Komatsu to acquire GHH Group to expand mining offerings

Komatsu, the global developer and supplier of technologies, equipment and services for the construction, mining, forklift, industrial, and forestry markets, has entered into an agreement to acquire GHH Group GmbH, a manufacturer of underground mining, tunnelling, and special civil engineering equipment.

Headquartered in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, GHH was founded in the 1960s and is currently part of the German-owned Schmidt Kranz Group. It offers a wide range of equipment focused on loaders (LHDs), and articulated dump trucks in the mid-seam mass mining, narrow vein, and low-profile market segments. The company also supports customers with aftermarket parts and service support throughout the entire life of each machine. 

With this acquisition, Komatsu will add GHH’s factories and rebuild facilities in key markets, in addition to its robust product offerings and talented staff, a statement added.

“We are very excited about this acquisition as it represents a great opportunity for Komatsu to expand its offerings for underground mining equipment and accelerate new product development through synergies with Komatsu’s existing team and product offerings,” said Peter Salditt, president and CEO, Komatsu Mining Corp. 

“By adding GHH’s factories and rebuild facilities in key markets in Europe, South Africa, India, and Chile. We also aim to strengthen production and service capabilities for our customers.”

He added that Komatsu intends to continue providing the excellent service that GHH provides and plans to support business as usual post-acquisition. The combined team will then work together to expand Komatsu’s offering for underground mining equipment and increase customer access to products in new territories, he said.

Global Player 

“GHH is excited to be able to start a new journey with a strong player in the mining world. This opens huge doors for our people and our products to develop further and grow beyond what we could have hoped for,” said GHH Group CEO Dr. Jan Petzold. 

“This is the next logical step in becoming a true global player and we look forward to becoming part of the Komatsu family”.

The official close of the acquisition is projected for the first half of 2023, the statement said.

Acquiring GHH comes as part of Komatsu’s ongoing mid-term management plan, the company said. as part of the plan, Komatsu is working to expand its offerings for underground hard rock mining, thus creating new value for customers with the development of new equipment, processes, and technologies that will help operations step forward to the next stage of the workplace of the future, in addition to providing a more sustainable environment.