Fresh Power for Our EX1900 Production Excavator – Engine Replacement at Stockton Mine
July 30, 2025
Doug Hood Mining Ltd (DHML) meets a maintenance milestone with the installation of a rebuilt engine into our 2007 Hitachi EX1900 excavator operating at Stockton Mine on the West Coast.
After years of reliable performance in one of New Zealand’s toughest mining environments, the EX1900’s engine had reached the end of its service life.
To ensure continued operational productivity for our client, our mechanical team completed a carefully planned and expertly executed project for a full engine change-out.
Cummins Ltd in Auckland supplied us with the rebuilt engine which was freighted to Stockton Mine by T. Croft Ltd.
Working closely with partners BT Mining Ltd, Cable Price, and Cummins, the DHML team safely removed the old engine, then positioned and installed the new engine with precision.
This upgrade improves the excavator’s reliability, supports production targets, and reduces unplanned downtime — all crucial in maintaining efficient and safe overburden operations.
Skill, commitment and teamwork
“This was a team effort through-out — strong planning, strong execution, and an incident free result for us and ultimately for our client, BT Mining Ltd.”
— Rangi Hicks, DHML General Manager
We acknowledge and thank everyone involved for their professional approach and commitment to safety throughout the change-out:
-in particular our mechanical staff including Karl Lawrie – Workshop Supervisor and Guy Letourneau – Diesel Mechanic.
-plus the staff from Cable Price and Cummins for their technical input, and BT Mining for expert cranage.
As our key production machine at Stockton Mine, this investment ensures the EX1900 remains a high-performing asset for years to come, and is another great example of Doug Hood Mining Ltd’s engineering capability, operational reliability, and dedication to supporting New Zealand mining.
Leave a Reply