History

The business was established in 1983. AARD, based near Johannesburg, South Africa, designs, manufactures, services and supports a wide range of mining equipment, specializing in low-profile underground machines for mines with low mining heights. The high-quality products include drill rigs, bolters, loaders, scalers, and more. The company’s customers are mainly in the Southern Africa region.
Our timeline
1983

Boart a subsidary of Anglo American Corporation started designing and manufacturing hydraulic rock drills in the UK for the underground mechanised mining market

1992

Boart Longyear enters the mining equipment market by purchasing a utility vehicle (UV) range from Southern Denver

1999

Boart Longyear purchases GHH Mining SA (Pty) Ltd and enters the load haul dumper (LHD) market

2002

Boart Longyear develops and launches low profile drill rigs and utility vehicles. Drifter manufacturing facility relocates to South Africa (from UK)

2005

Anglo American sells Boart Longyear to Advent Equity Company

2008

The capital equipment division of Boart Longyear is sold to a consortium consisting of: Nedbank Capital Private Equity, Matasis Mining Equipment (a BBBEE group) and management. This new entity is registered as AARD Mining Equipment Pty Ltd

2009

AARD purchases corporate offices and manufacturing facilities in Chamdor, Gauteng

2013

AARD establishes subsidiaries in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

2018

AARD becomes wholly owned by Matasis Mining Equipment Pty Ltd.

2023

Stockholm, Sweden: Epiroc, a leading productivity and sustainability partner for the mining and infrastructure industries, has completed the acquisition of AARD Mining Equipment, a South African mining equipment manufacturer.