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The first Champion M786 C mining grader, fresh from the factory in Charlotte, NC. “M”, of course, is for mining. A redesigned frame helps it achieve the 84 in. height (7 ft. tall). It’s based on the C86 all-wheel-drive grader (Champion photo).
Over the past decade, the desire to improve mine safety and increase uptime, combined with market conditions such as tire shortages, have placed a greater emphasis on the design and management of mine roads. Above and below ground, more mines are employing graders to keep the surface smooth.
Miller Technology’s customers were looking for a compact, low profile, basic grader that could be used to finish and maintain roads in underground hardrock mines. Founded by Ron Miller in 1979, the North Bay, Ontario, company supplies a variety of utility vehicles for underground mines, from its purpose-built Miller Truck to the Triple 4ce compact utility carrier, a JCB loader-backhoe heavily modified by Miller for underground use.
According to Miller General Manager Chad Miller, 20 years ago the company worked through a local dealer to sell two Champion graders to a mining customer. In 2006, with managers taking a closer look at road maintenance, Miller approached Champion directly.
“The Champion is a compact grader with a tight turning radius and an optional low-profile cab or canopy. It is simple and time-proven,” says Chad Miller. “We order some special options from Champion but then we ‘Millerize’ the grader for underground use and to meet the customer’s various needs.”
Champion Motor Graders, Charlotte, NC, has specialized in the development of compact graders and attachments for 30 years. Bryan Abernathy, vice president, Champion, says Miller Technology is a valuable asset to the grader OEM’s service capabilities.
Miller also handles the training, service and parts for the unique graders. The North Bay firm represents Champion equipment for mining applications in cooperation with Champion’s regional Canadian dealers, which continue to service Champion’s traditional customers in paving, construction and municipal markets.
The partnership ensures that a Champion grader arrives at a mine ready to go underground. “Because we don’t specialize in mining, we’re not close to the unique requirements of the customers,” says Abernathy. “The rules and regulations in mining change from one location to another. Miller is in the ground all the time. Plus, because they understand the underground work environment, they can work effectively around mine staff and equipment as an experienced part of their team.”
Mining wasn’t completely new to Champion. The family-operated company prides itself on being able to provide unique solutions to its customers — nimbleness that has been good for business while its traditional customers weather the recession. Champion built two machines for mining in the early ’90s, and a photo of the low-profile, compact machine hangs on the wall to this day.
“Now, mining has become a new market for us,” says Abernathy, “and we are serious about it. We have finished a new grader that is much different from what we produce every day.” A specific request from a Canadian potash mine, the new grader has a lower profile which will enable it to work in more mines.
The standard mining grader Champion builds for Miller is based on the C86 C compact grader, a tandem-axle, Cummins QSB4.5-powered, all-wheel-drive hydrostatic unit. In its stock configuration, it weighs 15,500 lbs. and is under 21 ft. long. The articulated frame gives it a turning radius of 19 ft.
