Keeping pace with its growth across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), official Grindex pump distributor Integrated Pump Technology is ensuring that its product support remains world class. This means growing its distributor base and empowering local agents with skills and stockholding to respond quickly to customer needs.
“Our expansion into the SADC region and beyond has been built on the proven quality of rugged Grindex pumps underpinned by the strength of our support services,” says Justin Bawden, Key Account Manager at Integrated Pump Technology. “We have therefore been continually building our growing network of agents and developing their expertise to support our end-customers.”
The company’s Grindex distributorship in Southern Africa has been so successful that its recent five-year renewal from its principals included another seven countries into which it will expand: Angola, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Bawden highlights that in-country representation – with good local stockholding and accredited repair facilities – is key to the current strategy.
“We have always prioritised our customer support, and work closely with our distributors so they are equipped to meet and exceed customer expectations,” he says.
To ensure there is sufficient stockholding close to customers, Integrated Pump Technology holds extensive stock at its Johannesburg headquarters. It also engages regularly with its distribution network to analyse customer demand and trends in each region. This, Bawden says, allows the right stockholding levels to be planned within easy reach of customers.
“This way, we make sure we keep the right equipment and fast moving consumable parts stocked and available, ensuring a quick turnaround time and less downtime for the customer,” he says. “Rapid response time is always important, especially in countries like DRC and Zambia which have some of the wettest mines in the world. Any disruption in dewatering activity can lead to mining operations being flooded, equipment damaged and production time lost.”
The company also looks for distributors with suitable workshop facilities, so that all servicing and repair work can be conducted regionally to the OEM specification. This engineering quality that these workshops deliver, he argues, is vital to minimising future downtime on the customer’s site and preventing production losses.
Training and skills transfer are other important aspects of how Integrated Pump Technology empowers local distributors. Such skills development is done either at their head office or in-country, and is conducted by experienced experts from the Johannesburg operation.
“Our strategy is to grow with the local communities in which we operate, engaging and developing talent from those areas – to serve that customer base with above average support,” says Bawden. “With our combined expertise and resources, we can help customers identify and implement sustainable solutions to their most challenging applications.”
He explains that the performance and longevity of the Grindex range of pumps is considerably enhanced by Integrated Pump Technology’s hands-on approach.
“With well trained technicians located close to customer sites it is easy to conduct regular maintenance and servicing to OEM standards, and this definitely reduces the total cost of ownership for mines and plants,” he says.
Good communication is also an essential part of Integrated Pump Technology’s formula for successful relationships with customers. Not only can distributors communicate their needs directly with the Johannesburg head office, but Integrated Pump Technology can engage the Grindex experts abroad to help resolve any technical queries.
“We back up our training with valuable user manuals and equipment documentation that help distributors and customers to ensure that Grindex pumps are optimally selected, operated and maintained,” says Bawden. “Where customers make it possible, field service teams can also conduct on-site work for certain kinds of repairs. Our focus is on reducing downtime for the customer – wherever the site is located, and contributing to them achieving the lowest total cost of ownership.”
