CRADLE TO GRAVE •
Photos by SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa
PARTNERSHIP FOCUS MARKS SUPPLIER PROGRESS IN AFRICA
In addition to offering modular products , SEW-EURODRIVE can offer purposebuilt products such as the air-cooled condensers that would be used in dry cooling towers . company ’ s culture of being close to customers wherever they are , so that service response is quicker and more effective .
“ We are very serious about implementing this culture , and we are well positioned to drive our expansion initiative into Africa ,” he says . The company has already placed staff in Kenya and Zambia and is planning to establish a presence in three more African countries during 2023 .
Placing its own people on the ground around Africa will enhance to value to customers , says McKey , especially with the company ’ s continuous development and ‘ zero complacency ’ approach to innovation .
“ Our research and development cover a wide range of fields that can benefit customers – from gearing topography to specialised gearbox oils ,” he says . “ With more sophisticated tools to analyse our own products , we have been able to offer customers even higher reliability as well as improvements in aspects such as torque demand .”
This progress has been enhanced by a strong digital offering , which Africa is already well placed to leverage . The company has some of the most advanced technology for monitoring the condition of drives , paving the way for customers to apply more proactive maintenance . Raymond Obermeyer , managing director of SEW- EURODRIVE South Africa , highlights that Africa is generally well advanced in digital communication .
Jonathan McKey , national sales director and marketing manager of SEW- EURODRIVE ( Pty ) Ltd South Africa .
As its expansion into Africa gathers pace , SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa is getting closer to customers and building stronger direct partnerships – to push modernisation and efficiency .
“ It just makes sense for our customers to have direct access to the OEM ,” says McKey , company national sales director and marketing manager . “ This is particularly relevant in Africa , where distances to sites can be lengthy and the infrastructure is often limited .”
He points out that SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa is already serving large multinational corporations around Africa who have global agreements with the company at head office level . These customers are active in industries such as food and beverage , automotive , mining and specialised machinery .
“ Big international customers want to know that all their subsidiaries around the world can receive the same high-quality service for their SEW-EURODRIVE equipment ,” he says . “ The same applies for any size of customer ; Africa is now demanding higher levels of technical support , especially in those countries experiencing economic growth and technological advancement .”
He notes that governments are also encouraging the global private sector to have a local presence in African countries and SEW-EURODRIVE is responding to that call . This fits well with the
“ Access to the cellular network makes everything possible , from selecting and buying gearboxes to monitoring and analysing their performance remotely ,” says Obermeyer . Indeed , the range of the company equipment has been designed to use multiple communication methods , and to communicate to every device from SCADA systems to computers and mobile phones . Systems like DriveRadar ® can therefore be installed on a product and monitored from anywhere in the world where there is data signal .
Given this depth of technology and innovation , McKey emphasises that direct contact with customers is preferable to working through a ‘ middleman ’. Through its extensive and ongoing training efforts , the company upskills its own employees and customer staff , to fully understand both the operation and the potential of its technology .
“ We have invested in our in-house Drive Academy for precisely this purpose which can provide skills development in-person at our Johannesburg facility or remotely ,” he says . “ This creates a symbiotic relationship with customers , where we support each other in the trend towards modernisation .”
This applies to the company ’ s modular ranges as well as to its purpose-built products – such as the air-cooled condenser ( ACC ) solutions . Greater in-house expertise also ensures that constant advancements are brought to customers ’ attention . A recent example of this was the evolution of the robust X series industrial gear units to the state-of-the-art Generation X . e units , delivering new possibilities in performance , safety and efficiency .
Obermeyer points out that the most advanced SEW-EURODRIVE products are already found all over Africa , showing how the continent has embraced technology . The company ’ s expectation is that this equipment is supplied and maintained to the same highest standards anywhere in the world . The growing footprint of the company ’ s branches across Africa will ensure that this is achieved , he says .
www . africanmining . co . za African Mining Publication African Mining African Mining • September 2023 • 41