A strategic collaboration between Volvo Penta and Wajax is helping MacLean Engineering strengthen performance in underground mining applications through off-road engines and tailored service.
When Wajax introduced Volvo Penta’s off-road engines to MacLean Engineering, a Canadian designer and manufacturer of underground mining equipment, the joint support made the transition seamless, from testing and validation to implementation.
Now, MacLean is integrating Volvo Penta’s mining engines into their full equipment line-up, with the first Volvo Penta-powered machine arriving at a customer site in Quebec earlier this year.
“Mining equipment demands a certain level of safety, productivity and emissions performance, and we find that Volvo Penta and Wajax bring that with their product,” said John Botelho, Product Manager, MacLean Engineering. “They’ve proven to be strong technical partners. Their product fits well, and we’ve had great success with it.”
Volvo Penta and Wajax started their distribution partnership in 1988 and have since worked closely together to deliver Volvo Penta’s industrial power solutions, along with aftermarket service and integration expertise from Wajax, to a growing range of heavy-duty industrial equipment.
Off-road engine support
Founded in 1858, Wajax has a long history in Canada’s industrial sector. The company has expanded to more than 100 branches nationwide, serving diverse sectors with integrated sales, parts and service solutions.
“What keeps us here is the customer experience and delivering solutions for our customers,” said Joe Di Pede, Vice President Powertrain, Wajax. “We cover key components of engineering and OEM distribution to provide the solutions our customers demand.”
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Wajax’s strong regional service presence and parts availability, combined with Volvo Penta’s proven off-road engine technology and technical training, ensures customers have access to reliable, efficient power systems backed by responsive support.
“Volvo Penta and Wajax have enjoyed a partnership that spans decades,” said Joel Contreras, Regional Sales Manager, Volvo Penta.
“They are very experienced with our product. Distributors like Wajax are vital to Volvo Penta because they apply local expertise and talent, while we bring global knowledge and resources to support that.”
Driving innovation
The synergy between Volvo Penta and Wajax is key in helping customers like MacLean embrace new off-road engine technologies, such as Volvo Penta’s D5 Tier 3 and Stage V mining engines.
Volvo Penta’s robust and reliable mining engines complement MacLean’s focus on building highly customized, purpose-built underground mining equipment with dependable performance and lower emissions that could decrease ventilation needs and lower total cost of ownership for operators.
Working closely with Wajax, MacLean integrates Volvo Penta’s tailored engine systems to maximize peace of mind for their customers.
“We’re able to provide a solution that MacLean trusts will work, and that’s achieved through close engineering collaboration between Wajax and Volvo Penta,” said Duncan Finlayson, Technical Sales Representative, Wajax. “Working with MacLean, we can ensure that what we’re proposing as a propulsion solution is going to fit for their end user.”
As industries like mining continue to evolve, the Volvo Penta and Wajax partnership is helping its customers prioritize performance, efficiency and dedicated support.
“One of the very important values for Wajax is to build lasting relationships,” said Yves Richard, Sales Manager, Wajax. “We want them to be able to reach out whenever there is a project they’re looking at. We want to be the first one they call.”
For Wajax and Volvo Penta, close collaboration that customers like MacLean count on is the key ingredient to deliver customized, fit-for-purpose equipment.
“Having a strong partner relationship between Volvo Penta and Wajax is important because it’s a global network that supplies products across many markets,” Finlayson said. “It makes the end user more confident in ordering machines with Volvo Penta power.”
