Sandvik Construction positions digitalisation as a central pillar of its product strategy. According to the company's official positioning, digital tools are intended to optimise customer solutions in mining and crushing operations. Yet behind the marketing façade, a critical question emerges: which concrete technologies underpin this strategy, and how far does implementation extend in practice?

Sandvik Construction structures its digitalisation offering across several product categories. The core comprises telematics platforms for fleet monitoring: machines transmit operational data such as engine load, hydraulic temperature, location and operating hours in real time to centralised dashboards. For crushing and screening plants, process automation is deployed additionally – sensors measure material throughput, particle size distribution and wear conditions, whilst algorithms automatically adjust rotational speeds and gap settings.

A second pillar consists of remote maintenance and support systems: service technicians can access machine controls, perform fault diagnostics and deploy software updates without being physically on site. This reduces downtime, particularly in remote mining regions.

Thirdly, Sandvik promotes digital twins and simulation tools for crushing plants: before a new crushing plant is configured, customers can virtually test various feed scenarios and forecast throughput and energy consumption. These tools are aimed primarily at large-scale customers in the aggregate and recycling sectors.

Whilst telematics and remote monitoring are now standard on large jaw crushers and cone crushers, penetration among smaller mobile units remains patchy. Here, permanent network connectivity is often lacking because site-based Wi-Fi or 5G coverage is not universally available. A further distinction exists between stationary plants – such as those in quarries – and mobile units: stationary crushers integrate more readily into overarching SCADA systems. Mobile crushers frequently change location – connectivity must therefore rely on mobile networks or satellite links, which incurs additional costs.

For operators in demolition and recycling sectors, digital monitoring offers tangible benefits: real-time operational data enables precise calculation of per-tonne costs – critical for tendering and cost transparency. However, these benefits require operators to invest in personnel and processes: a fleet manager must interpret dashboards, service technicians require training in remote diagnostics, and IT infrastructure must ensure data protection and cybersecurity. Mid-market demolition and recycling firms in particular encounter capacity constraints here.

One question remains open: the extent to which Sandvik equips its telematics platforms with interfaces to third-party software and how this proves practical for operators running mixed fleets – machines from various manufacturers. The company's public communications remain vague on these points.