Mechanical Technology August 2015

⎪ Materials handling and minerals processing ⎪

Willie Nel, Atlas Copco distribution centre manager, talks about the value of consolidated service delivery for the high-quality products from three Atlas Copco business areas, namely Compressor Technique, Construction Technique and Mining and Rock Excavation Technique. Distribution centre enhances customer

A tlas Copco South Africa’s Jet Park Distribution Centre (DC) ensures the streamlined deliv- ery of world-class product and service solutions to south and Southern African mining and industry. The global industrial group serves customers by “delivering sustainable productivity solutions through the supply of compressors, vacuum solutions and air treatment systems, construction and mining equipment, power tools and as- sembly systems” according to Willie Nel, Atlas Copco DC manager. “Atlas Copco considers customer service excellence as fundamental to its sustained success,” he adds. “To achieve excellence in this field, our service and after sales service must match our world-class product quality every step of the way,” says Nel. “This is where our massive, highly organised and reliable DC – located at our state-of-the art 78 000 m 2 facility close to OR Tambo International Airport – takes centre stage. The DC enables us to enhance our customers’ service experiences across the board through the delivery of high

quality, end-to-end product and service solutions. “The DC has made it possible for us to consolidate the warehouse and logistics and to centralise and sup- port three Atlas Copco business ar- eas, namely Compressor Technique, Construction Technique and Mining and Rock Excavation Technique, which includes Rock Drilling Tools (RDT) and Exploration Products Africa (EPA).” The Atlas Copco business areas ben- efit greatly from the DC’s capabilities, which include parts and equipment distribution to local and neighbouring countries, export to various destina- tions and the supply of a consolidated storage and distribution service locally and to neighbouring countries. “We also operate a structured system whereby customers can collect from one central point,” adds Nel. The DC supports national and regional activities including regional workshops and adds value for Atlas Copco branches through parts replenishment. The centre currently handles a total of 15 000 product lines for the three business areas

Christopher Ngubane, a material handler, operating one of the Hubtex forklift trucks in the Atlas Copco Distribution Centre. with another 2 500 lines for the mining business area to be added. Nel explains that personnel at the DC endeavour to dispatch all items on the same day they were picked and pick slips are batch- released twice a day to ensure as many back orders are covered as possible. Special care is also taken to ensure that all breakdown deliveries, emergencies and special requests are handled as per customers’ requirements. “In other words, the DC enables us to standardise on high levels of service and ensure that all customers from all the business areas are treated equally.” The DC comprises a total area of 20 800 m 2 of which 9 750 m 2 is under roof, where smaller product lines, acces- sories and spare parts are stocked. The remaining 11 050 m 2 is yard area with ample space for storing a wide range of capital equipment for all the business areas including surface and underground drill rigs and various other mining equip- ment, compressors, generators, explora- tion equipment, road building machinery and pedestal booms. The DC presented Atlas Copco with an ideal platform to create jobs and embrace good Employment Equity and B-BBEE practices. All supervisors and the major- ity of managers are Employment Equity personnel. The entire DC team consists of 40 employees: 33 members are on the floor to take responsibility for picking, packing and dispatching and seven people look after administration and management.

The Atlas Copco Distribution Centre Team is responsible for the streamlined delivery of world-class product & service solutions.

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Mechanical Technology — August 2015