Trident

What Trident does

Trident South Africa (Trident SA) is a Johannesburg-based (Germiston, South Africa) industrial manufacturer of underground mining equipment, founded in 1969 and currently operating as a subsidiary of MOGS under Royal Bafokeng Holdings since November 2010. The company holds the global manufacturing rights for the Goodman brand of mining locomotives and the world rights for the Eimco Rocker Shovel loader range, both acquired through IP and asset purchases between 1997 and 2003. Its core product portfolio spans battery-powered and trolley-line locomotives (3 to 20 tons), Eimco rockershovels (12B through 632H series), air loaders, mono-rope winches, DC motors, and a proprietary lithium battery pack with integrated Battery Management System (BMS) and WIFI monitoring launched in 2022. Trident operates a vertically integrated manufacturing facility in Germiston comprising machine shops, assembly shops, a fabrication shop, motor division, spare parts warehouse, training centre, and locomotive test track, producing approximately 240 locomotives per year of which 90% are battery-powered.

The company sells primarily to enterprise underground mining operators through direct sales and a screened network of international sales agents active in 13+ countries across Africa, the Americas, and Asia, complemented by reseller agreements with Mining Equipment Limited (USA) and Deton Engineering. Revenue is generated via hardware sales (locomotives, rockershovels, air loaders, winches, motors, lithium battery packs), spare parts distribution through a dedicated online parts portal, and paid training services. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Trident holds ISO9001 certification and BBBEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) status — a regulatory credential that is commercially significant in South African mining procurement — and serves customers including Mponeng, Moab, K4, Spud, Richard, Joel, Barberton, Saffy, and Blyvoor mines for lithium battery fleet monitoring applications.

Name

Trident

Legal name

Trident South Africa Pty Ltd

Website

https://tridentsa.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Trident South Africa is a Germiston-based industrial manufacturer of underground mining equipment — including Goodman locomotives, Eimco rockershovels, air loaders, winches, DC motors, and proprietary lithium battery packs — sold globally to enterprise mining operators through direct sales and a network of international agents across 13+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Mechanical Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (333613), Battery Manufacturing (33591)

SIC

Mining Machinery & Equip (No Oil & Gas Field Mach & Equip) (3532), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile Power, Electrification & Energy Systems (Generators, Substations, Battery/Hydrogen, Trolley Assist) (IMAKANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Battery Modules & Packs (Industrial/Commercial pack assembly) (IMAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Underground mining equipment
• Battery locomotives manufacturing
• Rockershovel loaders
• Lithium battery packs mining
• Mining winches and motors

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Mining Equipment Sales: Trident manufactures and sells locomotives, rockershovels, airloaders, winches and DC motors to mining operators. Production volume of approximately 240 locomotives per year with 90% battery powered.
2. Spare Parts Distribution: The company operates a dedicated spare parts distribution warehouse and parts portal for ongoing maintenance and support of installed equipment base.
3. Training Services: Trident SA offers comprehensive training on operating and maintaining its equipment for customer personnel.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Trident SA manufactures and supplies underground mining equipment including Goodman locomotives (3 to 20 ton battery, trolley, and combination configurations), Eimco rockershovels, air loaders, mono rope winches, DC motors, and proprietary lithium battery packs. The company manufactures approximately 240 locomotives per year and holds global manufacturing and distribution rights for the Goodman and Eimco brands. It also provides spare parts, training services, and the Lithium Connect battery monitoring platform.

