Sandvik Mining is expanding its footprint in Papua New Guinea, underscoring a long-term commitment to supporting the country’s growing mining sector through upgraded facilities, stronger logistics, and continued investment in workforce development and local capability.
The company has maintained a local presence in Papua New Guinea for more than five years, delivering equipment, spare parts, technical expertise and support services to major operators including New Porgera Limited, K92 Mining Ltd, Lihir Gold Limited, Monier Limited, Morobe Consolidated Goldfields Ltd, Quest Exploration Drilling PNG Ltd and Ok Tedi.
As demand for mining equipment and services increases, Sandvik has responded by strengthening its in-country infrastructure.
Central to this expansion is the development of Sandvik’s Customer Support Centre in Lae, which has been upgraded to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency.
The facility now plays a key role in coordinating service activities, conducting major component repairs and preparing for future equipment rebuild programs.
The expansion also aims to provide improved working conditions for employees while ensuring a more stable base for operations.
Sandvik’s equipment fleet in Papua New Guinea has grown to more than 40 units, including underground trucks, loaders, underground drills, surface drills and rotary drills.
This expanding installed base is supported through integrated parts planning, local warehousing, component repair capabilities and dedicated in-country personnel.
These measures are designed to deliver faster response times and more reliable support to mining customers across the country.
The company views Papua New Guinea as an important market, with ongoing investments reflecting both current growth and long-term potential.
Strengthening local service capability and ensuring access to technical expertise are seen as critical to supporting customers operating in remote and challenging environments.
The Lae facility also plays a role in coordinating supply chains between Papua New Guinea and Brisbane, enabling more efficient parts distribution and resource allocation.
This integrated approach helps ensure consistent parts availability while supporting long-term maintenance planning and operational continuity.
Sandvik Mining currently employs 24 people across its Lae and Porgera operations.
Beyond direct employment, the company is actively contributing to skills development within Papua New Guinea by offering operator training, equipment maintenance programs and technical knowledge transfer.
These initiatives are intended to build sustainable local expertise and reduce reliance on external resources over time.
In addition to physical infrastructure and workforce development, Sandvik is introducing advanced technologies to support its customers.
The Remote Monitoring Service uses intelligent systems to monitor equipment performance and identify potential issues before they result in failure.
This predictive capability helps improve reliability, reduce unplanned downtime and enable more proactive maintenance strategies.
Recent progress in Papua New Guinea includes securing long-term facilities in Lae, expanding workshop and warehouse capacity, and strengthening the local workforce.
