Japanese heavy machinery maker Komatsu will establish a maintenance hub for mining equipment in Pakistan, Nikkei Asia reported.Â
With Canada’s Barrick Mining developing the Reko Diq gold mine in southwestern Pakistan, Komatsu has signed a contract to supply $440 million in equipment to the project in the coming years, starting in fiscal 2026.
The contract is one of Komatsu’s biggest deals in the operating area that includes Pakistan and the Middle East, according to the company. It will provide equipment including large dump trucks, electric rope shovels and giant excavators.
Komatsu Pakistan Mining will be established in Karachi by year-end. Komatsu already has a software development centre in the country, but not a maintenance hub.
Mining equipment is run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so it needs immediate maintenance. Komatsu will spend $100 million on facilities for inspecting and repairing mining machinery. It will also eventually build up the staff to roughly 500 engineers and operators.
Komatsu will expand warehouse facilities in Dubai to bolster parts supplies. The Middle East hub, which already handles components for 100-ton-class machinery, will supply parts for mining equipment.
Komatsu and Barrick have collaborated on a copper mine in Zambia and a gold mine in the U.S. Mining equipment accounts for roughly 40% of Komatsu’s group sales, with the bulk from North America and Central and South America.
Demand is rising for mining in the Middle East as the region looks to move away from a dependence on oil. Komatsu established a Kazakhstan hub in 2023 and plans to make investments in the Middle East to capture the anticipated growth in demand.
Supplying mining equipment is highly profitable, thanks to revenue from such after-sales services as parts replacement. Komatsu acquired U.S. mining equipment manufacturer Joy Global in 2017 and has been expanding its lineup by selling underground mining equipment.
