Availability of the right equipment – and the expertise to ensure ongoing performance – are proving to be important differentiators in the market for Integrated Pump Technology, as it forges further growth in Africa as a dewatering pump specialist for the mining sector.

Good stock levels are crucial in responding to customer’s urgent dewatering needs, says Jordan Marsh, Managing Director at Integrated Pump Technology – and this was once again confirmed at the latest Electra Mining Africa exhibition.

“With visitors to our exhibition stand coming from all over Africa, it was clear mining customers need a dewatering equipment partner who is responsive and has the right equipment in stock,” says Marsh. “They also need quick turnaround times on the larger diesel-powered pumps, which we can achieve with our Godwin units.”

The mining regions in which Integrated Pump Technology operates have some of the wettest mines in the world, where dewatering is essential for safe and efficient operations. With its range of Grindex submersible pumps and Godwin diesel driven pumps, the company has the depth of experience and local expertise to provide the optimal dewatering solution.

“In one of our recent customer engagements in Zambia, we supplied suitable 90 kW pumps to a contractor who urgently needed to dewater a section of a mine,” he explains. “Due to our deliberate policy of holding extensive stock in-country, we could quickly get the units on site so that the customer could achieve their goal even quicker than they had planned.”

In addition to timeously receiving a quality solution, the customer also has the comfort of Integrated Pump Technology’s distributor’s high level of experience and knowledge of the product – which is further backed up by the company’s field staff who support its distributor network. Marsh highlights that the company’s localisation policy ensures local distributors are carefully chosen for their knowledge of customer needs, their regulatory compliance and their technical resources.

Holding good stock levels of relevant equipment is one aspect of being able to respond quickly to customers’ emergencies. Another important element is being able to put together pumps systems locally, he says. 

“With our well-equipped technical facilities in South Africa, we apply our ‘local build’ approach to speed up the supply of the larger self-priming diesel pumps,” he says. “We know that mines can face lead times of 22 to 30 weeks when they order a fully-assembled pump from abroad. We can do the same job in just two to three weeks, all in accordance with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications.”

The long lead times for overseas builds are often due to the availability of diesel engines in the country of assembly, he points out. By leveraging its local partnerships with diesel engine OEMs, Integrated Pump Technology can rather source its engines in countries like South Africa. This allows the company to bring in only the wet end of the system, to conduct the assembly locally – and closer to the customer.

“With our strong technical capability, we provide the option of trailer or skid mounted diesel driven pumps,” he says. “The customer may also have a preference for a certain make of diesel engine, to suit their on-site skills set; we engage with a range of OEMs and can source various options for the customer.”

Marsh notes that similar priority is placed on the technical capabilities of its distributors, as Integrated Pump Technology regards their distributors’ in-country workshops as an extension of its own facilities. For this reason, these workshops are inspected and accredited, so servicing and repairs can be conducted to OEM standards. Skills development is also a key part of the process.

“When we appointed our distributor in Zambia, for instance, we brought the technical staff to Johannesburg for specialised training in working on our equipment,” he says. “This includes understanding the detailed procedures for stripping and repairing units, which they can practice hands-on in our facility.”

Integrated Pump Technology’s success in southern and central Africa is now opening doors for further expansion into west African countries, he adds. With the confidence of their OEM partners behind them, the company will soon be making its complete offering of Grindex and Godwin solutions available to the mining and other sectors in this region.