Partnering for success: seven years of reliable production at Xinkaiyuan Mining
When Xinkaiyuan Mining set out to enhance operational efficiency and increase production capacity, finding a reliable partner was their top priority. Since teaming up with Sandvik, a decade-long journey of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvements has unfolded, leading to results that far exceeded expectations.
Xinkaiyuan Mining, a key player in iron ore production, faced a business-critical challenge back in 2017. Following the iron ore market downturn in 2013, their Sandvik crushing equipment had been at a standstill for four years, due to the suspended production lines. When the market finally rebounded, restarting the production line was pivotal. However, uncertainty surrounding the idle equipment’s performance posed a significant concern.
Finding a way forward
Recognizing the urgency, the service engineers from Sandvik quickly stepped in to conduct thorough audits, essential maintenance, and on-site training to optimize equipment use. To ensure long-term performance, Xinkaiyuan Mining and Sandvik signed a tailored lifecycle service agreement in 2017, covering regular inspections, preventive maintenance, extended warranty, and on-site operator training. Having been renewed twice since, this agreement strongly reflects the success of the partnership, continually boosting production efficiency and reducing operating costs.
A success story enabled by partnership
Since entering the first lifecycle service agreement, Xinkaiyuan Mining has reported zero unplanned downtime – maintaining reliable production for seven consecutive years. In addition, proactive maintenance and process optimization have increased production capacity by 20% — from 500,000 to 600,000 tons per year.
“What impresses me most is Sandvik’s proactivity. Their service technicians visited the mine regularly, communicated with the on-site operational team, inspected the equipment, assessed on-site operating conditions, identified potential risks, and resolved them proactively – which is very efficient,” says Mr. Zhang, General Manager at Xinkaiyuan Mining.
Mr. Zhang continues to emphasize the value of Sandvik’s proactive approach:
“The cost of unplanned downtime far exceeds our investment in Sandvik’s services. It’s money well spent. We haven’t encountered any production issue due to crusher breakdown in the past seven years, and I believe Sandvik should be proud.”
Going the extra mile
Efficient service starts with genuine effort, and Sandvik’s commitment to customer support was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. When a critical issue arose, Sandvik’s regional service manager Guo Wei drove 600 kilometers overnight to resolve the situation. His quick response and dedication left a lasting impression on the Xinkaiyuan Mining team:
“We alerted Guo Wei to our situation, and he promptly delivered a temporary solution to keep production running. Then, to our surprise, he coordinated with all parties and found a way to travel despite the pandemic restrictions and arrived on-site the next day. He headed straight for the production line and immediately resolved the issue”, recalls Mr. Yang. “Sandvik’s service technicians are like family to us, and we’re in close contact with sales, service support, and technical experts. We know we can always rely on them for support, which gives us peace of mind”.
Safeguarding continued success
Lifecycle services by Sandvik have enabled Xinkaiqyuan Mining not only to maintain reliable production, but also to continuously optimize the production process in response to changing production conditions, resulting in a significant increase in production capacity.
The collaboration between Xinkaiyuan Mining and Sandvik continues to set benchmarks in operational efficiency and reliability. In the first half of 2025, Xinkaiyuan Mining purchased and installed a Sandvik screen – SL2463M – which has further improved the efficiency of the screening process. 
By combining tailored lifecycle services with proactive support and premium products, the partnership has built a foundation for sustained success. As Xinkaiyuan Mining evolves, they know they can count on Sandvik to adapt and support them – no matter what challenges arise.