Earlier this year, sub-Saharan Africa importer and distributor of submersible pumping solutions Integrated Pump Technology (IPT) appointed Democratic Republic of Congo- (DRC-) based pumps company Congo Pump Solutions as its sole distributor in the DRC.

Congo Pump Solutions supplies a range of Grindex submersible pumps mainly to DRC’s underground mines, many of which are expanding in response to growing demand for minerals globally.

Run by experienced Congolese personnel, IPT MD Jordan Marsh says the appointment of Congo Pump Solutions is an important strategic step in boosting the footprint of the Grindex range of submersible pumps.

He notes that Congo Pump Solutions has already made considerable headway in the country’s mining sector. “Mines in the DRC operate in one of the world’s wettest mining environments, so the performance and reliability of their submersible pumps is a priority for mining companies.”

In line with the success that the Grindex range has achieved in Africa to date, Marsh adds that IPT has experienced a good start to the brand’s entrance into the DRC.

Congo Pump Solutions CEO and chairperson Trésor Kamazani highlights that one of the leading mines in the DRC has Grindex making up about 70% of its on-site pump population.

Kamazani explains that among the main pump features of interest to customers are the integrated starters on the drainage pumps which include run-dry capabilities, as well as cooling jackets and agitators on slurry pumps.

“An important aspect of our success to date, though, is our ability to understand and anticipate what our customers will need. We accurately forecast demand levels, and plan for those in our operational strategy. This allows them to have the necessary stock available and to deliver fast turnaround times when customers are in need,” he says.

To ensure solid aftermarket support, Congo Pump Solutions has set up a workshop facility on site at its largest mining customer.

A multipurpose workshop is also under development to service Grindex pumps to the same high standard achievable in South Africa by IPT.

Popular among the underground drillers at the mining face are the Grindex Master H and Master SH 10 kW dewatering pumps, and Master Inox pumps for corrosive applications where the water is acidic.

These pumps are typically used to pump water from a mine’s face to a collection point, where it is common for a pump, such as the 37 kW Grindex Maxi, to be employed – pumping into a larger “fish tank” repository.

To dewater in these applications, as many as six of the 90 kW Grindex Mega pumps have been put to work at a time, pumping water to a main pumpstation which dewaters to surface.

Kamazani points to the take-up of Grindex pumps in slurry applications, where the Bravo range is more suited for submerging in heavy-particle slurry.

“This has made the Grindex Bravo range a good choice for using around the process plant, where they must often deal with corrosive slurry,” he says.

These pumps, Kamazani says, are known for being strong, and range from the 4.7 kW Bravo 200 to the 70 kW Bravo 900.

The sludge pumps within the Grindex range have also seen good market reception, with customers using them extensively around underflow thickeners in their plants.

He notes that the stainless steel configurations of the Grindex Salvador, Sandy and Senior models are particularly appreciated where sludge is corrosive.