FMS Group — celebrating 20 years of business this year — is the proud Australian distributor and service provider of Ground Force Worldwide equipment. Here are four products you can purchase through FMS Group that will help maximise on-site productivity.
FMS Group’s partnership with Ground Force Worldwide allows Australian customers to access premium services, parts and equipment through a trusted provider that knows the industry back to front.
Earthmoving Equipment Magazine spoke to FMS General Manager of Products, Tony Liddelow, about how the company’s focus on durability, safety, and productivity shapes its custom solutions to mining operations and contractors across the globe.
(1) Articulated water trucks
Ground Force Worldwide articulated water trucks are designed to be work-ready and easy to operate. Whether customers need just one, or are outfitting a whole rental fleet, the models are made to tackle all dust suppression, firefighting, and general water truck needs.
“Engineered with a dual-radius semi-elliptical shape, our tank design allows for an optimal centre of gravity while providing the strength needed for your water tank to last in tough conditions,” Tony said.
In stock now and ready to go is the latest model: the Cat 740GC Ground Force Worldwide 30,283 litre articulated water truck, with the tank manufactured in Australia.
“It can be used across many industries, including mining, civil construction, dry hire and rental support for maintaining dust suppression on haul roads and around construction sites,” Tony said.
The unit has been manufactured to the rigorous safety designs proven in mines across the 75 countries Ground Force Worldwide support globally .
“With Ground Force Worldwide’s four decades of experience partnering with OEMs including Caterpillar, these tanks have been designed to meet the needs of the chassis design along with operator safety and comfort needs” he said.
“Fully baffled tanks break up water flow for increased safety and operator stability.”
Each water tank solution provided by Ground Force Worldwide can be equipped with the proprietary Ground Force Water Control System, or WCS, as a standard feature.
This system is especially advantageous in industries like mining and construction, where the accuracy of water distribution is a critical factor. The WCS enhances operational efficiency and safety, playing a pivotal role in the suppression of dust and ensuring reliable functionality in demanding conditions.
“Engineered with premium features and a robust design, these workhorse water tanks have high availability and are designed to be easy to operate with low maintenance,” Tony said.
“FMS Group can offer this unit for sale, on finance and as a rent-to-buy option: whatever works for the customer.”
At a glance
Tank specifications:
- Water capacity: 30,283l
- Built for heavy-duty mining applications
- Dual-radius elliptical design
- Endo-skeleton, designed with structural I-beams for extended life and stability
- Full baffled; longitudinal and transverse
- Custom engineered tub-surge control system
- Sump with drain for cleanout
- Sealed weatherproof wiring
- LED tail, stop and turn lights.
(2) Cable reel attachment
FMS Group will also be introducing the Ground Force innovative cable reeler to help safely and efficiently manage large high voltage electrical cables across mine sites.
Tony said the first sale, to an Australian mine, had already been made, and was due for delivery next year.
The attachment is a practical solution designed to meet the heavy demands of the mining industry, where managing massive trailing cables is a constant challenge.
Mines rely on electrical power to run draglines, shovels, and drills, and the sheer size and weight of the high-voltage cables that feed this equipment require machinery built for strength, safety, and efficiency.
“The Ground Force Worldwide cable reeler is engineered precisely for this role, giving operators the ability to reel in, lay out, and safely handle metres of electrical cable in the harshest conditions,” Tony said.
Built with the same durability that defines Ground Force Worldwide’s product line, the cable reeler combines robust steel construction with heavy-duty hydraulics to ensure reliable performance on uneven and demanding terrain.
The attachment is designed to mount onto carriers such as wheel loaders or other suitable machines, transforming them into versatile cable-handling units. This adaptability allows mines to reduce downtime and streamline operations by keeping essential equipment powered and mobile without the constant delays of manual cable handling.
By reducing manual labour and the risks associated with handling large cables by hand, the attachment also helps improve safety standards on site.
“Ground Force Worldwide cable reeler attachments are designed to work with most loaders and dozers for the safest and most efficient electric cable placement in the industry today,” Tony said.
“With intuitive in-cab controls, unobstructed visibility, and increased reach over industry standards, our proven success delivering cable reel solutions ensures the safest and most cost-effective way to manage your electric cable.”
