NANA/Lynden Logistics, LLC recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its bid to take over the onsite trucking services for Red Dog Mine near Kotzebue, Alaska.
During that time, the 50 drivers and mechanics that make up the core of the team have moved more than “57 billion pounds of zinc and lead concentrates, 320 million gallons of fuel and 1 million tons of freight between the Red Dog Mine and port site 52 miles away,” according to the company.
“When we took over in 1999, we inherited tractors and trailers from the prior contractor and immediately saw an opportunity to improve the equipment to a more stable, environmentally safe and productive design,” said General Manager Mark Tatlow. “We switched from a 9-axle tractor trailer set with a dolly to an 11-axle trailer set with the rear trailer connected directly to the lead trailer. This allowed us to increase our payload from 170,000 pounds to 280,000 pounds. We eliminated the dolly and pintle hitch between the two trailers, so they are connected by a single connection point for increased stability. We also added a solid lid to the trailers and eliminated the side dump doors to reduce dust escaping during transport.”
“We are proud of our partnership with NANA and the shareholder and non-shareholder drivers and mechanics at the mine,” Tatlow said. “Each day they safely and professionally operate specialized equipment in the harsh Arctic environment and have contributed to the dramatic improvements we have seen over the past two decades.”
