Recently, Wuxi BOTON Technology Co., Ltd. and BHP, one of the world’s leading resources companies, held a signing ceremony for a Global Framework Agreement at BOTON’s Innovation Center in Wuxi.
The agreement marks a further step in the long-term cooperation between the two companies, expanding their collaboration from product supply to broader areas including technology collaboration, sustainability, global service capability and lifecycle support for mining conveying systems. It also represents a new stage of cooperation between a Chinese intelligent industrial conveying company and a leading global mining group.
Senior representatives from BHP attended the ceremony, including Ragnar Udd, Chief Commercial Officer; Michiel Hovers, Group Sales and Marketing Officer; Rashpal Bhatti, Group Procurement Officer; and Sundeep Singh, Group Officer, Global Business Services.
BOTON Chairman Bao Zhifang attended the ceremony together with senior executives including Tang Yu, Executive President of Industrial Digitalization and General Manager of BOTON Thailand, and He Ganghou, Chief Commercial Officer of BOTON.
At the signing ceremony, Chairman Bao Zhifang delivered a speech on behalf of BOTON. He reviewed the long-standing cooperation between the two companies and noted that the Global Framework Agreement carries significance beyond a conventional commercial contract. It represents strong recognition of BOTON’s role as a strategic global partner to BHP.
He also noted that BHP recently awarded BOTON the first Global Three-Star Technical Assurance Certification to BOTON’s Wuxi Factory, further strengthening the foundation of trust for the signing of the Global Framework Agreement.
BHP Chief Commercial Officer Ragnar Udd stated that conveyor belts are the “invisible lifeline” of mining operations, and that the 14-year stable partnership with BOTON has created valuable trust between the two companies. He recognized BOTON’s capabilities in technology innovation, quality management, decarbonization and global coordination, and noted that the agreement marks an expansion of BOTON’s role from a product supplier to a strategic global partner of BHP.
Looking ahead, the two companies will deepen collaboration in innovation and sustainable operations, working together to support the green and intelligent transformation of the mining industry.
Under the agreement, BOTON and BHP will further connect technology, supply chain, service and strategic resources, building a long-term, stable and highly collaborative global partnership. The cooperation will focus on three key areas:
Co-creating intelligent solutions for advanced unattended mine conveying systems
Building on the Pioneer Project at the Escondida copper mine, the two companies will explore the scaled deployment of intelligent conveying solutions, including smart longitudinal rip detection, X-ray digital scanning, AI-based automatic belt alignment and inspection robot systems.
This marks an important step for BOTON as it continues to move from product delivery toward deeper technology collaboration, contributing its intelligent conveying capabilities to the next stage of global mining operations.
Advancing full-lifecycle carbon management for low-carbon mining operations
Starting from the world’s first carbon-neutral conveyor belt, the two companies will launch a Green Supply Chain Partner Program and explore a full-lifecycle carbon footprint tracking system for the mining sector, covering raw materials, manufacturing, operation and recycling.
The program aims to support lifecycle carbon neutrality for core products within five years and advance technologies for the full recycling and reuse of used conveyor belts. This will help provide a replicable and scalable model for the green transformation of global mine conveying systems, turning carbon reduction from a concept into a measurable industrial practice.
Strengthening localized service through a global network
Leveraging its global footprint, including the Australia Technical Service Center and Thailand manufacturing base, BOTON will further enhance localized service capabilities in major mining regions. The company plans to establish frontline service stations to support rapid response, with a target of 24-hour response and 48-hour on-site support.
By combining rapid response with local service capability, BOTON aims to support customers across the full operating lifecycle. Through the integration of technology, supply chain and service resources, the company will help build a more stable, efficient and collaborative global service system, creating long-term value beyond the terms of individual contracts.
The signing of the Global Framework Agreement represents an important milestone in BOTON’s global development. It also reflects the company’s continued transformation from a conveyor belt manufacturer into a global lifecycle solution provider for intelligent industrial bulk material conveying systems.
Moving forward, BOTON will continue to strengthen its capabilities in technology innovation, sustainable manufacturing and global service. Together with BHP, BOTON will support safer, more efficient and lower-carbon conveying operations across global mining sites, and contribute to a more intelligent and sustainable future for industrial conveying.