At a glance:
- Clamp and Go drive system for efficient operation
- Heavy-duty excavator style layout boom with 225° rotational drive system
- Boom reaches 26ft (7.92m) at ground level
- Left- or right-hand mounts available
- Cable grapple has continuous 360° rotation
- Microcontroller controls for proportional valve functions and chassis hydraulics
- Proportional control valve allows for precise movement
- Remote log-in with wireless connection for configuration changes, upgrades and diagnostics
- Approved OEM (in application) load capacity
- Configurable to within height and width of loader or dozer to reduce shipping costs.
(3) Rock spreader
Ground Force Worldwide rock spreaders help maintain and stabilise road infrastructure, safely, efficiently and without the need for multiple different machines to complete the same task.
Haul roads in surface mines are constantly exposed to heavy traffic, dust, and changing weather conditions, making it vital to keep them stable and well-maintained.
The rock spreader takes on this role by evenly distributing aggregate material across roads, dumps, and other high-use areas, ensuring a smoother, safer surface for the massive trucks and equipment that rely on them.
“The spreader bodies are engineered to meet the demands of haul road maintenance programs while offering lower operating costs and increased efficiency,” Tony said.
“These machines replace multiple pieces of equipment and reduce the number of operators while offering peak performance on the widest and most challenging haul roads.
“The FMS in-house engineering department works in partnership with Ground Force Worldwide’s engineers to evaluate local customer applications to ensure the delivered Ground Force Rock spreader trucks are equipped with suitably robust components engineered to perform safe and effective material delivery in our Australian conditions.”
At a glance
- Innovative slope design for smooth material flow
- Heavy-duty, extreme service vibrators to ensure efficient material flow
- Hydraulically operated feed gates with sensors for adjustable feed rate
- Bolt on feed hopper design for service access
- Driver and curb side material discharge dispenser’s feature
- Variable speed rotary casting wheels (0-150 rpm)
- Spreads up to 18 metres
- Includes directional casting guards to protect chassis underbody
- Multiple configurations for hydraulically operated separator (Grizzly) screens
- Hydraulic functions utilise the host chassis existing hoist circuit
- Bed installation utilises host chassis rear pin bosses
- Rear bed pin bosses fully welded and line-bored
- Sub-frames include shim-style/replaceable body pads.
(4) Fuel and lube service trucks
Ground Force is a world leader providing fuel and lube service support vehicles. Based on articulated and rigid frame chassis, Ground Force fuel and lube modules improve mine and worksite performance with increased maneuverability and versatility.
“Articulated chassis is ideal for navigating off-road applications in challenging terrains,” Tony said.
“The lighter weight prevents sinking in muddy or wet terrain.
“They are adaptable for multiple product configurations. The large rigid frame off-road chassis provide large payload capacity and chassis commonality with mining and heavy construction fleets.”
Tony said the trucks were designed to carry substantial loads with reduced fuel consumption.
“And the fast ground level servicing streamlines maintenance tasks,” he said.
At a glance
- Payloads depend on the chassis
- Articulated chassis diesel capacity range (7570–18,927l) and new oil and coolant capacities range (1892–5678l)
- Rigid frame offroad chassis diesel capacity (15,141–94,635l) and new oil and coolant capacity (7751–31,040l)
- Fuel delivery: (454-1135lpm)
- Full product filtration
- Fully baffled product tanks
- Product metering systems
- Product tank level gauges
- Kidney-loop filtration systems.
About FMS Group
FMS Group, founded in 2005, prides itself on being the complete offering for service delivery, project management and capital equipment sales across Australia, providing end-to-end solutions for sites and assets.
“Our diverse team is experienced in diesel and mobile plant, fixed plant, projects, workshop and fabrication, machining, electrical and engineering services,” Tony said.
“As a multi-faceted business offering end-to-end solutions for our clients, we are known as a ‘one-stop-shop’ and continue our proud heritage of responsiveness, consistency and efficiency.”
FMS Group has branches located across Australia supporting many diverse industries and markets.
“Head office is in Mackay, Central Queensland with offices in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, and Subiaco, Perth,” Tony said.
“Workshops are located in Mackay, Henderson and soon a new workshop in Bundamba.
“We can manufacture the Ground Force Worldwide products in all our workshops across Australia, providing us the ability to service all markets with a local theme.
“This national footprint provides us a point of difference from other similar tank manufacturers in our regions.”
For more information, contact FMS Group via email at sales@fms-group.com.au