Kal Tire trains and certifies technicians across the globe, including in PNG, helping to keep the mining industry moving forward.
They say you never stop learning, and that is especially true for Kal Tire.
As a registered training organisation (RTO), the tyre services giant is able to train any technician and issue statements of qualifications once deemed competent.
Tyre technicians are integral members of any mine operator’s team, inspecting, servicing, and maintaining tyres on the massive haul truck that get the extracted ore from A to B.
But this crucial job has inherent risks to it. That is something Kal Tire takes very seriously, and it is one of the reasons the company developed its tyre technician training.
“Kal Tire has developed a nationally accredited training service, and we use that to support our team members and customers in the tyre maintenance space,” Kal Tire manager – sales and marketing Caleb Pullella told PNG Mining.
“Our programs cover everything from the theoretical side to the practical aspects of tyre maintenance, and we can tailor them to suit the experience of those being trained.”
Pullella explained the process of getting Kal Tire’s customers certified.
“First, we scope out what the training requirements are,” he said. “Once we have a good understanding of their needs, we tailor a training package to suit. “We take into account people’s prior experience to deliver training that will be beneficial to everyone in the room.
“We conduct the training at the customer’s site so they can apply what they’ve learned to their actual workplace.”
Image: Kal Tire
While conducting training, Kal Tire can also review a site’s safe-work procedures.
This is something the company holds to the highest standard.
“We want to ensure our customers are working to best practice,” Pullella said. “Part of that is making sure their procedures reflect that.
“The industry is constantly evolving; every single year we learn new and better ways of doing things so we like to ensure our customers are operating in the safest way possible.”
Kal Tire also partners with the customer’s training department when certifying tyre technicians, helping to provide a seamless process for all parties.
“When we deliver any training, we try to work closely with the customer’s training department to coordinate the process,” Pullella said. “That’s to ensure we have the right facilities to conduct the training, and that the customer has the correct tooling.
“We keep in contact with the training department to remind them when their technicians need to be recertified so we can keep documentation up to date.”
And if the customer feedback is any indication, Kal Tire’s clients are seeing enormous benefits from the training.
Pullella pointed to one particular success story in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
“Kal Tire can train any technician in the world, and we currently support a number of sites in PNG,” he said.
“The feedback from the site has been really positive. They pointed out that a lot of the sites don’t have access to the tooling and innovation we do, so it’s been a benefit to them to see what we can offer in that space.”
Kal Tire’s on-site training is backed up by its Innovation Centre in Canada, which develops new tooling to make operations safer and more efficient. Since its opening in 2015, the centre has been designing and deploying numerous tools to better the sector while also looking at ways to fix common industry problems.
“If we’re facing a problem, we can submit that problem to the Innovation Centre to take a look at,” Pullella said. “The centre will see if they can develop something that can tackle that problem.
“From there, we end up with our innovation tools under the KalPRO brand, which are available for our customers’ teams to put into use.”
Kal Tire’s innovative tools have found homes across the global mining sector, setting a standard for safe and efficient operations.
“Our customer in PNG now has access to GATR, our gravity assist tooling rig, our ValveShield, and our rapid deflator,” Pullella said.
“Combined, these tools help to make our customer’s workshop more efficient and can help reduce safety risks associated with the crucial job of tyre maintenance.”
This feature appeared in the August–September 2024 issue of PNG Mining.