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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
SEPTEMBER
2017
52
EARTHMOVING
SDLG is the number one brand of wheeled
loaders in China, and SDLG products are
now available on six continents and in over
38 countries with production increasing
yearly and new markets opening up as
technology develops.
Volvo Construction Equipment acquired
SLDG in 2006. Babcock, which distributes
and delivers an aftermarket support
capability to various OEMs (including Volvo),
was awarded the dealership for SDLG in
2011, explains Sheppard.
Building a new brand
“Since being appointed as the regional
distributor for SDLG, Babcock, who handles
the sales and aftermarket support, has been
building the SDLG brand in southern Africa,”
says Rieger, who was in South Africa visiting
customer sites where SDLG machines are
being put through their paces.
“All of the sites we visited have made
repeat purchases which attest to SDLG’s
quality and the service support by Babcock
meeting customer requirements and
standards. SDLG’s pay-off line, ‘Reliability
in Action’ summarises just that.” Rieger
says, “We supply robust products, based
on well-proven technology, with excellent
aftermarket support.”
Strategic partner
“The SDLG product is a good complement
to the products that are produced by Volvo.
We can broaden the scope of the products
we offer when it comes to different
customers. In that sense it is strategic,”
says Rieger.
“Most premium brands (vehicles or
equipment) have developed value brands
to enter a market segment which they
have not occupied before. The ‘strategic
partnership’ is to find avenues to increase
turnover in a growing market. By doing that,
they strengthen their presence in the market
as a group,” Sheppard elaborates.
Chinese brands in Africa
Sheppard says that African countries
outside southern African are susceptible
to sub-standard Chinese products. “There
are contractors who use inferior equipment
from China and if they break, they die there.
This is largely due to the spec variances
sold to them compared to what we sell
and support.”
Selling across border
It is interesting to note that the majority
of machines that SDLG sells across the
South African border, are sold to South
African-based companies. “The majority of
blue chip companies buy and register the
machine here and export it themselves. This
gives them the right to bring it back into
the country again. Exporting a unit that is
bought in a neighbouring country requires
costly red tape.” says Sheppard.
When machines are bought in South
Africa and transported to a destination,
SDLG has six branches throughout the
southern African region (outside South
Africa) to maintain and support these
machines. Sheppard explains that repairs
can range from a Vehicle off Road (VOR)
breakdown that can be fixed on site to more
serious breakdowns where the vehicle will
either be repaired on site (if the job site has
the facilities for this) or at the workshop of
the country branch.
Marketing the brand
“Babcock’s ability to support SDLG goes a
long way,” says Sheppard. “Customers buy
the machine for maximum uptime. When
a machine breaks down, it is about how
quickly you can repair the product. Our
back-up is our strength.”
BUILDING A BRAND
Construction World
recently spoke to SDLG marketing communications
manager for sales region EMEA, Magnus Rieger, and regional manager
– export region, for Babcock International, Grant Sheppard – about the
SDLG range of construction equipment distributed and maintained in
South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique
by Babcock International,
The latest on offer from SDLG is the new
F-series wheeled loader.