Certainty of supply is critical for the continuity of our customer’s operations. Molycop’s international network of manufacturing facilities, strategically located close to the main sources of grinding media demand is a unique differentiating factor against all other remote competitors. By being close to customers, Molycop provides valuable assurance of high-quality grinding media with on-time, flexible supplies and personalized technical support. With ten global manufacturing locations, we have the flexibility within our network to respond to both regional fluctuations in demand and issues in global supply dynamics as we are not dependent on one facility for our total production needs.
Just being close to customers would not be enough, if our in-region presence was not complemented with our strategic relationships with integrated, long term suppliers of top quality steel bars, the main raw material in the manufacture of forged balls. The security of bar supply is essential to provide security of ball supply.
The strength of the Molycop global network was clearly demonstrated following the February 2010 earthquake in southern Chile. In spite of the fact that all of Molycop Talcahuano’s three existing grinding ball production lines were back in operation within four months of the quake, unfortunately due to severe damage to our major steel supplier’s operation, we could not obtain local supply for our primary grinding media feedstock.
Without the raw material required to manufacture grinding media, Molycop utilized the production capacity of its related facilities in Canada, Mexico and Peru. All Molycop Chile customer orders were delivered during the period while our plant and that of our primary steel supplier were being repaired. The Molycop Talcahuano facility has since been reconstructed to an even superior standard than before the earthquake.
Of equivalent significance, our collaborative, stable relations with our employees and work force provide additional warranties of operational continuity.
Molycop’s Talcahuano facility after the 2010 earthquake