The coal industry is notoriously hard on vehicles and equipment. In West Virginia, where all four seasons are harsh and unforgiving, maintenance crews on coal jobsites face a variety of dirt, dust and grime that few environments can match. To keep their equipment up and running, these maintenance crews need every advantage they can get.

So when a longtime Donaldson coal mining customer in Charleston, West Virginia, claimed to have one of the longest-running engines in the industry – 51,000 hours of work without a rebuild or major repairs, the equivalent of almost six years of continuous work – we were amazed and proud to learn from the company’s maintenance manager that they attributed that longevity in large part to exclusively running their equipment with Donaldson filters. (This customer asked us not to use their name so as not to divulge any trade secrets – but they did want us to tell their story).

“What a great testimonial for our filtration products,” said Ted Angelo, Global Product Director, Engine Aftermarket at Donaldson Company. “Whether for oil, air intake, hydraulics or fuel, we are committed to providing the highest quality filters to meet our customer needs – even in extreme operating environments.”

According to the maintenance director at this mine site, a MTU 4000 Series engine has seen nearly nine consecutive years of use in one Haul Truck with virtually no downtime other than scheduled maintenance.  This has been a major advantage to their operation, where efficiency and reliability play such a vital role.

“We know the coal industry is highly competitive right now,” said Angelo. “If you’re operation is not efficient and cost conscious, you fall behind quickly. Our mining customers are finding that Donaldson filters provide the highest filtration efficiency and lowest maintenance costs – which is a real advantage in an industry where margins are under constant pressure.”