German packing and mineral processing specialist invests in local branch

The Southern Africa subsidiary of global packing and minerals processing specialist Haver & Boecker is being assigned to increase after-sales service support, thus expanding the German group’s presence in Africa, says Haver Southern Africa GM Demelza Mulligan,

adding that, with its extensive experience in Africa, Haver Southern Africa has a proven record for cement packing and palletising and is looking to branch into additional packing, processing and mining industries.

Established in 2008, Haver Southern Africa maintains and services packing and screening machines throughout Southern Africa from its headquarters in Honeydew, Johannesburg.

The Haver Group also has an office in Nigeria and a sales representative in East Africa. With more than 50 subsidiaries worldwide, Haver currently has manufacturing plants in China, India, Brazil and Canada, in addition to its Germany-based head office.

“Our products are the fastest on the market. For instance, we can produce 6 000 bags of packaged cement an hour and our machine lasts longer than our competitors’ machines, when properly maintained and serviced – often more than 20 years,” says Mulligan, adding that the company recently replaced a screening machine in Namibia after it had been working for 30 years.

With a staff complement of five, Haver Southern Africa offers spare parts, as well as maintenance and repair work.

Mulligan notes that staff from the German office often visit the local office for skill transfer, and to assist with client acquisitions. Local staff members also visit Germany regularly for further training and development.

Meanwhile, Mulligan tells Engineering News that Haver is aiming to invest more in the South African market and hire more people to grow its local sales and service teams, citing the hiring of more technicians as an example. “We are focused on growing our service offering, as the market is increasingly interested in after-sales service and local support.”

Mulligan adds that the company’s part-owner and current president of German engineering association VDMA, who visits South Africa once or twice a year, has made it clear that Africa is the company’s focal point in terms of growth. “We are, therefore, confident that the company has the necessary support to grow its market share in the next two years,” she highlights.