My Epiroc Office Buying Guide (and the one thing I keep forgetting)

If you're an office administrator or procurement person responsible for ordering Epiroc parts, service agreements, or even new equipment, you know the drill (pun intended). This guide is for you. I've been managing these orders for about 5 years, and after a few expensive mistakes (note to self: always verify the invoice format), I've settled on a checklist. It's pretty straightforward, but there are a few steps most people miss.

Here's a 5-step checklist I use for every Epiroc order, from a small rock drill part to coordinating a service schedule for a Scooptram.

Step 1: Verify the Part Number (Seriously, Do This First)

This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised. Our mechanics would call in with a description like 'the hydraulic filter for the Boomer S2.' I'd search the Epiroc catalog, find something that sounds right, and order it. Twice, I've ended up with a $400 part that doesn't fit because the machine had a field modification (ugh).

Here's the fix: Don't rely on the verbal description. Always, and I mean always, get the specific part number from the machine's serial number or the mechanic's manual. Epiroc's parts portal (MINE or whatever your local dealer uses) is pretty good, but only if you have the right starting point. I keep a spreadsheet of the serial numbers for our 'Jumbo S2' and 'Boomer 282' machines for exactly this reason.

Step 2: Check for Epiroc Fortescue Partnership Deals

This is a bit of a niche one, but knowing which of your customers or projects are tied to major partnerships can save you a lot of money. For instance, if you're ordering for a site linked to the Epiroc Fortescue partnership, there might be a preferred pricing or a specific supply chain setup. Not all local offices or dealers advertise these. You have to ask.

How I handle it: Before placing a big order (say, over $5,000), I check my list of active projects against known partnerships like Fortescue. I'll ask the Epiroc sales rep at our local office: "Are we on any corporate contract? Is there a framework agreement for this site?" It feels a bit pushy, but honestly, they expect it. I've saved about 12% on one order this way.

Step 3: Contact the Right Epiroc Office

This is the step I messed up for my first 18 months. Epiroc has regional offices and local service centers. When I started, I'd call the main number for 'Epiroc office' and get transferred around until someone in Stockholm or Prague said they couldn't help with a local delivery in Kalgoorlie.

My rule now: The level of support you get is directly tied to whether you're talking to the right geographic office. For a standard order, I go straight to our local dealer's parts desk. For complex stuff (like a new underground loader order or an Automine package), I contact the regional sales office—usually the one in Chile or India, depending on who's managing our account. I keep a contact list with names like 'Steve from the Czech office.' I call them, because they know our machines. (Really, it's easier.)

Step 4: Get a Detailed Quote (Not Just a Price)

Don't just accept a price quote over the phone. For any order over a few hundred dollars, I ask for a formal quote via email. And here's my little secret—I look for three things on that quote, not just the total:

• The exact part number (see Step 1).
• The lead time (not 'usually in stock,' but a confirmed date).
• The 'valid until' date and freight terms.

My sample limitation: my experience is based on about 200 orders with various Epiroc offices. If you're doing a massive tender for a mining truck fleet, your process will be different. But for 60-80 orders a year for parts and service, this works. I once had a quote for a 'WSG' rock drill component that didn't specify the model variant. I thought I was buying one thing, but the invoice was for something way more expensive. Take it from someone who learned the hard way: get it in writing.

Step 5: Confirm the Invoice Process (The Step Most People Forget)

This is the one that burned me. In my second year, I ordered a $2,400 breaker part from a new vendor (not directly Epiroc, but a sub-supplier). The price was great. They delivered on time. But they sent a handwritten receipt. My finance team rejected the expense report, and I was stuck with the cost out of my department budget. I lost $240 in a bet with myself that it would be fine. (I lost.)

Fix this upfront: When you first contact a vendor, especially for a large order or a specialized item like a 'Pulverizer' attachment, ask: "What is your standard invoicing process? Do you provide an electronic invoice with our PO number? Can you do Net-30?" If they blink or say 'we can do whatever you need,' get it in writing on the quote. I now verify the vendor's invoicing capability before I place any order over $500. Period.

Final Thought

To be fair, Epiroc's own dealer network is generally pretty good about invoicing. But you'll rarely be ordering everything from one office. You'll use local service centers, Epiroc Fortescue program parts, and maybe even a secondary vendor for consumables. The fundamentals haven't changed—verify the part number and confirm the invoice process—but the execution has. What was best practice in 2020 (like just trusting a phone call) doesn't apply in 2025. Be thorough, but don't overcomplicate it. Just follow the checklist.

"I'm not 100% sure, but I think using this checklist saved me about $3,000 in the last year. Roughly speaking."

Prices and processes are as of January 2025; verify current formats and pricing at your local Epiroc office.