Epiroc is growing significantly in West Africa. Can you tell us more about your current footprint and growth in the region?

We are a team of just under 200 people looking after 19 countries, with a large fleet of machines and around 250 customers. A few years ago, we opened a new customer center in Côte d’Ivoire, adding to our Ghana, Mali and Burkinabe centers, and in 2026, we are opening our fifth such center in Liberia. Our order book has been growing steadily. Behind our solid growth stands the strong performance of the gold sector, seconded by demand for machinery in the bauxite and iron ore markets, primarily in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

How has Epiroc’s structure evolved to support your expansion?

Accommodating 19 countries is a difficult task, so we developed a partnership model, working with dealers, each covering its own territories. At the same time, we have also brought more companies under the Epiroc umbrella through acquisitions over the last couple of years. Recent examples include the likes of RCT (Remote Control Technologies), MineRP and CR Mining, each bringing a different approach to entering the market, one that is technology-agnostic. One of the main ways of consolidating this approach, whereby we offer not just Epiroc solutions but also solutions from other OEMs, is our Aftermarket business, through which we look at the best-fit service offering, maintenance strategy, and best product for the application. Lastly, supporting the Aftermarket team is our Supply Chain organization, which plays a big role in ensuring the right part is delivered at the right time.

Epiroc West Africa recently won a large order for Asante Gold’s mines. Can you tell us more about your recent wins?

In Q3 of this year, we confirmed a large order for a fleet of underground mining trucks, loaders, and drilling rigs to support the Chirano gold mine development in Ghana. Beyond this important contract, we are working in partnership with local contractors.

How ready do you find the West African mining market for Epiroc’s advanced automation and electrification offer?

A lot of the time, technology adoption comes out of constraint, when a specific technology provides a way out of a limitation. The lack of specialized labour is often such a constraint and therefore a driver for technology adoption in West Africa. By comparison, in places like Australia, it is the high cost of labour and safety that drives automation, which becomes a way of minimizing the number of people working. In Africa, the reasoning shifts from costs to productivity. Safety remains a universal driver, regardless of location. At the same time, there are structural inhibitors for technological adoption in Africa. The biggest obstacle remains infrastructure. To move to the next step, the operation needs to consider reliable network infrastructures. The same applies to electrification, where you must consider the logistical practicalities of implementing battery-powered machines.

What are the most practical first steps for clients looking to cut fuel use, particularly in markets not yet ready for full electrification?

Epiroc offers machines with a lower fuel footprint, as well as fully electrical machines, but an interim step before full battery electrification are our E-drive machines, including the Minetruck MT66, which has been redesigned to feature an electric drivetrain powered by the strongest engine among our underground mine trucks. This interim approach provides a more tangible solution that addresses infrastructure constraints, allowing companies to move toward electrification gradually. In our experience, it is easier to start an electrified mine on a greenfield operation.

What is Epiroc’s approach to building local capacity in West Africa?

We often talk about growth in Africa, but what we forget is how to sustain it, and that is what we are focusing on. Last year, we started apprenticeship programs within Epiroc West Africa; we also encourage mentorship programs among our personnel, and we are now looking at partnering with our colleagues in East and Southern Africa to establish a consolidated academy that can further develop technical skills in Africa. From my perspective, Africa in general, and West Africa in particular, has the potential for a highly skilled workforce, but it has lacked guidance at the policy level. The new local content laws push for locally trained people, and we are taking the opportunity to support local capacity.