The ManiTrax 35-t tow tractor is ideal for underground and confined spaces. It has received various modifications since it was unveiled at Electra Mining Africa in 2014
Delegates visiting Manitou Southern Africa (MSA) at Electra Mining Africa will discover a lot more about the company’s aftermarket service and support offering.
Market demand has seen a proactive increase in Manitou’s aftermarket offerings and has led to its customer-centric approach. Included among the increased services is Manitou’s innovative short-term rental offering for up to 24 months.
Manitou’s customer focus at the exhibition will be complemented by recent machine and attachment innovations on display.
Each has been tailored to reduce customer costs, achieved through increased machine versatility, resulting in faster operations, improved uptime and increased safety.
Some of Manitou’s latest innovations are its enhanced 28 t conveyor belt handler attachment, which reduces mine conveyor belt handling time from days to hours; the 16 t tyre handler attachment, which offers a 5 t improvement on its 11 t predecessor, significantly reducing tyre-changing time; the upgraded Manitou 35 t tow tractor, which is designed for underground use, but also fully adept in above-ground mining applications and its improved flameproof and mining specification equipment, which originated in South Africa but is now manufactured in Italy for the worldwide market.
While not a recent development, Gehl has introduced bigger and better versions to complement its articulated loaders range to cater to customer requirements.
The new models are the Gehl AL 650 and Gehl AL 750 with rated operating capacities of 2 800 kg and 3 300 kg respectively.
The latter will be showcased at this year’s show.
“In addition to developing cost-effective machinery and equipment, after delivering the required equipment, standard or customisation, we focus on providing customers with exceptional aftermarket support,” says MSA MD Lindsay Shankland.
Aftermarket Offering
MSA’s service and maintenance contracts form the bulk of its aftermarket offering, which are provided 24/7 in-line with industry standards, and offered by each of Manitou’s 14 dealerships countrywide and across the border.
Manitou’s improved aftermarket service offering includes:
- A short-term rental fleet: a service offering innovation that began in September 2015 with 11 machines only, and has, subsequently, grown to a fleet of 35 machines in under one year. The fleet comprises telehandlers, access platforms, skid steers and track loaders, forklifts and rough terrain forklifts.
- An extended warranty: Manitou’s extended warranty has been further extended to 60 months, providing additional peace of mind for customers.
- Rapid response: for critical breakdowns Manitou technicians are positioned to respond within four hours, dependent on geographic limitations.
- Spares: a 95% stockholding of all movable parts ensures fast turnaround times from order to delivery, reducing equipment downtime.
- Service contracts: basic services, including parts replacement, which also helps customers keep in-line with warranty requirements.
- A full maintenance contract: includes all parts, labour and travelling with a guaranteed cost for five-years or 12 000 h to negate excessive inflation.
- Finance packages: a long-standing Manitou offering incorporating both lease and rental packages helps customers get the equipment they need at the most affordable option.
“Our customer-centric approach with an increased focus on aftersales service and aftermarket offerings has helped MSA achieve significant growth,” Shankland elaborates. “We have outgrown our current premises and the opening of our new premises coincides with Electra Mining Africa 2016. These premises, comprising 15 000 m², in Chloorkop, Gauteng, are also tailored to customer service with no less than 4 980 m² dedicated to workshop facilities and a 5 000 m² warehouse to be completed by 2018.”
Hall OS Stand C13 and C16