A cable reeler helps avoid safety hazards by keeping cables properly tensioned, neatly wound, and out of the machine’s path, reducing manual handling and the chance of damage or entanglement.
For surface mining operations, few challenges are as hazardous as managing high-voltage trailing cables.
Draglines, electric rope shovels, and rotary drills all depend on a continuous supply of electrical power, and that means large, heavy cables must follow these machines as they move across the pit.
For decades, this task has demanded manual labour, exposed workers to risk, and created operational bottlenecks that chip away at productivity.
FMS Group, Australia’s sole authorised distributor and service provider for Ground Force Worldwide equipment, is changing that equation with the Ground Force Cable Reeler Attachment — a purpose-built solution that brings safety, precision, and efficiency to electric cable management on mine sites.
A partnership built on local knowledge
FMS Group was founded in 2005 in Mackay, Central Queensland, a region where the demands of the resources sector are embedded in the daily rhythm of business.
In the two decades since, the company has grown into one of the biggest resources services providers in the country, offering everything from diesel and mobile plant maintenance to electrical services, fixed plant support, on-site machining, fabrication, and engineering.
It is this breadth of capability that makes FMS Group’s partnership with Ground Force Worldwide so relevant for Australian customers.
Ground Force Worldwide, a specialist in mining support equipment with products sold in more than 75 countries, recognised in FMS Group a partner that could do more than supply its equipment — it could also manufacture, service, and support it locally.
With workshops in Mackay, Queensland, and Henderson, Western Australia, as well as sales offices in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley and Perth, FMS Group has the national footprint to deliver a local experience on a global product.
FMS Group General Manager of Products David Wood said the company was able to build the Ground Force Worldwide products in its workshops across Australia, providing the ability to service markets with a local theme.
The problem the cable reeler solves
To understand why the Ground Force Cable Reeler Attachment represents such a step forward, it helps to appreciate the scale of the challenge it addresses.
High-voltage trailing cables on large mining machines can weigh several tonnes and stretch for hundreds of metres.
Positioning these cables correctly — keeping them clear of machine tracks, away from haul traffic, and properly spooled — is a task that traditionally required multiple workers operating in proximity to moving equipment and electrical infrastructure.
The risks are obvious. Workers on foot near heavy machinery in a working pit face exposure to collision hazards, trip and entanglement risks, and the danger of contact with cables. At the same time, poor cable management leads to damaged cables, unplanned outages, and costly downtime for some of the most productive and expensive assets on site.
The Ground Force Cable Reeler Attachment transforms this process. Mounted as a pin-on attachment to wheel loaders and dozers, it converts a machine already present on site into a dedicated cable-handling unit.
The result is a single-operator solution that removes workers from harm’s way, reduces the time required to reposition cables, and keeps production equipment running with minimal interruption.
What makes the Ground Force Cable Reeler stand out
At the heart of the Cable Reeler’s appeal is its forward-facing, excavator-style boom design. Unlike rear-mounted cable handlers, which force operators to work blind or rely on spotters, the Ground Force attachment positions the operator with a clear, unobstructed line of sight to the cable and drum at all times.
The boom provides a reach of 7.92 metres (26 feet), allowing the operator to place, retrieve, and manage cables with a level of precision that is not achievable with conventional methods.
Control is delivered through an intuitive joystick system with seven functions that can be operated safely with one hand. A master control switch enables the operator to transition between clamp and manipulator functions, while a proportional control valve allows for smooth, precise movements — critical when working around electrical equipment.
The system’s microcontroller-based electronics support proportional valve functions and interface with the carrier’s hydraulic system.
The attachment’s cable capacity handles between 159 metres and 1027m of cable, depending on configuration — sufficient to service the range of electric mining equipment typically found on Australian surface operations.
It is available in models engineered for some of the most common carriers in the Australian fleet, including the Caterpillar 924, 980, 982, and 988, and Komatsu’s WA500, WA600, and WA900 wheel loaders.
The clamp system enables simplified drum changes, with the clamp-and-go process controlled from the cab. This reduces the downtime associated with cable drum exchanges and eliminates the need for ground personnel to be involved in the process. The attachment is also designed with ease of maintenance in mind, with key components readily accessible.
FMS Group’s end-to-end support model
Buying capital equipment in the resources industry is never simply a transaction — it is the start of a relationship that must deliver value over years of demanding operation.
FMS Group understands this and has structured its Cable Reeler offering around a support model that covers every stage of the product’s life on site.
The process begins before any purchase order is raised. FMS Group’s technical sales team works with clients to understand specific cable management challenges — the type of machines being powered, the layout of their operations, the nature of the terrain, and the carrier equipment already in their fleet.
This application engineering process ensures the right Cable Reeler model is specified for each site and that the configuration delivers the reach, capacity, and control functions the operation needs.
Once the decision to proceed is made, FMS Group’s in-house engineering team works with Ground Force Worldwide’s engineers to finalise the build specification.
The attachment can then be manufactured in FMS Group’s Australian workshops, enabling it to be built to local standards, with an understanding of Australian conditions taken into account.
Commissioning is handled by FMS Group’s own qualified personnel, who attend site to install the attachment, conduct functional testing, and provide hands-on operator training.
This on-site commissioning service is critical to ensuring that the machine enters service correctly, and that the operators who will rely on it daily are confident in its use. It also provides an opportunity for site-specific adjustments to control sensitivity, function speeds, and other parameters that can make a difference to day-to-day usability.
Ongoing support is equally thorough. FMS Group maintains a large inventory of genuine Ground Force parts across its Australian facilities, ensuring that replacement components are available when required.
The company’s service teams — encompassing diesel fitters, electricians, fabricators, and mechanical engineers — are available to attend sites for scheduled maintenance, unplanned breakdowns, and warranty support.
For operations where capital expenditure is a constraint, FMS Group offers a rent-now, buy-later pathway in partnership with Yellowgate Group, giving site managers the flexibility to put equipment to work immediately while working through the procurement process.
A fit-for-purpose solution for Australian mining
The Ground Force Cable Reeler Attachment addresses a problem that has been considered an unavoidable cost of doing business on electric-powered mine sites.
By consolidating cable management into a single, operator-controlled attachment — and backing it with FMS Group’s service capability across Australia — it offers mine operators a path to improved safety outcomes, reduced labour requirements, and greater operational continuity.
For Australian mining operations looking to modernise their cable management practices, FMS Group is a starting point. With technical expertise, local manufacturing, national service coverage, and a commitment to understanding each client’s needs, FMS Group offers far more than an attachment — it offers a partnership designed to deliver value from the ground up.
If you are heading to the Queensland Mining Expo in Mackay on July 21–23, visit stand OP518 to speak to the Ground Force and FMS Group sales teams.
For more information, contact FMS Group via email at sales@fms-group.com.au or visit fms-group.com.au.
