JIM Technology buys 50% of partner Terratec 18 Oct 2018

Terratec has announced its business partner, JIM Technology of Japan, has bought 50% of the company. The other half will remain with the existing partners, who will keep running the business with the same structure including key managers and teams for its marketing, sales, production, after sales and field service divisions.

Terratec and JIM 10m double shield TBM

Commenting on the sale, Terratec Sales and Marketing Director Bruce Matheson said, “It is a great day for the company. We have been cooperating for eight years with JIMT so closely and now with this formal union there are no doubts that we are together and able to build, deliver and support any type and size of TBM for any project in any market globally. As we expand our team and with the increased support from our partner I think that, to coin a phrase, ‘the sky is the limit’.”

Founded in 1990, Terratec is the Australian designer and manufacturer of tunnel boring machines, raise boring machines and other custom-made products for tunnelling and mining projects.

JIMT is made up of three Japanese industrial giants: IHI Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and JFE Engineering Corp. The merging of their TBM divisions combines experience gained through the delivery of more than 3,000 TBMs since 1936 of every type and size up to 16m in diameter, for both Japanese and overseas projects.

During their partnership Terratec and JIMT have delivered more than 60 TBMs for global projects including the Mumbai and Lucknow Metro Projects in India, the Bangkok Metro in Thailand, the Istanbul Metro in Turkey and the Portugal water transfer project to name a few. In all cases, Terratec was the main contractor and JIMT its subcontractor for the provision of key components and designs for EPB and slurry TBMs.

16m diameter EPBM by JIM and Terratec

Commenting, President of JIMT, Takanobu Miki said, “Terratec has a very efficient team working all over the world. They have achieved to become number one TBM supplier in important growing markets like India and Thailand and achieved continued sales in established markets like Europe. We want Terratec to keep operating and expanding the business as they do, but now with full and direct support from the engineering and production side from JIMT.”

The company has announced Terratec will retain all regional offices and country representatives with client contacts staying in post. The design of the machines will continue to be done using JIMT technology for the shield machines (EPB and slurry) with the Terratec team in Australia taking care of the hard rock TBMs, raise boring machines and conveyor systems.

The main parts of the TBM, such as the cutterhead drive unit, will still be fabricated by JIMT in Japan, with the key components including electric and hydraulic systems being sourced in Japan, Australia and Europe. The assembly and testing of the TBMs will still be done in the Terratec plant in GuangZhou, which is now just one hour away from the company global office in Hong Kong by the recently opened high-speed railway.

raise boring machines and conveyor divisions will remain in Australia with the entire design and production being done in the Terratec facilities in Tasmania, as it has been since the inception of Terratec in 1990.