather than vendor constraints.
Do you have a final message?
Everything we are doing in the EMEA region revolves around evaluating ROI: understanding where the actual bottom-line benefits for our clients lie. If they cannot achieve a solid return or meaningful growth, the investment case does not justify the technology adoption.
What has Wenco’s performance been over the past year, and how does Africa fit into the company’s growth?
We are seeing strong global momentum with systems running at over 100 mine sites and over 130 successful deployments worldwide. The interest in technologies like fleet management systems is no longer confined to tier-one mining sites. A broader range of mining companies are realizing the cost savings and productivity advantages of investing in specialist mining technology. Most recently, we signed two new African sites and are working on landmark assets like First Quantum Minerals’ Kansanshi copper mine in Zambia. West Africa and the Middle East probably have the highest number of new developments and technology uptake.
Could you introduce Wenco’s new Stockpile Manager? How does it work with the FMS system?
In many cases, stockpiles contain multiple grades of material sourced from different parts of the open-cast area, making it difficult to track precisely where each type of material is located. Traditional tracking methods are limited. Stockpile Manager consolidates dig and dump events into a high-resolution block model, giving you the same detail for stockpile inventory you have for in-situ ore blocks. With Stockpile Manager, you now have an accurate ore model for your stockpile, just like you would with your orebody. This allows selective stock picking to deliver the optimal grade to the crusher.
Stockpile Manager is bi-directionally integrated with Wencomine FMS. Stockpile data continuously updates and feeds into FMS, so blending decisions and production planning are based on accurate, real-time information. That precision transforms operations, managing complex ore blends or maintaining consistent plant feed quality.
What makes SmartCap unique, and how is it different from sensor-equipped cameras?
SmartCap is the only EEG-based fatigue monitoring system on the market capable of detecting impairment in real time before microsleep happens. Unlike a camera that simply records an incident after it happens, SmartCap provides early warning. It measures fatigue at the source using EEG sensors, giving operators alerts well before microsleeps occur. Camera systems wait until the eyes close before ‘waking’ the operator, which we think is too late.
Because it is wearable, SmartCap goes where you go. It monitors continuously, unlike cameras, which can struggle to find facial features for up to a quarter of a shift. SmartCap can even detect eye-open microsleeps where the brain is asleep, but eyes stay open. What further distinguishes it is that it shifts the responsibility from a policing approach (where cameras or other systems monitor workers) to an empowerment model where the operator actively manages their own alertness.
Fatigue causes 65% of haul truck accidents in mining, so we are focused on making SmartCap the definitive solution to empower operations to mitigate this risk and protect their workforce.
How is Wenco supporting clients moving from closed OEM ecosystems to open autonomy systems?
Wenco pioneered the Open Autonomy standard. In 2018, we submitted the proposal that ultimately became ISO 23725, published in 2024. This standard essentially enables any fleet management system to work with any autonomous solution. We also founded the neutral platform OpenAutonomy.com, which promotes interoperability between autonomous systems.
There is a myth that open autonomy complicates compliance, but requirements apply equally to closed and open solutions. What needs to evolve is not technical or regulatory, but cultural. The industry assumed single-vendor solutions were inherently simpler, but that is changing as early adopters demonstrate results. Operations realize they do not have to write off mixed fleets to embrace autonomy.
We strongly believe that OEMs should not force clients to adopt their proprietary autonomy solutions. Instead, they should be free to manage a mixed fleet using open autonomy through whichever FMS provider they prefer. For example, we have deployed our FMS at Hancock Iron Ore across a mixed autonomous fleet of Caterpillar and Hitachi trucks.
This flexibility is transformative for African operations with mixed fleets and long equipment lifecycles. You can modernize strategically based on your operational and financial realities rather than vendor constraints.
Do you have a final message?
Everything we are doing in the EMEA region revolves around evaluating ROI: understanding where the actual bottom-line benefits for our clients lie. If they cannot achieve a solid return or meaningful growth, the investment case does not justify the technology adoption.
