A MANUFACTURER of digger buckets has seen a major order leave for a Siberian mining project.

Sunderland-based Hispec Manufacturing (HSM) has completed delivery on the £130,000 order for 19 bucket attachments from the owners of the remote Northern Russian mining operation.

The buckets, some weighing up to 2.8 tonnes and measuring up to three cubic metres, are designed and manufactured for heavy duty digging and rock tearing excavation.

HSM commercial director, Alex Roberts said: “These buckets will start their working life in some of the harshest and coldest winter environments. They’re as tough a test as we’ll find for any of our products.”

“It’s especially pleasing to deliver to a client who put a similar order into us three years ago. It’s testament to the quality and reliability of our buckets at HSM.”

HSM was established less than four years ago to deal specifically with orders of this nature, becoming a dedicated production arm of Birtley-based sister company MST, which continues to trade in the supply of undercarriage, parts, rubber tracks and maintenance and servicing of earthmoving machinery.

Together, the two organisations employ more than 100 people, with HSM employing 35 at its factory on the bank of the Wear at Pallion.

HSM supplies bespoke buckets to mining and excavation projects globally, with its products currently now in action in parts of Africa, Australia, South America, Canada and Eastern Europe.

Mr Roberts added: “There is no denying that there has been a slow down in the last few years of major excavation and mining projects globally. However there are clear signs that those managing these projects are prepared to invest in top quality products and we’re very pleased to see a definite upturn in industry activity in recent months.”