Local company invests in significant rental fleet expansion

Compressor and generator rental company Rand-Air has introduced 52 new generators, ranging between 60 kVa and 500 kVa, to its rental fleet.

The generators arrived earlier this year from the original-equipment manufacturer and supplier Atlas Copco and have subsequently been fitted with trailers and distribution boards which have been permanently mounted on the generator trailer. The company installs these features to the generators to provide rental customers with optimal convenience, accessibility and mobility on site.

Rand-Air fleet and service manager Craig Swart explains that the new generators were rented swiftly to clients once all the above features were incorporated. The company – a division of Atlas Copco, from which it sources its generators – rents out the generators to many vertical industry sectors, including the construction, mining and petrochemicals industries, as well as film and events companies across Southern Africa.

“We ensure that our generators adhere to the strictest standards of safety and quality at all times. All units are fitted with 4-pole lockouts, strobe lights and the lifting points are tested and certified. The units are also fitted with fire extinguishers, wheel chocks and reflective tape for good visibility,” he says.

Maintenance

Rand-Air regularly services and load tests its entire fleet to ensure that the generators are in optimal operational condition. The company also regularly assesses whether a generator is still capable of functioning at maximum output, depending on the operational life cycle of the unit to date, and removes them from the rental fleet if they are not.

Swart explains that the company focuses on the supply of prime power, however, they are also capable of supplying standby power should customers require it.

The company has 12 branches across the country to service rental customers. These branches are supported by a nationwide team of 42 trained technicians responsible for the installation, service and maintenance of generators, compressors and other construction equipment, such as lighting towers.

He points out that the company is continually training new technicians and only employs technicians who have qualifications in relevant industries, such as millwrights, electricians and diesel mechanics.

Updated Technology

The updated or latest version control units on the new generators enable them to work in synchronisation (‘series’) with one another and to provide more power accordingly. This eliminates the option of having to use larger units that are not easy to transport.

“We can have four 500 kVa units running together to produce 2 000 kVa. This requires that the control units communicate with each other and synchronise the power streams,” Swart concludes.