Global equipment manufacturer, Astec Industries, has announced a new dealer partnership with Zinpro RDC SARL in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It will enhance the service, support and sales in the region of Astec Material Solutions equipment, which includes crushers, screens and feeders, as well as washing, classifying and material handling solutions, modular plants and rock breaker technology.
Zinpro RDC SARL is a leading engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) company, specialising in turnkey projects for the mining industry in the DRC.
Astec’s premium equipment and brands, including Astec Osborn machines, already have a strong presence in the DRC and have earned a reputation for quality, performance, innovation and longevity.
“Robust Osborn-brand crushers and apron feeders, which are now part of the Astec Industries portfolio, have been especially successful and sought after in the DRC’s tough mining industry,” says Serge Tshula, general director at Zinpro RDC SARL. “However, it was sometimes onerous for major customers in the country to work closely with a supplier outside the country to place orders and secure technical support. This challenge will be a thing of the past,” he stresses.
The new partnership will also create jobs in the DRC and ensures compliance with current Congolese law. Tshula elaborates: “Regulations require that subcontracting be carried out by predominantly Congolese companies. Proximity to customers is now an obligation. Zinpro RDC SARL expects to hire more than fifteen people in the near future to bolster our technical and commercial departments in order to serve Astec Industries customers. This number will grow in the coming years.”
In addition to job creation, this partnership will drive skills development. Tshula notes that new Zinpro personnel in the DRC will receive training to ensure they are knowledgeable, skilled and up to date on all of the equipment in Astec’s Material Solutions division.
The addition of an Astec Industries showroom to Zinpro RDC SARL’s facilities will allow potential customers to view equipment and discuss the details, features and benefits with the local dealer’s Astec equipment specialists, he adds.
According to Tshula, there are new business opportunities for Astec Industries equipment in a number of projects in the DRC, including in the South of the country in the Katanga region and in the Haut-Uele province in northeast DRC.
Kevin Mgiba, Astec Industries regional sales manager for Southern and East Africa, says that the group is excited about the new partnership with Zinpro RDC SARL. “Having an in-country partner will grow Astec Industries’ footprint in the DRC and optimise aftersales service and technical support in the country. It reflects Astec’s unwavering commitment to continuously improving our service to our existing and potential customers. We chose to partner with Zinpro RDC SARL because they are a highly regarded, well established local business that is perfectly positioned and well qualified to handle sales, provide immediate technical assistance and supply spares for Astec Industries’ wide range of crushing, screening, rock breaking and material handling equipment.”
Mgiba notes that the dealer partnership in the DRC will minimise delays in shipping spares from Astec Industries’ different global manufacturing sites, including its Johannesburg facility. “Zinpro RDC SARL will stock the critical and wearing spares for customers, so they will benefit from immediate access to them and reduced downtime. Zinpro will also carry out regular site visits to ensure that seamless aftersales service is provided to Astec Industries customers in the DRC,” he states.
