Productivity Optimisation Programme ('POP 2010')
The primary objective of POP 2010 was to improve equipment performance by implementing state-of-the-art technology for longwall production and gateroad development.
10 sets of new longwall equipment and 19 development sets have been installed across the Company’s four mines over a period of two years and by the end of 2009, these were all operational. Our investment in POP 2010 is already starting to deliver increased productivity performance and reduced maintenance efforts. Thanks to the new equipment features dust suppression works much better and obviously fewer by operating the new equipment too. POP 2010 project was one of the biggest single investment projects of its kind in the underground operating coal industry in the world outside of China for many years.
Now that POP 2010 implementation is completed, the key focus will be to focus on the efficiency potential of the new equipment, as well as to continue to raise our health and safety standards. At an overall capital cost of EUR 350 million, POP 2010 equipment performance will be essential for the long-term sustainability of our mining operations and for strengthening our competitive position.
For further information please refer to the OKD website
Coking Plant Optimisation Programme ('COP 2010')
The goal of COP 2010 is to modernise and centralise the Company’s coking operations at the Svoboda site while closing the Jan Sverma operations by the end of 2010.
Plans to modernise the Svoboda facilities are twofold: the refurbishment of one of the existing batteries, no. 8; and the construction of a new battery, no. 10, which are both now in the final stages of completion. Battery no. 10 has a capacity of 220kt and is currently in its ‘drying out’ phase, which began at the beginning of June. Trial operations are expected to commence in November 2010 and the battery is scheduled to come on stream at the beginning of 2011. Combined with the refurbished battery and two other operational batteries, overall maximum capacity at the site will be around 850kt from 2011 onwards.
Consolidating production onto the Svoboda site will drive down unit costs and allow greater flexibility to respond to requirements for both foundry and blast furnace coke (also known as metallurgical coke). The total capital cost for COP 2010 is EUR 63 million.
