In an environment where capital is not always available, making informed decisions about the acquisition of capital equipment is vital. The question that often arises amongst end users is whether to buy or to rent dewatering pumps. While there is no right or wrong between these options – depending on each customer’s unique needs – there are compelling reasons why pump rentals make sense for quarries.
The cost factor
At the height of an unsteady market, Lee Vine, MD of IPR, a leading pump rental and sales company, believes that rental of dewatering pumps can be a more financially sound decision for quarries and mines. One of the principal advantages of going the rental route is cost-effectiveness. It is important to note that purchasing a pump not only involves a significant upfront capital investment, but also ongoing expenses for maintenance, repairs and storage. On the contrary, rental allows quarries and mines to access high-quality equipment for a specific duration at a fraction of the cost.
“Renting pumps eliminates the need for a substantial upfront capital expenditure, freeing up the much needed budget for other critical investments. In addition, rental costs can be classified as operational expenses, and this is especially important where dewatering is a critical necessity, yet there is no capex available,” says Vine.
The same view is shared by IPR sales manager Steve du Toit, who says that with rental, there are no surprise expenses. A mine or quarry simply has to pay for the pump when they need it. Knowing ahead of time exactly what their pump rental will cost can help them stick to their budget, allowing them to reserve funds for other significant investments the operation may require.
“In addition to classifying rental costs as operational expenses, customers also have the benefit of having one fixed charge for their dewatering needs per month, with no ‘hidden’ costs such as maintenance, unexpected repairs and even professional training. In a nutshell, pump rental allows mines and quarries to improve their cash flow because they are not required to commit to any capital investments and other associated expenditures,” says Du Toit.
Flexibility and scalability
Renting pumps provides unmatched flexibility and scalability. Given that pumping requirements can vary in scope and duration, renting allows operations to match the right pump to the specific task at hand. “This is largely the case for quarries, where pits generally go deeper at a rapid pace. The deeper the pit becomes, the larger the size of the pump required – be it a submersible or a diesel unit. Rental offers operations the flexibility of sourcing the right pump for a particular job whenever they need to – we can adjust pump capacity or type based on the fluctuating dewatering requirements,” says Vine.
IPR understands the diverse pumping requirements for quarries and open-pit mines and offers a wide range of pump options, including Atlas Copco diesel self-priming and submersible pumps, as well as Toyo heavy duty slurry pumps. This is complemented by the in-house designed SlurrySucker dredging system. The Atlas Copco submersible pump range for dewatering starts at 0,4 kW to 64 kW, while the Toyo heavy duty slurry pump offers ranges between 3 kW and 300 kW, depending on application.
With this extensive fleet from IPR, customers can easily scale their pumping equipment to meet the demands on site. In addition, says Vine, the company offers short term, long term and rent-to-own options, thus aligning with specific project timelines and seasonal demands.
Given that quarries have to drill and blast quite often, IPR’s skid or trailer-mounted dewatering pump solutions offer the benefit of mobility to allow for these activities. These systems can be easily installed in open pits and be moved across different areas of the mine, adapting to changing conditions and requirements.
Access to new technology
Renting dewatering pumps from IPR means that quarries and surface mines can gain access to the newest pump technology in the industry. In an environment where technology is constantly evolving, says Du Toit, rental therefore allows companies to always remain up-to-date with the latest of technologies available.
“Rental eliminates the risk of having to run outdated equipment, which is often inefficient and unproductive, while also posing safety risks. By renting their dewatering pumps from IPR, customers have guaranteed access to advanced technology as we provide the newest models with advanced features, ensuring efficient and reliable performance,” says Du Toit.
Maintenance and support
Owning equipment by its nature is a costly exercise that includes other responsibilities such as services, maintenance and insurance, amongst others. Like any other capital equipment, pumps are assets that require continuous maintenance and come with high upkeep costs. By leaving the service and maintenance responsibility to the rental company, quarries and mines are able to focus on their core businesses, which ultimately increases productivity and enhances cash flow.
Operations that rent their dewatering pumps from trusted suppliers such as IPR can be confident that their equipment is always dependable and operates at peak performance because all repairs and servicing are done in-house by IPR’s expert technicians.
“We perform regular maintenance on our rented equipment, which minimises downtime and ensures operational efficiency. Our 24/7 technical support through our experienced field service personnel means that we can attend to any breakdowns in a timely manner, reducing downtime for customers. Most of our pumps have 250-hour service intervals, which means that we are constantly on customer sites to ensure that equipment runs optimally all the time,” says Vine.
Pump rentals from IPR come with access to technical expertise, assisting customers in selecting the right equipment for the right application. IPR technical experts understand the complexities of different applications and can guide customers in choosing the most suitable and efficient solution.
“Each installation starts with a detailed assessment of site-specific dewatering requirements. Through that process, our technical experts get a clear understanding of the unique conditions of the mine, such as water volume, pit dimensions and site-specific challenges. After that process, we can recommend the most appropriate equipment and strategies for dewatering, ensuring optimal performance and cost efficiency for the customer,” concludes Du Toit.
WATCH: IPR Executives discuss the economic benefits of pump rental.
