Back in 2012, the company estimated the cost of adjusting mirrors on its fleet of massive dump trucks at the Macraes mine was $48,000 a year per truck.
The trucks were running year-round, with three shifts a day, and a maintenance fitter was required to make the adjustments between drivers.
Danny Pryde, from Pryde Engineering in Dunedin, was approached to see if he could come up with a solution. Attempts had been made in the past but they had been too flimsy, he said.
Mr Pryde came up with the concept of a mirror adjuster which was driver-operated.
He made a prototype which, with a couple of minor tweaks, was trialled over the winter of 2012. The result was so favourable that Oceana Gold wanted its fleet fitted out by the end of the year.
The adjuster meant less down time as drivers could adjust the mirror to suit. It also made for better visibility - which reduced the risk of accidents - while reducing wear and damage to tyres. It was manufactured to withstand the harsh mining environment.
He believed there was ''huge potential'' for the product and he had already received inquiries from mines in Australia, Mr Pryde said.
While there were about 23 dump trucks at the Macraes mine, some of the smaller mines in Australia had between 40 and 50 trucks, so it was potentially a good revenue-earner.
If production took off, then there was the potential for a further four or five staff to be employed at the firm, Mr Pryde said.
