Swedish mining company Boliden (New Boliden) has appointed local industrial 5G network “challenger” Radtonics to deploy a private 5G network at its mine in Garpenberg, in Dalarna County in Sweden. Boliden produces zinc, copper, lead, nickel, silver, and gold, at mines in Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Ireland. The Garpenberg mine is “one of the world’s most modern”, according to Radtonics. The Swedish startup vendor beat other 5G supplier to the gig, it said.
Stockholm-headquartered Radtonics claims a “unique solution, experienced employees, and a partner organisation”. It offers “performance-based and cost-effective [4G/5G] solutions”, it said. The company has offices in Melbourne, Sao Paulo, and Lisbon, and a handful of Industry 4.0 deployments scattered in these markets. Its private 4G/5G solution is based on an enhanced version of open-source packet core network solution, Magma.
The deployment for Boliden is to establish a “communication channel” for “autonomous transport… at the mine”, a press statement said. “The project aims to develop new technology in autonomous transport,” it said, referencing operational efficiencies, reliability, and sustainability. It said: “Boliden chose Radtonics after a procurement process where several 4G and 5G options were evaluated. In the end, it was Radtonics’ solution… that best met Boliden’s stringent requirements.”
Patric Lind, co-founder and chief executive at Radtonics, said: “The fact that Boliden chooses Radtonics as its industrial 5G partner in this strategically important project is a confirmation that our technology and knowledge meet the industry’s requirements for robustness, reliability and innovation. We are very proud and look forward to a good cooperation with Boliden.”
Radtonics has a deal with Swedish sawmill company Fiskarheden, announced in late 2022, to deploy a private 5G network at a facility in Transtrand, also in Dalarna County. Fiskarheden was one of the first companies in Sweden to take a local licence for a dedicated private 5G installation. “The 5G network will provide a solution enabling Fiskarheden to be one of Europe’s top-five most-digitalised sawmills,” said Radtonics at the time.
The firm has a big focus on the Brazilian industrial market, it seems. It has partnerships with Brazilian telecoms firms Brisanet and Biazi Telecom, as well as with ‘field digitalisation’ firm IX Serviços Digitais, all signed in 2021, to “accelerate the wireless connectivity expansion” in Brazil. Last year, it acquired technology provider Code Adder, author of the modular telecom services Adder platform.