Product overview

Trident SA is a South African mining equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of underground mining machinery. The core product line includes the Goodman brand of locomotives (ranging from 3 to 20 tons, available in battery, trolley, and combination configurations), Eimco rockershovels (12B through 632H series for various gallery sizes), air loaders (CAVO 320, LM57, LM71), mono rope winches, and lithium battery packs for their locomotive fleet. The company also manufactures additional mining equipment including the DataKing production machine monitor, Argo brake distance tester, and various material handling equipment. The product architecture follows a modular approach where locomotives are available in battery-powered, trolley-powered, and combination configurations, and lithium battery packs serve as an upgrade alternative to traditional lead-acid batteries across the locomotive range.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lithium Battery Packs for Goodman Locomotives Smart lithium battery packs with integrated Battery Management System (BMS) for Goodman 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, and 15 ton locomotives and 20 ton combination units, offering 2-hour charging, 10-year expected lifespan, flat voltage discharge curve, WIFI status reporting to surface offices, and retrofit compatibility with existing Goodman fleets with no locomotive modifications required. Target customers are underground mining operators using Goodman locomotives.
• 3 Ton Battery "Wolf" Locomotive Small battery-powered locomotive for underground mining operations on rail gauges of 500mm to 600mm, featuring two powerful motors suitable for small mining operations.
• 3 Ton Trolley Line Wolf Locomotive Small 2-motor locomotive powered by overhead trolley line for small underground mining operations.
• 4 Ton Trolley Line "Wolf" Locomotive Small 2-motor locomotive operated via overhead trolley power source for small underground mining operations, on rail gauges 457-600mm.
• 5 Ton Battery Locomotive Single motor locomotive powered by the 75D motor, designed for underground mining applications with a simple and tough build.
• 10 Ton "Millennium" Locomotive 2x75D powered locomotive drivable from either end of a train via controls in the locomotive, caboose, or remote control unit; successor to the legacy Goodman design and the flagship new locomotive from Trident after acquiring Goodman global manufacturing rights.
• 10 Ton Battery Locomotive 2x75D motor workhorse battery locomotive configurable for various haulage requirements with available high-tech options for underground mining.
• 15 Ton Trolley Line Locomotive Large Goodman locomotive powered by overhead trolley line for hauling large loads over longer distances in underground mining operations.
• 20 Ton Combination "Big Mama" Locomotive Large locomotive for hauling large loads over longer distances, usable in combination configuration where two locomotives on either end of a train can be operated from either locomotive.
• 12B Rockershovel Smallest Eimco rockershovel in Trident's range, designed for small galleries, uses disc valves, and is widely used globally for underground mucking.
• 12AC Rockershovel High performance variant of the 12B with spool valves for underground mining mucking in small galleries.
• 12E Rockershovel Fully electric version of the 12B Eimco rockershovel, providing silent, powerful operation and lower cost of ownership thanks to electric powerplant efficiency, for small-gallery underground mining.
• 21B Rockershovel Standard Eimco rockershovel workhorse of the global mining industry, designed for medium-sized galleries.
• 21AC Rockershovel Upgraded 21B rockershovel with spool controls and lubricator for additional power in medium-sized underground galleries.
• 215 Rockershovel Upgraded version of the 21B rockershovel with Powerswing and spool controls for additional power in medium-sized underground galleries.
• 26B Rockershovel Largest rail-bound Eimco rockershovel with spool valves and power swing, designed for medium to large underground galleries.
• 26H Rockershovel Electro-hydraulically powered rockershovel offering maximum efficiency with a powerful drive chain and near-silent operation for medium to large underground galleries.
• 26B Slope Rockershovel 26B rockershovel with additional winch for operating on inclines up to 13 degrees in underground mining.
• 630 Rockershovel Shaft sinking rockershovel capable of filling a kibble quickly and efficiently, operating on dozer tracks at extreme angles for shaft sinking applications.
• 632H Rockershovel Pneumatic-powered rockershovel using on-board hydraulics to power its bucket with side tipping functionality; dozer tracks allow operation anywhere for shaft sinking and underground mining.
• CAVO 320 Air Loader Wheeled air loader for trackless underground mining operations to clean up where rails don't exist and galleries are small.
• LM57 Air Loader Vane-motor operated loader equivalent in size to Eimco 21B with powered slew and spool controls, an industry workhorse for small to medium underground galleries.
• LM71 Air Loader Powerful loader with vane motors, spool controls, and powered slew for maximum efficiency in medium to large underground galleries.
• Trident Mono Rope Winches Winches manufactured from high-quality materials on numerically controlled equipment with sealed gearboxes and cartridge-mounted bearings, designed for South African underground mining conditions.
• Other Mining Equipment (DataKing, Argo, Tugger Hoists, Scraper Winches) Additional mining equipment including the DataKing production machine monitor, Argo brake distance tester, Tugger Hoists, and Scraper Winches for material handling and equipment monitoring in underground mining.
• Spare Parts Distribution and Portal Dedicated spare parts distribution warehouse at the Germiston facility plus the online Trident Parts Portal (tridentsaparts.co.za) for spare parts ordering, supporting the installed base of Trident and Eimco underground mining equipment.
• Equipment Operator and Maintenance Training Comprehensive training on operating and maintaining Trident underground mining equipment, delivered at the in-house Training Centre at the Germiston facility and to customer personnel globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Charging time reduced from 8 hours to 2 hours
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Mining Equipment Limited (USA)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMining Equipment Limited based in Durango, Colorado, USA manufactures Diesel Locomotives, Rolling Stock, Jet Air fans and Mining hoists. Mining Equipment Limited represents Trident in the USA and Trident sells their equipment in South Africa.
• Deton EngineeringminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDeton Engineering manufactures a wide range of mining equipment. Trident SA represents them in South America, enabling cross-regional distribution of mining equipment products.
• The Goodman Equipment Company (Chicago)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerIn April 2000 Trident purchased Goodman Technology rights for the African continent. In May 2003 when The Goodman Equipment Company of Chicago ceased operations, Trident became the global manufacturer of the Goodman brand, producing the Millennium Locomotive and the full range of Goodman locomotives.
• Eimco (Rocker Shovel Technology)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerIn 1997 Trident acquired world rights for the entire range of Eimco Rocker Shovel loaders. This gave Trident the rights to manufacture and sell the Eimco rockershovel product line globally, including models for small, medium, and large galleries.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Liebherr: Liebherr manufactures mining equipment including underground loaders and trucks as part of a broader heavy equipment portfolio. Overlaps with Trident in underground mining haulage and materials handling.
• Caterpillar: Caterpillar offers a broad mining equipment portfolio (underground and surface) through its Cat Mining division, including the R1700 underground loader and battery-electric prototypes. A larger, diversified incumbent that overlaps with Trident in underground mining customers.
• Komatsu: Komatsu supplies a wide range of mining and construction equipment including underground hard-rock loaders and trucks, with growing battery-electric offerings. A broad incumbent whose mining segment overlaps with Trident's underground customer base.

