Diversified power management company Eaton Electric is focusing on developing its market share in South Africa and Africa by backing up its product offering with engineering and support services.

Eaton Electric marketing manager Mark Strydom notes that the contribution from services to sales rose by 30% over the past year, while overall turnover increased by 8%.

The group’s aim is to increase its services-related revenue by 25% a year and to provide training and certification for the employees, customers and partners, says Eaton Electric regional sales integration manager Eleonore Gonnelle.

“Eaton wants deeper engagement with its customers and we are building an experience centre where engineers can use our systems. Engineers like to experience the functionality of systems and we will also use the experience centre to train our clients and partners in Africa,” says Eaton Electric production line manager Athol Hankey.

Further, the company wants to increase its market share of medium-voltage distribution equipment, while not losing focus on its heavy-industry and mining clients that use its motor control centres and heavy-duty equipment, he says.

Global power management giant Eaton Corporation acquired South African electrical equipment manufacturer CHI Control in 2011 and the global corporation changed its manufacturing practices to meet international best practices, specifically the 5 S system of lean manufacturing that emphasises neat work, waste reduction and high health and safety standards, notes Strydom.

“Eaton also delivers responsive services to customers, as downtime for our industrial customers costs them enormous amounts of money, which necessitates good service and support,” he says.

Eaton Electric South African sales leader Rory Reid notes that the integration of the company’s divisions has enabled it to use as many of its own components in its manufacturing processes as possible. Eaton Electric has a steel process, copper process and servicing and repairs division, as well as a testing and research and development division. This enables the company to use its in-house exper- tise and manufacturing experience to review its processes and products to improve its manufacturing continuously.

Eaton’s production lines have been streamlined and its 5 S lean manufacturing principles, mandated by the global parent, have enabled it to materially improve the efficiencies of each of its workers by providing them with half-hourly production goals and daily feedback.

The manufacturing practices result in more equipment being manufactured using less space and fewer work hours than before, highlights Reid.

Eaton’s divisions operating at its Wadeville premises, in Germiston, are broadly divided into power distribution, including motor control, electrical systems and industrial automation, and power quality, namely its uninterruptible power supply (UPS) equipment and services.

“Eaton has also established a centre that evaluates the requirements of commercial and technology tenders so that the company can quicken its response times and engagements with market opportunities,” he says.

“Our focus to use our own components for manufacturing, improving our services and increasing the spectrum of equipment Eaton supplies to projects throughout Africa is a strategic decision not to be dependent on a single market,” concludes Hankey.