The presence of strong local capabilities and sustainable customer relationships at Electra Mining Africa, being held in Nasrec, Johannesburg, this week, has confirmed to drive and automation specialist SEW-EURODRIVE that customers are seeking not only the highest levels of innovation and workmanship, but also comprehensive support throughout the full lifecycle of their drive solutions.

This commitment to lifecycle support has been central to SEW-EURODRIVE's evolution in Africa in recent years, including its ambitious Phase 2 development at its headquarters in Aeroton, Johannesburg, says SEW-EURODRIVE national sales and marketing manager Jonathan McKey.

"Our objective has been to further strengthen our trusted partnerships by localising more capabilities and supporting customers across the full lifecycle of their equipment," he explains.

"Customers know us as a reliable original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) and we have now strengthened that relationship through additional engineering services, faster turnaround times, greater quality control and a genuine single-source solution for drivetrain support."

This broader engineering philosophy is being demonstrated at Electra Mining Africa, where visitors can experience the company's integrated approach to drivetrain support.

SEW-EURODRIVE is showcasing technologies spanning intelligent drive systems, condition monitoring and digital diagnostics. Its DriveRadar predictive maintenance system has attracted particular interest, alongside its energy optimisation tools and medium-voltage motor solutions.

"Rather than presenting these as standalone products, the exhibition allows us to demonstrate how they integrate into a complete lifecycle support strategy for mining and industrial operations," McKey says.

"We are able to share our depth of engineering expertise with visitors and demonstrate the extent of our local investment, which enables us to provide the comprehensive lifecycle support they are looking for."

A significant element of SEW-EURODRIVE's strategy is its continued investment in local infrastructure. By bringing more engineering capabilities in-house, the company has reduced its dependence on multiple subcontractors, improving quality assurance while shortening repair lead times.

Capabilities within the recently completed Phase 2 development include motor rewinding, steel fabrication, shaft manufacturing, stress relieving, sandblasting and complete load testing.

"This approach gives us tighter control over repair standards and pricing," McKey says. "It also gives customers confidence that critical drivetrain assets are restored to OEM specifications."

Complementing these capabilities are the company's Experience Centres, where customers can evaluate proposed solutions through simulations.

SEW-EURODRIVE business development electronics manager Willem Strydom explains that many customers want to pursue productivity improvements and greater energy efficiency but cannot simply stop production to test new technologies.

"We have, therefore, invested in Experience Centres where we can replicate real applications," Strydom says.

"Here, we can compare existing equipment with proposed solutions and allow customers to see the results before making an investment decision."

Applications such as conveyors and automation systems can be replicated, enabling customers to test SEW-EURODRIVE's software, hardware and energy optimisation strategies before implementation.

"This significantly reduces implementation risk for operations that cannot afford unplanned downtime," he says.

McKey also emphasises that these investments have been made with a clear focus on improving both equipment performance and customer sustainability.

"Customers come to us for solutions, so we focus on engineering the complete package," he says.

"This starts with selecting the correct equipment and extends to supporting the installation, programming and lifecycle management that ensures it delivers the expected performance."

Importantly, these services are offered not only for SEW-EURODRIVE equipment but also for drive-related assets from other OEMs. The company's expanded engineering capability enables it to develop technical solutions for a wide range of brands and components.

He also highlights the value of SEW-EURODRIVE's consultative engineering approach.

"This means we begin engaging well before a purchase decision is made," McKey says.

"Our engineering teams review a customer's initial specification and analyse the application to determine whether a more efficient solution is available."

Using detailed energy assessments and application studies, engineers can frequently identify opportunities to optimise drive sizing, reduce installed power and lower operating costs without compromising production performance.

"These engineering interventions improve both energy efficiency and total cost of ownership, while helping customers meet increasingly demanding sustainability targets," he explains.

Strydom notes that digitalisation is becoming an increasingly important component of SEW-EURODRIVE's strategy. Intelligent condition monitoring enables maintenance teams to identify developing problems long before they become critical failures, allowing planned intervention rather than costly emergency repairs.

"Our DriveRadar demonstrations at Electra Mining Africa showed visitors how remote asset monitoring enables plant managers to oversee equipment performance across multiple operations from laptops, tablets or mobile devices," he says.

"By providing real-time asset condition data, maintenance teams can prioritise interventions based on actual equipment health rather than fixed maintenance schedules, improving equipment availability while reducing unnecessary maintenance expenditure."

McKey believes a fundamental shift in maintenance philosophy is under way, with technology playing a central role in eliminating unwanted surprises from plant operations while helping customers work smarter.

"We believe digital technologies enhance skills rather than replace people," he says.

Training, therefore, remains a cornerstone of SEW-EURODRIVE's partnership model. Its expanded DriveAcademy provides training for artisans, technicians, engineers, foremen, reliability specialists and management teams, with programmes tailored to specific operational requirements.

The curriculum extends beyond mechanical equipment to include electronics, automation, programming, condition monitoring and modern drive technologies.