Direct peers

• Becker Mining Systems: Becker Mining Systems supplies rail-mounted underground mining equipment including locomotives, monorails, and energy distribution systems. Comparable to Trident in mining locomotive and rail-bound materials-handling equipment for underground operations.
• Epiroc: Epiroc manufactures underground mining equipment (loaders, trucks, drilling equipment) with a strong push into battery-electric machines. Directly comparable to Trident's underground mining equipment focus and represents the leading BEV mining equipment competitor.
• Clayton Equipment: Clayton Equipment (UK) designs and manufactures battery, diesel, and trolley locomotives for underground mining and tunneling. Directly comparable to Trident in narrow-gauge mining locomotives and is a head-to-head competitor in the global locomotive market.
• MacLean Engineering: MacLean Engineering manufactures underground mining vehicles including battery-electric loaders, trucks, and bolters. Directly comparable to Trident in supplying battery-electric mining equipment to North American and global hard-rock mines.
• Sandvik: Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions supplies underground mining equipment including loaders, trucks, drills, and rock tools. Comparable to Trident in serving hard-rock underground mining operators with a focus on productivity, automation, and increasingly battery-electric equipment.

Emerging players

• XCMG: XCMG is a Chinese heavy equipment manufacturer expanding aggressively into mining and underground equipment markets globally. Represents the low-cost emerging competitor that could pressure Trident's price points in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
• RDH Mining Equipment: RDH Mining Equipment (Canada) specializes in battery-electric mining equipment including Load-Haul-Dump vehicles and trucks. An emerging specialist competitor to Trident in the battery-electric underground mining transition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/southtrident
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trident-south-africa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trident