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He comes from Norway, amazing Norseman ,but built the first fully electric drill rig in China
24 Mar 2026
Without electrical infrastructure, it is possible to achieve fully electric operation?
At the just concluded 26th Xiamen International Stone Fair, I met an old friend - Johnny from Norway.
He stood in a corner of the booth, staring intently at a brand new tracked all electric hydraulic trolley. That expression is very much like a craftsman appreciating the artwork he has poured his heart and soul into.
Not only an innovator in all electric drilling rigs, but also a legendary figure in the Nordic drilling and blasting industry
Do you know, we did it, "he said to me, his tone calm but unable to conceal his excitement," becoming one of the first companies in the world to achieve all electric operation in just one day without any power infrastructure
At that moment, what I saw was not only the pride of an engineer, but also the perseverance of a 'drilling rig craftsman' towards his ideals.
Johnny at C in work with his team
A senior designer who graduated from Epiroc
Johnny is not a novice, He was once a senior drilling rig design expert at the world-renowned construction machinery manufacturer Epiroc.
where he worked for decades and accumulated profound experience that ordinary people cannot reach.
In those years, the drilling machines he personally designed were spread throughout major mines and construction sites in Europe, and every sound of rock drilling was the best proof of his professional skills.
Three years ago, our collaboration began.
Johnny specifically customized a premium quality top hammer drill bit designed by himself to our company-ProDrill.
He personally handles every detail from drawings to finished products, fromparameter adjustments to actual testing.
Over the past three years, we have cooperated seamlessly and achieved remarkable results. It is precisely this fate that gave me the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of this Norwegian engineer's way of doing things - rigorous to the point of being almost demanding, and focused to the point of being admirable.
A cross-border technological 'marriage alliance'
The real turning point comes from a referral.Under my guidance, Johnny met Chico Rock Drill Company boss Mr Hekki from Finland, a Sino Finnish joint venture in China.
On one hand, it is the top drilling rig design wisdom in Europe, and on the other hand, it is China's mature manufacturing capabilities.Both parties hit it off with one goal: to develop the world's first fully electric hydraulic drill rig.
This is not a simple product iteration, but a breakthrough from 0 to 1.
Traditional drilling and blasting operations either rely on diesel propulsion or require connection to the power grid. And Johnny's plan is bold and ahead of its time: using car batteries and trailer power packs to provide power in coordination, completely eliminating dependence on power infrastructure.
What does this mean? This means that no matter how remote the mine is or in urban areas where silent operations are required, this drilling rig can operate 24/7 with electricity.
Fill the gap in the European drilling and blasting industry
Nowadays, this fully electric drilling rig will be put into practical use in Norway and Sweden.
In the fine blasting operations in urban areas, it has won dual recognition from residents and construction parties for its low noise and zero emissions performance.
At world-class granite quarries like Lundhs ,Lavik, it takes on core drilling tasks and has become the first model in the global quarrying industry to achieve large-scale application of fully electric drilling machines.
Johnny single handedly filled the gap in electrification for European drilling and blasting equipment.
This is not an exaggeration. In Europe, environmental requirements for mines and quarries are becoming increasingly stringent, while traditional drilling and blasting equipment has long failed to break through the technological bottleneck of electrification. Johnny, with his innovation and craftsmanship spirit, opened a new door for the entire industry.
Role model of the times, craftsman spirit
In the eyes of many mining people, construction machinery is a "rough job" industry. But Johnny showed me that this can also be a "delicate " job.
He will repeatedly adjust the angle of the drill bit and Cemented Carbide height hundreds of times, argue with the team until late at night about the battery life plan, and spend the whole day squatting at the quarry site, just to personally verify the performance of the equipment under extreme working conditions.
This kind of persistence is the rarest thing of our time.
Some people say that the spirit of craftsmanship is Japan's "life hanging in the balance" and Germany's "hidden champion". But Johnny proved through his actions that the true spirit of craftsmanship knows no borders - it is reverence for professionalism, pursuit of perfection, and adherence to ideals.
As a practitioner in the Chinese construction machinery and mining machinery industry, I deeply admire and am deeply moved. We have the world's largest market and an increasingly sophisticated industrial chain, but craftsmen like Johnny who devote their entire lives to a field and strive to perfection in a product are the role models we need to learn and catch up with the most.
Johnny in life , Can you feel he is really like amazing actress of famou film " Norseman" .
Sure, the pugnacious Norsemen probably sported headgear, but that whole horn-festooned helmet look?
In conclusion
On the day the exhibition ended, I bid farewell to Johnny. He told me that the next step is to push this all electric drilling rig into a broader market.
This is just the beginning, "he said.
I have no doubt about it. Because I believe that a person who truly loves their career will never stop exploring and discovery.
Salute to Johnny - industry elite, role model of the times, and great drilling rig craftsman.
Salute to all innovators who silently cultivate and pursue excellence in the field of construction machinery.
You give cold steel warmth and soul.
