Robit Plc

Robit manufactures and supplies rock and ground drilling consumables globally to the mining and construction markets. The company’s operations are founded on high quality, reliable supply and customer trust in drilling consumables. Through innovative Top Hammer, Down the Hole and Geotechnical products, and customer-focused services, Robit delivers savings in drilling costs to its customers. Robit has its own sales and service points in seven countries and an active distributor network through which it sells to more than 100 countries. The company’s manufacturing units are located in Finland, South Korea and the UK. Robit’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.

BUSINESS AREAS

Top Hammer Business
The Top Hammer drilling method is primarily used in mining, earthworks, underground quarrying and the quarrying of rock material. Top Hammer business unit comprises rock drilling consumables and services.

Down the Hole Business
Down the Hole drilling is used in earthworks, well drilling, i.e. the drilling of holes for geothermal and water wells, as well as in mining production drilling. Down the Hole business comprises Down the Hole consumables and services used in the segments listed above.

Geotechnical Business
Geotechnical products utilize Down the Hole drilling for the needs of foundation construction and well drilling. The most common applications are drilling steel piles for the construction industry and infrastructure construction projects, as well as the installation of anchors.

Examples of use on https://www.robitgroup.com/references

Robit South Africa

Unit 3, 25 Louis Friedman Road, Factoria Krugersdorp 1740, South Africa

Tel: +27 11 955 1249

https://www.robitgroup.com/

sales@robitgroup.com, duane.kukard@robitgroup.com

Reference case 1:

TEST RESULTS CONVINCED BRAUTESETH TO CHOOSE ROBIT

Phalaborwa is a vast mining complex located next to the mighty Kruger National Park in the northeast corner of South Africa. It is host to several valuable minerals such as copper, phosphate, zirconium, iron, and vermiculite.

One of the entities within the Phalaborwa complex is the Foskor open-pit phosphate rock mine. Phosphate is a critical mineral in fertilizers. Before the foundation of the Foskor mine in the 1950s, South African agriculture depended on imported phosphate rock. Today, largely thanks to Foskor’s success, South Africa exports phosphate fertilizers worldwide.

Drilling and blasting at the Foskor mine in Phalaborwa is operated by Brauteseth Blasting, a family business founded in 1983 in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province of South Africa. The company started as a small-scale civil blasting company catering to KZN’s construction industry. In forty years, it has grown into a major national player, contracting to more than 20 quarries, five large-scale mining operations, and several construction sites.

Brauteseth has built its success on two cornerstones: a highly skilled, motivated staff and continuous investment in top-of-the-range technology and equipment. This focus on quality tools extends to consumable parts as well.

Brauteseth Blasting operates eight drill rigs at the Foskor mine. As their consignment agreement with their then-supplier of DTH hammers and drill bits was ending in late 2023, Robit SA approached Brauteseth, requesting a performance test of Robit’s and the then-current supplier’s DTH tools.

The extensive testing period started in October 2023 and was completed in February 2024. Robit’s tools included the D65 QL60 3½” API REG blast-hole hammer and 165 mm QL60 Flat Face blast-hole bits.

“The test results were clear: Robit’s tools outperformed the competition in terms of penetration rate and cost-per-meter”, says Duane Kukard, Area Sales Manager at Robit SA.

Convinced by the tests, Brauteseth Blasting signed a consignment agreement to supply their drill rigs at the Foskor mine with Robit’s DTH 6″ equipment.

Since May 2024, all eight of Brauteseth’s rigs in Phalaborwa have been drilling blast holes with Robit’s tools – now with increased efficiency and profitability.

Reference case 2:

Robit’s H Series hammers: Changing the game through modularity

In addition to increasing performance, the drilling industry faces ever-growing demands regarding energy efficiency and cost control. These are all issues the H Series hammer line seeks to tackle.

A modular breakthrough in hammer design
The H Series represents a novel approach to hammer design. Primarily designed for drill and blast operations and water well drilling, the hammer range is available in four sizes: 4, 5, 6, and 8 inches.

To meet the diverse demands of different drilling environments, the hammer’s modular design enables up to twelve configurations of a single base assembly for each hammer size. A lighter hammer weight combined with heavier pistons results in higher penetration rates while consuming less energy. The inner cylinders come in two displacements designed to either maximize the power output or enhance efficiency with reduced airflow demand. In addition, by swapping out only two parts, the hammers can be changed from a conventional model using bits with foot valves to tubeless versions and vice versa.

Field-proven performance
The H Series hammer line has been in development for several years, with end-user customers conducting validation trial drillings over several months in real-world settings worldwide, including South Africa. The drill and blast company Brauteseth Blasting, operating the Phalaborwa open-pit phosphate mine in the Limpopo province, has been testing the 6″ H Series hammer there. Brauteseth’s Plant Manager, Owen Du Plooy, reports an increase in the penetration rate, resulting in a 5% lower cost per meter. Other benefits he mentions include easy maintenance, good sleeve life, and a reasonable price. New technologies also bring new challenges, but Du Plooy gives credit to the technical support Robit has been able to provide at short notice.

Another Robit customer, the Drilling and Blasting Division of Zizwe Opencast Mining, serves as the drill and blast operator at the Lwala open-pit chrome mine in the Limpopo province, which is owned by Samancor Chrome. Zizwe started testing the 6″ H Series hammer in October 2024. The mixed ground conditions include fractured rock, sandstone, and clay. In line with Brauteseth’s results, Zizwe has also observed better penetration rates and quicker maintenance on the hammer, as confirmed by Operational Manager Derik Van Deventer.

Next step: the H Marathon Series
Robit has recently introduced a new version of the H Series hammer: the H Marathon Series. Engineered for extended wear life and improved durability, the Marathon focuses on reinforcing the hammer’s most wear-prone parts, such as the drive chuck and wear sleeve.

Brauteseth Blasting has also tested the Marathon hammer at the Phalaborwa phosphate mine. The trials confirmed a significantly longer service life for key components, with only one chuck needed across the entire lifespan of the hammer. The even wear distribution helped reduce downtime and replacement costs, adding another proof point to the H Series’ performance claims.

“A simple fact affects all manufacturers of drilling consumables: no two drilling sites are the same. Consequently, they need to provide the market with a vast range of tools to meet varying needs. As far as Down the Hole hammers go, Robit is looking to change this with the modular H Series hammers.”