JCI Mining says AI-driven analytics and process automation will become essential to staying competitive.
JCI Mining positions itself as a leading opencast mining contractor based in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, South Africa. The company operates primarily in the coal mining sector, supplying Eskom power stations and producing export-quality coal for international markets. Known for its extensive use of yellow metal equipment, JCI Mining is committed to operational excellence, efficiency and cost control across its multiple sites. With a growing footprint and a forward-thinking approach, the company has long recognised the importance of robust operational and financial management systems to support its continued growth.
As JCI Mining expanded, it became increasingly difficult to manage daily operations using its existing ERP systems. Previously, it had been using Sage Pastel in combination with Excel, which served JCI Mining well for a time. However, it became clear that a more integrated and scalable ERP solution was needed to support its long-term success in an industry undergoing digital transformation.
Fact sheet
Solution: Sage X3 and On-Key by Pragma
Industry: Mining
Provider: 4Sight
User: JCI Mining
Processes such as handwritten purchase orders and cost control through spreadsheets became difficult to manage at scale, and the organisation recognised the need to transition into a more streamlined, controlled environment that would enable it to think bigger when planning its future strategy.
The goal was not just to keep up – but to lead – in a globally competitive industry that is investing heavily in digital transformation, including big data and intelligent automation powered by emerging agentic AI systems designed for adaptive, goal-driven decision-making.
The decision to implement Sage X3 marked a significant milestone in its journey. After nearly two years of discussions with 4Sight, the company officially moved forward with Sage X3 as the backbone of its integrated ERP platform, a foundation that positions the business to leverage intelligent automation and AI-driven operational insights in future.
As part of this transformation, JCI Mining successfully completed the integration of Sage X3 with its Asset Management and Maintenance system, On-Key by Pragma. This was a key phase in JCI Mining’s broader growth strategy and signalled the start of a new era for the business.
While Excel continues to play an important role, especially in an industry where it remains a powerful tool, the implementation of Sage X3 allowed the company to reduce manual processes, improve controls, manage stock levels more efficiently and perform more advanced financial reporting. After just six months of being live, the company has experienced improvements across multiple areas, particularly in operational efficiency and cost management.
With Sage X3 in place, JCI Mining has unlocked a range of capabilities that were previously out of reach. The transition to a fully integrated system has not only reduced the company’s reliance on paper-based processes, but it has also introduced new levels of control and visibility across the business. With tighter stock management, advanced reporting and integrated cost tracking, the company can now make faster, more informed decisions.
Looking ahead, JCI Mining is excited about the potential that artificial intelligence holds for the next phase of its strategy. Already, it has begun exploring AI applications in areas such as stockout analysis and demand forecasting – experiments that have yielded promising insights. The integration between Sage X3 and On-Key enables predictive maintenance planning, which is informed by service limits or warranty expiries, creating a synchronised flow of information across platforms. With AI’s ability to continuously learn and suggest the most viable outcomes, users are empowered to focus on optimising results rather than spending time compiling data manually.
JCI Mining believes that AI-driven analytics and process automation will become essential to staying competitive. Whether it is forecasting demand, automating reporting or enhancing analytics and business intelligence, AI is expected to play a significant role in improving decision-making and efficiency. As the company continues to build on the foundation laid with Sage X3, it is focused on leveraging agentic AI and 4Sight Automated Intelligence (4AI) to further scale operations, reduce downtime and drive intelligent productivity.
Quote from JCI Mining
“Change is coming – you must decide whether to embrace the change or be left behind.” Danie Oosthuizen, Maintenance and Reliability Manager, JCI Mining
