7 Steps to Lower TCO on Your Next Epiroc Surface Drilling Order – A Checklist for Urgent Projects

When You Need Epiroc Surface Drilling Fast – And You Can't Afford to Get It Wrong

Look, I've been in this role for about eight years now—coordinating equipment orders for mining and infrastructure projects where the timeline is measured in hours, not weeks. In March 2024, I had a client call at 4 PM on a Friday needing a Peregrine drill rig for a site that was due to start blasting on Monday. Normal lead time for a spec'd-out surface drill is, conservatively, four to six weeks. We pulled it off, but it cost us.

That's when I started building this checklist. It's not theory. It's what I wish I'd known before I placed my first emergency Epiroc order. If you're dealing with a rush situation—a competitor got the contract, your existing rig just failed a critical inspection, or the timeline got moved up—this is for you.

Here are the seven steps I now run through for any urgent surface drilling procurement. The goal isn't just to get the equipment. It's to get it without setting your total cost of ownership (TCO) on fire.

Step 1: Split the Need from the Want

Before you even open a quote request, be brutally honest about what you must have versus what would be nice to have. In an emergency, that extra automation feature or the premium cabin might add weeks to the lead time.

For that Friday 4 PM order, the client wanted the full deep automation suite (Mobilaris, remote monitoring, the works). I asked: "Can you start blasting Monday without it?" The answer was yes. We ordered a base-spec Peregrine with only the essential drilling control system. It saved us three weeks on the build slot.

Check your list against these categories:

• Critical for operation (e.g., rod length, drilling depth, hammer type)
• Critical for site compliance (e.g., emissions, noise enclosures)
• Nice-to-have (e.g., advanced telematics, cabin comfort)
• Future-proofing (e.g., automation-ready upgrades)

The decisions you make here will ripple through every step that follows.

Step 2: Ask for the Vendor's Rush Standard Lead Time, Not Just 'Expedited'

Here's something vendors won't tell you: 'standard turnaround' often includes buffer time that vendors use to manage their production queue. It's not necessarily how long your order takes. When you ask for 'expedited' service, you're paying a premium for them to skip that buffer—or are you?

I've had Epiroc distributors quote me a 'rush fee' of 25% for a unit that, when I pushed, they admitted was already in their stock for a later order. The real urgency was on their end, not mine.

Be specific:

• "What is the guaranteed delivery date if I place the order today?"
• "Is that date based on available stock, or does it assume a build from scratch?"
• "What is the penalty if that date slips?" (And get it in writing.)

I now never accept 'estimated' delivery on a rush. If they can't guarantee a date, I move to the next option.

Step 3: Check the Whole Supply Chain – Not Just the Rig

This is where I see most people slip. You get the rig quote, think you're done, and then the extras hit: shipping from the factory to the port, customs clearance, inland freight to site, crane hire for unloading, commissioning support, first set of consumables, training for operators. It adds up fast.

For a recent order of an Epiroc DML surface drill for a client in Western Australia, the base price was $X. But the landed cost—including sea freight, insurance, port handling, and road transport to site—was nearly 18% higher. That's not unusual.

When I triage a rush order, I immediately request a full landed cost breakdown. I want to see:

• Ex-works price
• Inland transport to port
• Ocean/air freight
• Customs duties and taxes
• Inland transport to site
• Optional: commissioning and training (often charged separately)

Don't assume the vendor will volunteer this. They often won't.

Step 4: Validate the Vendor's Track Record with Your Exact Model

In an urgent situation, you might be tempted to go with the first distributor that says 'yes, we can do it.' But not all distributors are equal when it comes to complex surface drilling equipment. Some are brilliant with underground rigs but rarely handle surface gear. Some have great stock of breakers but not the specific hammer you need.

I nearly made this mistake in early 2024. We needed an Epiroc HB 10000 hydraulic hammer for a demolition project that was already running behind. One distributor quoted a great price and a 2-week lead time. When I asked for references—specifically for that model—they couldn't provide any. We went with a different distributor who had three HB 10000s in the field, and sure enough, the first distributor's lead time slipped to five weeks.

Ask directly: "How many units of this specific model have you delivered in the past 12 months? Can I speak to one of those customers?" If they hesitate, that's a red flag.

Step 5: Calculate the Cost of Downtime vs. the Cost of Quicker Delivery

This is where TCO thinking really kicks in. Yes, rush fees are painful. But what's the cost of waiting three extra weeks?

I worked with a contractor who were deciding between two quotes for an Epiroc ST2G scoop tram. One was $15,000 cheaper but with a 6-week lead time. The other was $8,000 more but could deliver in 10 days. We calculated that the mine was losing about $2,000 per shift in production without that scoop tram. Six weeks of lost production? That's $84,000 in foregone revenue.

The 'cheaper' option wasn't cheaper. It was a loss.

Here's a simple formula I use:

Lost production cost per day × days saved vs. rush premium

If the rush premium is less than the lost production cost, you pay the premium. Every time.

Step 6: Lock Down Spares and Consumables in the Same Order

This is one of those 'obvious in hindsight' mistakes. You order the rig in a hurry, get it to site, and then realize you don't have the drill bits, the shanks, or the service kit. Now you're placing a second emergency order for consumables—and paying rush fees all over again.

I've done this. It's embarrassing. Don't be me.

When you place the initial order, explicitly ask for a recommended spares and consumables list for the first 500 operating hours. If the vendor doesn't provide one automatically, push for it. Include those items in the same shipment. The marginal shipping cost is trivial compared to a separate rush order later.

For example, for an Epiroc Cop 66 rock drill, I always order:

• Two sets of shank adapters
• One set of wear parts (piston, cylinder, bushings)
• A service kit for the first 250 hours

It's a pain to front the cost. But it's a bigger pain to have a rig sitting idle.

Step 7: Build in a Buffer for Documentation and Compliance

This is the step I keep forgetting. The equipment shows up on time, but the CE declaration or the customs paperwork is missing. Or the operator manual is in a language the site supervisor can't read. Or the compliance certificate for emissions isn't included.

For an Epiroc MT54 mine truck that came through customs in Singapore, we were held up for three days because the temporary import bond wasn't processed correctly. Three days of demurrage fees on the port, plus the truck wasn't earning any money.

Before you sign off on the order, confirm:

• All documentation (CE, AS, or local standards) is included
• Manuals are in the required languages
• Any country-specific compliance (e.g., exhaust after-treatment) is handled
• Warranty registration is processed immediately

I now request a 'documentation checklist' from every vendor as part of the order confirmation. If they can't produce one, I'm wary.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A few things I've learned the hard way:

• Don't assume 'wholesale' means 'fast'. Wholesale pricing often assumes longer lead times tied to production batches. A rush on wholesale can be more expensive than going through a distributor with stock.
• Don't forget to check the warranty start date. If the equipment sits in a warehouse for a month before installation, the warranty clock is ticking. Ask if it can start from commissioning, not delivery.
• Never rely on a single handshake agreement. In a rush, everyone is trying to help. But when things slip, you need a written commitment. Get the delivery date in the purchase order.

Honestly, I'm not sure why some vendors consistently beat their quoted timelines while others consistently miss. My best guess is it comes down to internal buffer practices—some have fat in their schedule, some run lean. But I can tell you this: the vendors who have delivered for me in a crisis are the ones who answer the phone at 6 PM on a Friday and actually know where the stock is.

This checklist isn't perfect. If you're dealing with a completely different scale of operation—say, a one-off mob of miners versus a fleet renewal—the calculus will shift. But for urgent, high-stakes surface drilling procurement, it'll save you from the worst TCO traps.