Wenco International Mining Systems’ Regional Manager for EMEA, Helgardt van Heerden, was recently featured in GBR (Global Business Reports) to discuss how mining operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa are advancing fleet management, safety, and open autonomy. In the interview, he shares insights into regional technology adoption trends, mixed-fleet optimization, and how open standards are shaping the next generation of autonomous mining.
Fleet Management Adoption Is Expanding
“The interest in fleet management systems is no longer confined to tier‑one sites.” — Helgardt Van Heerden
Mid-tier and growing operations are increasingly investing in digital solutions to improve:
- Production visibility
- Equipment utilization
- Data-driven decision-making
- Safety performance
As mining companies face margin pressure, decarbonization targets, and workforce challenges, scalable fleet optimization technology has become a strategic priority.
Stockpile Visibility as a Performance Lever
In the interview, van Heerden highlights growing interest in Wenco’s Stockpile Manager, which provides real-time visibility into material movement and stockpile volumes.
By integrating stockpile data bi-directionally with fleet management systems, operations can:
- Improve reconciliation accuracy
- Reduce material misclassification
- Increase planning precision
- Strengthen operational transparency
This level of integration supports more predictable production outcomes and tighter operational control — particularly important in complex, multi-pit or contractor-heavy environments.
Advancing Open Autonomy in Mixed Fleets
A key theme of the discussion is the role of open autonomy in enabling mixed-fleet operations.
Rather than requiring mines to standardize on a single OEM, open autonomy frameworks support interoperability between autonomous haulage systems (AHS), fleet management platforms, and third-party technologies.
Van Heerden emphasizes the importance of industry collaboration, including work toward standards such as ISO 23725, which aims to define interfaces that allow autonomous systems to communicate across brands and platforms.
For operations running diverse equipment fleets, this approach is not simply a technical architecture — it is a strategic pathway to flexibility.
Safety Innovation: From Detection to Prevention
The interview also addresses safety technologies such as SmartCap, the mining industry’s EEG-based fatigue monitoring solution.
Unlike camera-only systems, EEG-based detection measures brain activity to identify impairment before visible signs of fatigue occur. Integrated into broader operational systems, this data enables earlier intervention and more proactive fatigue management.
For EMEA operators facing regulatory scrutiny and heightened ESG expectations, measurable safety improvement remains a top priority.
A Region Moving Toward Digital Integration
Across EMEA, mining operations are accelerating digital transformation — not through isolated tools, but through integrated systems that connect fleet data, autonomy platforms, and safety technologies.
As van Heerden notes in the feature, the industry is increasingly focused on interoperability and long-term value creation rather than short-term technology adoption.
Wenco remains committed to supporting mining companies with open, scalable solutions that help them get more out of their fleets — today and into the autonomous future.
“If they cannot achieve a solid return or meaningful growth, the investment case does not justify the technology adoption.” — Helgardt van Heerden
📖 Read the full interview with Helgardt van Heerden on GBR’s website: Helgardt Van Heerden – GBR – Global Business Reports
💡 For additional resources on Open Autonomy and Interoperability, learn more at: OpenAutonomy.com