Nothing is better proof of a good relationship between suppliers and customers than a cooperation lasting for decades. That has been the case with Eickhoff shearers and Balkan-based customers for more than half a century. Longwall operators from Slovenia to Bosnia have upgraded their operations by acquiring new high-powered SL 300 shearers.
Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Bosnian coal mines in and around the city of Breza gained an appreciation for Eickhoff shearers, starting with the EDW-170-L, which led to further investments, such as the EDW-300-L shearers in the 1980s. In those days, the EDW-300-L continuously mined coal at cutting heights of up to 5 m – a groundbreaking achievement and a world record at the time.
Earlier this year, three new Eickhoff SL 300 shearer loaders were installed, one each at the Bosnian-based Breza and Banovice mines, as well as at Slovenia-based Velenje mine.
With an installed power of 1.158 MW, the SL 300 is perfectly geared to mid-seam applications between 1.6 m and 4 m. Now in total, six Eickhoff shearers are operating in the former Yugoslavian region, enabling the mines in the region to sustainably produce coal from domestic sources.
