Serco Johannesburg expands service

Bitzer heads to

West Africa

HVAC Expo

Serco facility

The new Serco repair facility in Boksburg, Gauteng.

From 10 to 12 July, compressor specialist Bitzer headed to Lagos, Nigeria, to showcase its product range, including its most important innovations, at the 2018 West Africa HVAC Expo.

Bitzer was a principle on the stand of one of their Nigerian agents, First Class Group Limited. At their stand in Hall 1, visitors were able to experience compressor models relevant for the African continent.

This was only the second HVAC show to be hosted here( the first having taken place last year) and Bitzer sees potential for it, in time, to grow into a key HVAC & R trade fair for Africa.

Bernhard Blaeser, managing director Bitzer South Africa, states,“ We see high growth potential for refrigeration and air conditioning in Africa, which is why we’ re maintaining various offices in Africa, from where we can better support our business partners and users in the particular region. The West Africa HVAC Expo 2018 is a great opportunity for us to solidify our business here.”

Bitzer opened an office in Nigeria in early 2017, reporting to Bitzer South Africa and getting organisational support from there.

At the expo in Lagos, Bitzer exhibited a selection of product solutions for the West African markets, including its Ecoline semihermetic reciprocating compressors, its CSH compact screw compressors, and Ecostar condensing units. They won the‘ best booth’ award for their exhibit.

At this year’ s show, there was a lot of general interest from various HVAC & R training institutes, as well as the Nigerian Association of Refrigeration and Air- Conditioning Practitioners( NARAP). Visitors included a selection of end users, consultants, contractors, and installers. All and all a good show for Bitzer, who had good business-to-business meetings at the show with some potential industrial processcooling partners, as well as interested potential new agents in Nigeria. CLA

Local truck body and trailer manufacturer Serco has upgraded and expanded its Boksburg repair facility to further improve service delivery to customers.

Serco managing director Clinton Holcroft says the investment in infrastructure and facilities, which significantly increases the factory’ s undercover area, is yet another indication of Serco’ s confidence in and commitment to the future of the South African economy and reflects the company’ s determination to keep raising the standards of service it offers customers.

The impressive extensions comprise 10 full-length trailer bays, each measuring 18m × 6m— a total of 1 080m ² of extra workspace.

One of the bays is fully equipped to function as a spray booth and includes extraction ducting, fans, inlet filters, and flameproof LED lighting.

Meanwhile, three of the enclosed bays operate as a steel shop for the construction of subframes and other steel structures.

The remaining six bays are used for repairing insulated and dry freight bodies and trailers.

Three-phase and single-phase power sockets as well as compressed air outlets have been installed in all work areas.

Over and above this, a paved area of 2 400m ² has been added to service an additional 20 vehicles in fully serviced outside work bays.

Holcroft said a great deal more undercover working space is now available.“ This will help service delivery— particularly when the weather is poor,” he said.

The area previously used for repairs will now be used for storage of materials, which will free up additional space in the new body manufacturing factory, also located on the property.

“ The increase to our existing facilities in Johannesburg will help us improve turnaround times for repairs and increase the volumes we can handle. With rising business confidence in South Africa, and Johannesburg being the logistics hub of the country, we believe Serco is well placed to handle the business increase and we are optimistic about the tremendous potential available,’’ said Holcroft.

The expansions in Johannesburg follow extensions to Serco’ s Durban factory premises and the introduction of injected polyurethane( PUR) foam panel manufacturing technology.

Said Holcroft:“ The significant investments made by Serco over these past few years reflect a commitment to offer the latest technology to the industry while striving to increase service delivery.” CLA

Photos by Bitzer

The Bitzer stand which won them the‘ best booth’ prize at this year’ s West Africa HVAC show.

At the stand, from left: Harjeet Chhatwal, sales and marketing development manager, Bitzer Nigeria; Bernhard Blaeser, managing director, Bitzer Kühlmaschinenbau South Africa; and Viola Huth, business development manager – Africa, Bitzer Kühlmaschinenbau GmbH, Germany.

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