MANUFACTURING
Kim Kemp
Fabrication staff bending up box sections for rigid box frame chassis .
The person who is giving you the machine is there for you . After a phone call , Dezzi is here — it makes life easy .” Another benefit Shozi adds is that there is no cost involved in having to keep spares on the premises because of the mine ’ s proximity to Dezzi ’ s vast stores holding .
The harsh working environment involving moving tonnes of rock necessitates the machines being serviced every 250 hours , so Shozi elected to take out a Dezzi service plan . He cites an instance how , within an hour of making a call to the OEM regarding a pedal issue on one of the machines , the problem was resolved by a Dezzi technician .
Gutzeit adds , “ We have a rigorous inspection routine where we not only service the machines , but we also inspect and do a bit of greasing every week . Because of our proximity to the mine , we have included this in our service plan , as the preventative maintenance in this industry saves a lot of money .”
Another mine where the equipment is being used to its fullest is Edendale Quarries , located in Matatiele , in KwaZulu- Natal , near the Lesotho border .
Freddie Nicholls , quarry manager of the dolerite open mine / quarry , supplying into the building and road infrastructure
We have a saying in this company , ‘ Just bring the spots and we ’ ll make the guinea fowls ’.”
Desmond Gutzeit – founder
market , has several pieces of a mixed fleet evident on the mine . Nicholls says that the decision to add Dezzi to the mix was based on his introduction to the OEM back in 2002 where , in his previous position on a crushing facility , he was exposed to a Dezzi 20-tonne dumper . Then , a year later , he adds , Edendale Quarries purchased a similar Dezzi dumper as well as a 2300 Dezzi loader .
He says that when he started working at Edendale Quarries in 2015 , “ those same machines from 2002 were still here ”. They have since been traded in on a new 25-tonne dumper .
“ Why Dezzi ? Well , they are very rugged , the factory is local , and the service we get from Carl and the team is excellent .” He points out that such is the service , that that morning Gutzeit had dropped off tips for his TLB on the way to the interview . “ I phoned him yesterday afternoon at 16:00 and this morning they were dropped off .”
Nicholls adds that the relationship with the OEM goes back to a sound relationship that the business has enjoyed over the years with founder patriarch , Desmond Gutzeit . “ When I was a youngster in 2000 , ‘ Uncle ’ Des ’ s courtesy was great , and I even got to work in the Dezzi workshop to do a Dezzi gearbox there , at no cost .” He adds that the parts back-up “ is brilliant ” and explains , “ If I phone today and need a part urgently , I collect it and am back before the close of business .”
Pragmatically Nicholls emphasises , “ That ’ s if there is a problem . Realistically , there isn ’ t a piece of equipment in Africa that doesn ’ t have a problem at some stage . The equipment comes with an under-service warranty and because I have worked with them for a long time , they trust me to do the first service . Thereafter , I do all the maintenance on the machines and they do all the major services .”
Nicholls adds with a chuckle that the new machines are “ really comfortable and more developed , with a lekker soft seat and an air conditioner and radio ”.
18
SEPTEMBER 2018