https://www.miningweekly.com

Industrial plant rental solution effectively used in mining industry

25th October 2013

  

Font size: - +

The success of companies undertaking and executing large-scale projects in the mining sector, such as opencast mining activities, is heavily dependent on the capacity and reliability of their suppliers, says compressor hire company Rand-Air.

Further, the ability to concentrate on core business functions and eliminate unnecessary overheads is also a leading factor in the future sustainability of these companies.

“As large-scale projects are often lengthy in nature, these projects require long-term equipment rental as an alternative to tying up business funds in capital equipment. The provision of a programme that focuses specifically on long-term rentals, therefore, meets many industrial customers’ requirements and may prove to be the difference between being “just another” supplier to the industry and a preferred supplier,” says Rand-Air marketing manager Byrone Thorne.

In response to this, Rand-Air launched its Industrial Plant Rental (IPR) programme nine years ago with nine compressors.

“The programme has subsequently grown to include more than 150 machines that have been hired out on permanent, long-term rental,” says Thorne.

IPR is a customised product and service offering that enables companies to outsource the responsibility for the supply of air and power. Rand-Air provides negotiated contracts that cover the cost of machine delivery and installation, standby service, scheduled inspections, the use of standby machines when necessary, operators when needed, all maintenance, parts and labour, as well as travelling costs.

Rand-Air GM Louwrens Erasmus points out that the long-term rental option is tailored to the relevant client and industry and adds that the package consists of a fixed monthly rental fee.

Rand-Air sales manager Kim Coetzee, who was jointly responsible for establishing the IPR programme at the company, says that the benefits of using IPR are evident in the amount of repeat business that Rand-Air is awarded.

“We have a number of clients in various sectors, but the bulk of our footprint resides in the mining sector.”

Rand-Air has a sales team dedicated to the IPR service and reports that, in addition to the mining industry, it is making inroads into the food and beverage, chemicals and petrochemicals industries.

Rand-Air states that it has procured a long-term contract for a well-known underground mining operation, owing to its flexibility to adjust its offerings to the requirements of this particular client.

“All the Atlas Copco machines being supplied throughout this contract have been adapted to suit the harsh working conditions experienced in the underground mining scenario,” says Coetzee.

In addition to this, Rand-Air has also supplied an XAHS186DD Atlas Copco compressor to drilling company RoundOne Drilling Solutions on a long-term basis.

This project saw Rand-Air importing a specialised low-volume, high-pressure compressor from Belgium for the client.

RoundOne Drilling Solutions operations manager Jason Greeff points out that Rand-Air’s ability to import a customised compressor means that RoundOne Drilling Solutions has received a better suited compact compressor weighing 1.8 t, instead of the more than 6 t machine which they previously had.

Greeff says that the specialised service that Rand-Air provides is vital to the industry.

“One of our challenges at RoundOne Drilling Solutions is the remoteness of the locations where our geotechnical drilling operations take place. During our foundation drilling contracts for State-owned power utility Eskom’s power lines, we encountered difficult mountainous terrain, which made transportation of the large, high-pressure compressors that we required in these areas difficult.”

After some research and discussion, Rand-Air offered the company a suitable plant rental option to overcome this challenge, says Greeff.

Another feature of the project was that RoundOne Drilling Solutions was able to reduce production costs despite using a smaller machine.

“When we used the new compressor, an immediate result was the noticeable ease of moving such a light compressor, which could still deliver the high-pres- sure performance that we require for our drilling. “Our team now spends far less time moving equipment and more time drilling, which has increased our production by between 25% and 30%,” highlights Greeff.

In addition, the fact that the compressor has a smaller motor equated to 50% less diesel consumption.

Coetzee says that the awareness of energy efficiency and fuel consumption plays a big role in the decision-making process and is linked to cost effectiveness. “Rand-Air has always promoted the use of variable-speed drives as an energy-saving option on mines. “This is underpinned by our unequivocal emphasis on adhering to safety requirements, such as International Organisation for Standardisation and occupational health and safety standards.”

These substantial operational improvements demonstrate the importance of the relation between the client and supplier, and what can be achieved when both have a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the project.

Rand-Air’s decision-making in terms of machine selection is based on a number of calcula- tions, from the cost of the machine and the maintenance rate applied to the number of hours the machine will be working. Technical expertise and knowledge is very important to ensure that the machine is capable of performing the tasks the client requires it to undertake.

“By introducing IPR to all Rand-Air’s branches, we provide a greater level of sustainability for each region. While there remains a need for the short-term hire of compressors and generators, IPR affords clients a guaranteed revenue, even in tough market conditions,” says Thorne.

Erasmus adds that Rand-Air provides the market with peace of mind and added value through its IPR programme.

Edited by Megan van Wyngaardt
Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

Comments

Showroom

SBS Tanks
SBS Tanks

SBS® Tanks is a leading provider of innovative water security solutions with offices in Southern Africa, East and West Africa, the USA and an...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
27th March 2024
Resources Watch
Resources Watch
27th March 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:3.612 3.648s - 95pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now