Capital Equipment News March 2018

Successful rights offer puts Basil Read on the path to turnaround

and the Industrial Development Corpora- tion (IDC) undertook to follow their rights. Mapasa acknowledged that the path to a turnaround is not a short or easy journey. “With the new cash injection, Basil Read is on a firm path towards recovery. We are cognisant of, and grateful for, the shareholders’ faith in us. There is hard work ahead, but we are ready.” b

Mapasa is confident the steps planned to effect a turnaround – for which the rights offer was key – will work. The shares, offered at a discounted price of 22 cents a share, was supported by the company’s major sharehold- ers, says Mapasa. Shareholders led by Allan Gray, PSG Asset Management, Prudential Investment Manag- ers, Sishen Iron Ore Community (SIOC) Trust

Case 885B series motor graders – available locally from CASE Construction SA – have the latest technological and design features for improved performance and enhanced productivity. “Enhancements to this range include the flexibility of a torque converter lock-up system for efficient transmission, a roll-away moldboard plough for lower fuel consumption and a re-designed cab with a larger field of vision for enhanced safety and greater operator comfort,” says Ross Collard, MD of CASE Construction SA, part of the Capital Equipment Group (CEG) of Invicta Holdings Limited. The grader range comes with a ZF transmission with a torque converter lock- up system, said to provide an increase in torque of up to 70%. The feature is suitable for heavy tasks requiring extra traction and can be locked for less de- manding work. When lock-up is engaged, the transmission operates in direct-drive mode, with electronic shift change for the six forward and three reverse gears. This mode, with increased fuel efficiency, does not require extra torque and is therefore ideal for levelling and spreading. When lock-up is disengaged by the operator at the push of a button, the transmission reverts back to working with the torque converter. Lock-up engages automatically to match torque and engine speed – as long as the pre-set electronic With R300-million in new cash in its coffers, construction and mining firm, Basil Read is on track to effect a solid turnaround, according to CEO Khathutshelo Mapasa. Basil Read successfully concluded a rights offer on 23 February 2018. The full R300-mil- lion required for repayment of the bridge loan and working capital was raised. The sale had opened on 12 February.

Improved grading performance with CASE graders

A roll-away moldboard plough is one of the key enhancements on the CASE grader range.

transmission module parameters are met. The CASE de-clutch system, which is activated when the operator applies brakes, improves handling speeds for tools, including the blade, ripper and scarifier. The de-clutch system directs all engine power to the hydraulic system at that moment the engine is disengaged from the transmission. As a result, loss of power during operation is prevented and fuel economy is improved. Another advantage of the transmission system is the option of operating in

automatic or manual mode. The operator is able to manually shift gear or opt for automatic control. The Transmission Control Unit (TCU) manages all the input of data provided when the transmission is operating and ensures optimum performance, extended service life of the machine and also im- proved operator comfort. The transmission also has a diagnostic system that detects potential problems and displays them as error codes on the panel or via a laptop connection. b

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