Blue Bird diversifies to coal mining services

By Hiski Darmayana

Blue Bird Group, which is primarily engaged in public transportation business, plans to diversify into coal mining services business in the second half of this year.

The group has recently been engaged in distributing mining heavy equipment products made in China and Belarus.

?The latest condition in the coal mining sector has forced us to revise our strategy so as not only selling heavy equipment, but also cooperate with our clients to develop the mines. This is being made so that will not lose to our more experienced competitors,? Vice President of Commercial Heavy Equipment Division at Blue Bird Group, Ardian Maddanatja told Petromindo.com.

He said that under the new strategy, Bluebird will start with becoming a sub-contractor for overburden removal work at coal mines. ?Going forward, we?ll not only be focused on overburden, but also coal hauling, and eventually becomes a contractor,? he said, but did not disclose which coal mines would be developed by the group.

Bluebird has been selling heavy equipment to a contractor developing coal mines owned by PT Bhakti Investama in Samarinda, East Kalimantan.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak