Raising the bar on safety

As the President of the Ground Support division within Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, Martin Rier is responsible for leading the team formerly known as DSI Underground.

Text: Isabelle KliegerPhoto: SandvikPublished: 9 December 2024

With a wealth of experience in leadership and innovation, Martin Rier joined DSI Underground in 2011. Having previously worked in management consultancy, he led the European and global operations for this leading supplier of ground support products, systems and solutions for the underground mining and tunneling industry. Sandvik Group acquired the company  in 2021.

Q: Tell us about Ground Support – what do you specialize in?

A: With more than 20 manufacturing sites and active in 70 countries, we are the one of the world’s leading suppliers of ground support solutions. With our unmatched local manufacturing footprint, our aim is always to provide the right ground support product in the right place at the right time. We specialize in keeping people safe underground by supplying rock bolts and other ground support products used to secure the surrounding rock in all kinds of underground operations. Rock falls continue to present a major threat in mining, still accounting for around 30 percent of the fatalities that happen underground in Australia, for example. Our products are here to help prevent those incidents.

”Our aim is always to provide the right ground support product in the right place at the right time.

Q: What difference do you make for your customers, in terms of value  and safety?

A: Our number one priority is keeping people safe. We supply millions of rock bolts every year, ensuring that every single one meets the technical and quality requirements to do the job it’s supposed to. We also help companies maximize productivity and reduce cycle times through our world-leading products, such as our MDX bolt rock with its superior reliability, and ease and speed of installation.

Q: This year, you are rebranding your products into the Sandvik brand. How do you fit into the Sandvik portfolio?

A: The rebrand is an incredibly important milestone for us. It’s both emotional and exciting for us and as a division we look forward to become a fully integrated part of Sandvik Group. The rebranding of Ground Support will officially be launched at MINExpo. This will enable us to deliver an even more harmonized approach to our customers, presenting end-to-end solutions incorporating Sandvik’s equipment and our complementary products and solutions. We also hope to leverage Sandvik’s global footprint to expand our presence in the U.S. and Africa, which are two key strategic markets.

Q: What can we expect from you  in 2025?

A: We’re working closely with our colleagues right across Sandvik to drive the mechanization and digitization of the rock bolting process, which currently represents around 20-25 percent of the overall cycle time in drill and blast mining operations. By leveraging Sandvik’s knowledge of automation and mechanization, we believe that we can reduce this significantly, while also minimizing the risks for the miners. We have already rolled out some mechanization solutions and we’re on track to launch additional systems in late 2024/early 2025.

Another key area is digitization, more specifically the development of sensor- based smart rock bolts. In the future, these will help us to understand the geomechanics of the mine and predict when rehabilitation work and ground support adjustments are needed. Last but not least, we will be launching some new products, including a groundbreaking new generation of resin capsules, that will not only be safer from a chemical point of view  but also raise the bar on quality and performance.