Tru-Trac to challenge conveyor thinking at EMA 2026 At Electra Mining Africa 2026, Tru-Trac will challenge conventional thinking around conveyor maintenance by positioning conveyor issues such as misalignment, carryback, spillage and belt damage as symptoms of larger system-level problems rather than isolated component failures.
A n engineering-led approach that focuses on root-cause diagnosis, correct system implementation and ongoing performance support will help operations reduce repeat failures, improve uptime and achieve long-term con- veyor reliability. For many operations across mining, quarrying, bulk materials handling and pro- cessing industries, conveyor problems have become an accepted part of daily operations. Misalignment, carryback, spillage, belt dam- age, idler wear and unplanned stoppages are often treated as isolated maintenance issues, addressed through reactive component replacement before operations move on to the next failure. According to conveyor specialist Tru-Trac Rollers (Pty) Ltd, this approach is one of the primary reasons conveyor failures recur across the industry. As the company prepares for Electra Mining Africa 2026, Shaun Blumberg, COO of Tru-Trac, says its focus will not simply be on showcasing products but on changing how operations approach conveyor performance and the underlying causes of recurring system failures. “Conveyor problems rarely exist in isola- tion,” Blumberg explains. “Replacing a compo- nent without understanding the cause often leads to the same failure returning. What may initially appear to be a tracking issue, for example, can quickly escalate into carryback, spillage, belt damage, excessive component wear and ultimately unplanned downtime.” Tru-Trac believes that many conveyor systems are still managed incorrectly because
visible symptoms are addressed without identifying the underlying system behaviour driving the problem. This creates what Blumberg describes as an industry-wide “failure loop”: when misalignment occurs, carryback increases, idlers and pulleys wear prematurely, spillage and belt damage follow, production inter- ruptions occur, emergency maintenance is performed, and the same problem returns shortly afterwards. While these issues are often categorised as maintenance concerns, he argues that the impact extends far beyond the maintenance department. “Conveyor performance is not only a maintenance concern. It is a produc- tion issue,” Blumberg says. “When conveyor systems underperform, the effect is felt across uptime, throughput, labour requirements, housekeeping, safety performance, belt life and ultimately overall plant efficiency.” This thinking forms the basis of Tru-Trac’s engineering-led approach to conveyor per-
formance support. Rather than positioning itself as a supplier of individual components in isolation, Tru-Trac positions itself as a conveyor performance partner focused on diagnosing root causes, reducing repeat failures and improving long- term operational reliability. Central to this approach is a structured five-step process that begins with under- standing the conveyor system as a whole. The first step involves assessing the full conveyor environment rather than focusing only on the visibly failed component. This includes evaluating system conditions, load- ing behaviour, belt-tracking characteristics, transfer points, material build-up, and opera- tional conditions that may be contributing to ongoing performance problems. Once the broader system has been as- sessed, Tru-Trac focuses on identifying the root cause behind the visible symptom. “Misalignment, carryback, spillage and belt damage are often connected symptoms,”
Visit Tru-Trac at Electra Mining Africa 2026 to discover how advanced conveyor tracking, monitoring and optimisation solutions can improve performance, enhance reliability and reduce unplanned downtime.
Tru-Trac is changing how operations think about conveyor performance by delivering intelligent tracking, monitoring and optimisation solutions that improve reliability, reduce downtime and maximise productivity across the entire conveyor system.
42 ¦ MechChem Africa • July-August 2026
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