This year marks a major milestone in Powerscreen’s history – 60 years of revolutionising the material processing industry. Equally, ELB Equipment – the sole Powerscreen dealer in southern Africa – marks its own important landmark – 30 years of representing the Powerscreen brand in the region. Behind the 30-year milestone is a partnership rooted in trust, performance and shared success.
“This is a very meaningful milestone for us at ELB Equipment. Representing Powerscreen for 30 years in southern Africa is something we are genuinely proud of. It speaks to the strength of the relationship we have built, but more importantly, to the consistency of the team that has carried the brand forward over the years,” says Wakefield Harding, Divisional Director – Mining at ELB Equipment.
He points out that a big part of what makes it special is the customers. Some of them have been with ELB Equipment for more than 40 years, which says a lot about the trust that has been built over time. Those relationships, he stresses, do not happen by chance – “they come from showing up, doing the work and backing what you sell”.
“For me, this milestone is not just about looking back. It is really about recognising the foundation we have built and making sure we keep pushing forward from here,” says Harding.
Major milestones
Over the past 30 years of distributing Powerscreen in the region, ELB Equipment has had an array of milestones, but a few stand out. The biggest, says Harding, has probably been the expansion of the Powerscreen footprint across southern Africa and building ELB Equipment into a formidable, recognised solutions provider in the industry.
Opening up 12 branches in South Africa was another major step. It changed the way ELB Equipment supports customers – faster response times, better parts availability and being physically closer to where the work is happening.
Over the years, ELB Equipment has also introduced multiple generations of equipment into the market and grown with its customers across mining, quarrying, recycling and construction. Over time, that has helped the company build a strong and very capable aftermarket support structure.
“But what I value most is probably the long-term relationships. Some of the customers we deal with today have been with us for decades. That kind of loyalty only comes from doing things properly over a long period of time,” says Harding.
More recently, he adds, taking the distributorship of LiuGong about 18 months ago has been a very positive move for the business. It has complemented ELB Equipment’s offering well and added real depth to its earthmoving and construction portfolio.
Two awards
ELB Equipment’s consistent, long-term commitment to client success has not gone unnoticed. The company recently scooped two Powerscreen accolades – Global Dealer of the Year and Regional Dealer of the Year awards.
Receiving the two awards was a proud moment for the whole ELB Equipment team. Commenting on the key metrics to scooping these awards, Harding says it was not about one thing – it came down to consistency across the board: sales performance, aftermarket support, customer satisfaction, and how ELB Equipment cares for the brand in the market.
“If I had to sum up the real driver behind it, it is experience. We have people in the business who have been in crushing and screening for over 40 years. That level of knowledge makes a big difference when customers are making decisions on high-value equipment,” he says.
Another strength is that ELB Equipment does not just offer one side of the solution. It can support customers across earthmoving and construction, as well as crushing and screening, which means the company is solving full operational needs, not just selling machines.
Aftermarket, stresses Harding, has always been at the heart of how ELB Equipment operates, which is where long-term relationships are built. Besides the expansion of the branch network, the company has also invested heavily in strengthening its technical teams.
“Experience matters in this industry, and having specialists who understand crushing and screening inside out makes a huge difference when customers are under pressure to keep machines running,” he says. “At the end of the day, it is not just about selling equipment – it is about keeping customers productive. That is where we have always focused our energy.
“And then, of course, the product range itself plays a big role. Having a strong, proven range of mobile equipment backed by solid aftermarket support is what keeps customers coming back,” he adds.
Successful models
Speaking of the product itself, Harding tells Quarrying Africa that Powerscreen has over the long term built a strong reputation across the entire mobile crushing and screening market, with a few key ranges having standout success in southern Africa.
The Warrior range stands out for heavy-duty screening. It is built for tough conditions, and that reliability is exactly what customers in mining and quarrying environments need.
The Chieftain range is one of the most widely recognised screening solutions globally. It is dependable and performs across a wide range of applications.
On the crushing side, the Premiertrak range of jaw crushers and Maxtrak range of cone crushers have been very successful because they deliver consistent production, strong product shape and are straightforward to operate and maintain.
“Across the board, the common thread is simple – these solutions work in real-world conditions. They are built to handle tough African applications, they are easy to maintain, and they hold their value well. That combination is what has driven long-term success,” says Harding.
Evolving market
As with any other capital equipment market, the mobile crushing and screening landscape has evolved over the past 30 years. In the early days, says Harding, equipment was far more basic and operations were very hands-on. Productivity was there, but it required more manual intervention and less focus on automation or efficiency.
“Today, everything has moved up a level. Customers expect higher output, better fuel efficiency, improved safety and more intelligent machines. There is also a much stronger focus on reducing operating costs and improving uptime,” he says.
One of the biggest shifts has been the move towards mobile solutions. Flexibility is now critical – customers want to be able to move equipment quickly, set up fast and adapt to different sites without major downtime.
“Having a broad range of solutions has allowed us to stay aligned with that shift and support customers as their needs have evolved,” says Harding.
Emerging trends
Commenting on some trends taking root in the market, Harding believes that the biggest one is efficiency. Customers want more production with less cost. That means better fuel consumption, smarter machine control and reduced downtime. Customers want machines that are versatile and able to work in a variety of applications.
Technology is also becoming a lot more important. Telematics, remote monitoring and predictive maintenance are now part of everyday conversations, not future concepts. Customers want data to help them make better operational decisions.
“We are also seeing heightened demand for hybrid and more environmentally-conscious solutions, especially in larger operations where sustainability targets are becoming more important. Powerscreen has a number of alternative fuel options available to meet these demands, including plug-in hybrid and fully-electric machines,” says Harding.
Positive outlook
Looking ahead, the outlook for Powerscreen is very strong, says Harding, stressing that the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has been one of the market leaders for 60 years and is only getting stronger.
The brand has always adapted well to market changes and customer needs. Over the next ten years, he adds, the market will see more automation, more fuel-efficient solutions and greater integration of machine data and remote monitoring.
In Africa specifically, reliability and support will remain the key drivers. Customers need machines that perform in tough conditions, but just as importantly, they need strong local backup – and that is where ELB Equipment believes it adds real value.
“We are proud of what has been achieved with Powerscreen over the past 30 years, and equally proud of how the business has grown over time. The focus now is simply to keep improving, keep supporting our customers with practical, reliable solutions, and to continue building on that foundation,” concludes Harding.
