Braking company developing Africa presence

According to a report by the African Development Bank in the ‘Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook of Africa’ publication, 11 African countries featured in the world’s 20 fastest growing economies in 2023, which is why braking systems manufacturer and supplier of safety-critical subsystems for rail and commercial vehicles Knorr-Bremse sees significant growth potential on the continent.

Considering the increasing likelihood of opportunities, the German company has plans to expand further into Africa.

Knorr-Bremse commercial vehicle systems GM Alex Bester explains that the company is developing into the Southern African market, following its prior establishment in West and East Africa.

Bester notes that a part of Knorr-Bremse’s development strategy will be the leveraging of its partnerships with local distributors in the region. He explains that the company aligns itself with strong partners, such as Wilex, German Tech, OTC and A&K, as they understand the African market, including the demands and needs of end-users, such as bus fleets.

Additionally, Bester notes that during the company’s visits to Africa, it became noticeable that the continent’s inhabitants are “hungry for technical information” with a focus on brakes, adding that Knorr-Bremse would like to support the spread of technical information and facilitate knowledge transfer with local companies.

To that end, Knorr-Bremse will have a strong focus on providing technical support to its end-users by supplying technical training to clients.

Bester adds that Knorr-Bremse representatives located in East and West Africa will be responsible for this technical training, in addition to providing technical and innovative solutions.

Meanwhile, in Southern Africa, Knorr-Bremse technical sales and service manager Armandt Pretorius – who will be based in Gauteng – will roll out a part of Knorr-Bremse’s strategy called the “road map”, in regard to both South African distributors and those in countries north of the border.

The road map includes the roll-out of a technical hotline in South Africa as well as sub-Saharan Africa.

Bester notes that Pretorius will be conducting the technical training solutions, while also offering his expertise and aiding diagnostics analyses to help diagnose issues with vehicles while in the field.

“It can be difficult to deal in Africa . . . and if you look at all the negatives and all the difficulties, that will stop you from pursuing business opportunities in Africa. You have to move beyond that point and focus on the end goal,” states Bester, implying that a more realistic outlook, rather than a solely pessimistic one, can prove beneficial when approaching business on the continent.

He concludes that the end goal for both Knorr-Bremse South Africa and Knorr-Bremse AG is to further its reach and influence on the continent, with the current strategies in place targeting tangible results by 2030.