Modern Mining November 2015

PRODUCT News

SEW-EURODRIVE enhances its service offering

full suite of services, including pre-sales. Another major benefit of the merger is that additional training and upskilling will also be implemented across the two units in a bid to offer better integrated services. “Maxo-Variolution represents our elec­ tronic division, where we have already hired three new mechatronic engineers to bolster our service capabilities in this field. With regards to our industrial gear (IG) and geared motors division, we are actively seeking qualified artisans to improve our field service capabilities in these areas too,” Obermeyer continues. All local SEW-EURODRIVE IG units are assembled at the company’s Nelspruit facility, which features specialised 30-ton assembly cranes, thereby reducing costs associated with international shipping fees. Obermeyer reveals that the units can also be produced faster, which reduces project lead times. “Availability of spares and turnaround time on repairs is also minimised to fur­ ther ensure high levels of availability. Due to SEW-EURODRIVE having the expertise to assemble these units in South Africa, there is a considerable cost advantage paying in rand, as opposed to importing new parts,” he adds. Another area of customer improvement has been through the implementation of the new standardisation of logistics and assembly processes (SLAP) system at SEW- EURODRIVE Johannesburg earlier this year. SLAP specifically focuses on the goods receipt process, assembly and capacity planning, commissioning assembly, and packing and shipping. The system is estimated to have already improved operational efficiency by up to 40 per cent. As a result, a further four South African branches will implement SLAP in the near future, taking into consideration the lessons learned during the rollout in Johannesburg. Despite a prolonged slump in the indus­ trial sector, Obermeyer remains optimistic of the future outlook for SEW-EURODRIVE. “We remain in a good position, and have been awarded a number of high-profile projects ahead of our competitors. We are pressing hard to grow our market share, in spite of the economic downturn,” he continues. SEW-EURODRIVE, tel (+27 11) 248-7000

Raymond Obermeyer indicates that this has prompted an increase in demand for field service. “A general industry trend is that opera­ tions are reducing overhead costs by diverting budgets towards maintenance to extend the total life cycle of equipment. As a result, we are upgrading our service offering countrywide, by hiring more tech­ nicians and improving on internal staff training,” he states. According to Obermeyer, SEW-EURO­ DRIVE’s ultimate goal is to ensure that all of its national branches are fully capable of providing value-added after-sales service and technical support on a 24/7 basis. An example of this commitment to improved customer support is the official merging of SEW-EURODRIVE’s Variolution and Maxolution business units to form the Maxo-Variolution business unit inmid-2015. Variolution is packaged selling whereby 80 per cent of the package is standard and 20 per cent is customisable. Maxolution, alternatively, comprises a suite of fully- customisable components and services that can be tailored to project-specific requirements from start to finish. By combining the two business units, SEW-EURODRIVE will focus on offering a testing and control of the efficiency of com­ bustion, heat transfer, and milling. The integration with Torre Industries will have no negative impact on WearCheck customers, and the company will continue with normal operations. WearCheck MD Neil Robinson views the merger in a positive light. “We are pleased to be part of Torre – a solid, well-renowned group in the industry, and one which shares WearCheck’s high standards of customer satisfaction, continued investment in tech­ nology, and ongoing staff training and education. “The integration process will be phased in over several months, and we will continue to keep customers informed of any changes or improvements. We would like to reassure our customers that, as we are integrated into the Torre family, we are excited at the opportunities for development and growth that will evolve.” WearCheck, tel (+27 31) 700-5460

Raymond Obermeyer, MD of SEW-EURODRIVE.

In order to improve its competitiveness in increasingly challenging economic condi­ tions, SEW-EURODRIVE is placing greater focus on enhancing its service offering, while improving customer satisfaction. Due to a gradual slowdown in new investments, industrial operations are opting to maintain and repair existing equipment, as opposed to investing capi­ tal in newmachinery. SEW-EURODRIVE MD

WearCheck now part of Torre Industries Condition monitoring specialist WearCheck and its Set Point Group sister companies have been acquired by Torre Industries, a JSE-listed industrial entity underpinned by strong brands and products.

The scientific analysis of used oil from mechanical and electrical systems is WearCheck’s core condition monitoring service, which is used by a range of indus­ tries including mining. Additional services include the analysis of fuels, transformer oils, coolants, greases and filters. WearCheck was founded nearly 40 years ago in Pinetown, Durban, and has expanded to operate a network of ten laboratories across the African continent and beyond. Today, WearCheck has evolved into a ‘one-stop shop’ for condition monitoring, which is dedicated to the optimisation of plant performance management, and offers an additional range of monitoring tech­ niques such as vibration monitoring, laser alignment, thermal imaging, balancing, the

54  MODERN MINING  November 2015