FLANDERS has hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of its mining industry focused Innovation, Technology, and Training Center in Carmel, Indiana. The centre will serve as the hub for FLANDERS Advanced Development and Autonomous Solutions teams, providing a cutting-edge facility for customer solution collaboration and developing the workforce of the future.
The FLANDERS executive team was joined by Shankar Golpalan: Thiess Group Executive, Strategy, Sustainability and Safety and Shauna Murphy: Thiess – Business Development Manager North America, as well as key individuals from the City of Carmel, Indiana Department of Economic Development, EmployIndy, and Conexus.
Kim Weninger, FLANDERS CEO said: “Indianapolis & Carmel are at the heart of a fast-growing Midwest technology corridor, with a diverse source of global talent at academic institutions, research facilities, technology companies, and innovative enterprises. The FLANDERS Innovation, Technology, and Training Center will strengthen our ability to improve productivity and support decarbonisation initiatives for our customers, with higher efficiency electric machines, drives, controls, and autonomous systems.”
Shankar Golpalan said: “I am delighted to be present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the FLANDERS Innovation, Technical, and Training Center. This facility offers a technologically advanced environment for Thiess to collaborate with FLANDERS on decarbonisation solutions, which will play a crucial role in aiding our clients in reducing fuel consumption, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing productivity. The forthcoming laboratory and training simulators will be pivotal in cultivating our teams to effectively handle the increasing electrification and technology solutions in the market.”
On September 24, 2024, FLANDERS and leading mining services provider Thiess signed an agreement to collaborate on bringing fleet decarbonisation options to mine owners in North America and a Letter of Intent (LOI) for Australia and Asia, reducing emissions and improving efficiencies of mining operations.
The new facility will give FLANDERS a centralised, yet globally accessible, location focused on the next generation of autonomous and decarbonisation solutions. These developments include the agnostic hybrid mining haul truck systems and the expansion of autonomous solutions from drills to other mining machines. The first phase of renovation will begin in Q4 2024 and be completed within 12-18 months.
