Smarter AHS: Unlocking a 6% Productivity Increase per Shift

Overview

eXcellerate conducted a qualitative review of mining productivity at a major site utilising autonomous haulage system, aiming to identify opportunities for productivity improvement. Leveraging our combined control and field expertise with a hands-on approach, we assessed people, processes, and systems.

Our mining consultants started with data review to form hypotheses, validated insights through in-field observations, and quickly transitioned to action. Applying Quick Win principles, eXcellerate collaborated with the client addressing key gaps in proficiency, training, routines, and performance metrics, both within the control room and on-site.

By embedding AHS experts in the field and control room, eXcellerate optimised real-time operations, achieving significant gains in critical metrics, including reduced queue times and increased total material movement.

The Challenge

A mining company sought to enhance the productivity of its Autonomous Haulage System, specifically within the Command for Hauling function. With a bold target of a 15% uplift in performance, the organization faced the complex task of identifying operational inefficiencies and unlocking latent potential across its systems and processes.

Given the scale of their AHS operations, achieving this improvement required more than incremental changes: it demanded a strategic, data-driven approach. The client engaged with eXcellerate to conduct a comprehensive business assessment, uncover performance gaps, benchmark current capabilities, and provide actionable insights to drive measurable productivity gains.

Our Approach

Through the application of our extensive autonomous haulage system expertise, eXcellerate elevated operational performance by fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

We focused on empowering teams to challenge conventional practices, enhance collaboration between the Operations Centre and Site Autonomy Teams, and implementing a standardised approach for tracking and managing key performance metrics. Drawing on operational data, we uncovered key areas for improvement and alignment that enabled the productivity growth.

Key Actions Taken

To address the identified improvement areas, eXcellerate engaged with senior leadership to discuss the strategic overview of critical capability gaps and performance trends.

We embedded two experienced consultants directly within the operational teams, both on-site and in the Remote Operations Centre. This hands-on placement enabled real-time coaching, optimisation of shift performance, and direct support in refining system setup. By working side-by-side with AHS operators, our consultants were able to drive behavioural change, remove operational barriers, and accelerate performance improvements.

This hands-on approach accelerated outcomes demonstrating the tangible value of specialised support in enhancing Autonomous operations.