Industry: Mining
For several years, South African leading coal mining has trusted Donaldson’s Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) solutions, achieving significant savings and sustainable operational improvements. By switching to Donaldson Blue® air filter, the mine saved over 50% annually on filter parts for its EH3500 Dump Trucks fleet.
Challenge: Operational Downtime
The mine was originally using standard cellulose air filters, which required filter changeout at 2000 hours. These frequent changeout caused significant downtime, maintenance costs, and hindered productivity.
Solution: Donaldson Blue® Air Filters
To reduce maintenance costs and frequent downtime, the mine trialed DBA5038 Donaldson Blue® air filters with Ultra-Web® media technology. These filters were tested against the standard cellulose filters. Donaldson’s Ultra-Web® technology delivered cleaner air and longer filter life. The trial proved significant cost savings and improved operational efficiency.
Results: Boosting Filtration Efficiency
The trial demonstrated substantial improvements:
- Extended Lifespan: Donaldson Blue® air filters lasted over 6,277 hours, significantly outperforming standard filters.
- Reduced Maintenance Costs: Fewer filter replacements, downtime and associated labor costs were minimized.
- Delivered Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Achieved cost savings of over 33%.
Filter Change Out: Hours:
- Standard Media P140036: replacement at 2,000 h and 4,000 h
- Blue Media DBA5038: replacement only after 6,000+ h
Conclusion: Proven Value with Donaldson Blue®
The coal mining company’s decision to trial Donaldson Blue air filters solution led to exceptional cost savings and operational efficiency. By extending filter life and reducing hourly costs, the fleet achieved a competitive edge in an industry where every hour counts.
No F210077 (04/26) © 2026 Donaldson Company, Inc. Reserves the right to change or discontinue any model, part, or specification at any time and without notice. Important clarification
Decisions regarding warranty in any individual case rest with the equipment supplier and, in the event of a dispute, with courts, arbitrators, or other competent authorities. Donaldson is not a party to these warranty agreements, cannot interpret or modify them, and does not guarantee the outcome of any specific warranty claim.
