Having secured the Southern African distributorship for French tower- and self-erecting crane producer Potain, service provider Crane & Hoist Equipment SA expects to continue its sustainable growth path over the next five years, says sales director Louw Smit.

The distributorship, effective as of January 2019, includes Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland. Smit explains that Crane & Hoist Equipment SA’s mandate is expected to expand into the rest of sub-Saharan Africa over time.

He notes that the company has already completed work in Sudan, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Ghana, and suggests that the mining sector – particularly in West Africa, as it is experiencing a significant amount of mineral exploration and investment – could present growth opportunities for the company in the medium term.

Crane & Hoist Equipment SA MD Brenden Crous explains that the distributorship resulted from a long-standing relationship. While the company was only established in 2017, the founding members had previously worked and when they started their new venture, Potain approached them to act as its agent in the region.

Since then, the company has established itself as a specialist supplier of new and refurbished cranes, as well as construction hoists. It provides turnkey tower crane management and lifting solutions, and Smit states that demand for its services has rapidly gained traction.

“In our first year-and-a-half, we’ve had a lot growth, despite challenging conditions,” he says, adding that the company’s robustness in adverse conditions demonstrates its ability to grow sustainably.

Smit adds that the company predominantly supports the construction industry, but will seek out opportunities in other industrial segments throughout sub-Saharan Africa, and will look to expand its rental fleet when the need arises.

“Our company has all the skills and requirements that a Potain distributor needs,” Crous says, noting that its “experienced” staff includes two Potain-certified master technicians, accredited lifting machine inspectors and qualified riggers and electricians.

He adds that representatives from Potain audited Crane & Hoist Equipment SA in March, and, once the auditors had declared everything in order, they highlighted areas where the company could improve on its service offering.

Smit states that the current market is challenging, with clients prioritising maintenance and rental units; as a result, the company has had to be more flexible and adaptable. He believes that the company has been able to do so better than some of its competitors because it is relatively new and, hence, has not fallen into rigid structures or practices.

“We’re hoping that, within five years, there will be a big turn in infrastructure development,” says Smit, adding that this will boost the construction sector, complementing construction activity and investment from private-sector entities.

Late last month, Crane & Hoist Equipment SA sold a newly refurbished tower crane to Qualicon Construction, which is to be used in another development phase at the Sol Plaatje University, in Kimberley.

Smit explains that the company secured the order because it was able to offer the end-user the most appropriate tower crane at the right price, and with full backup support.

“It is critical to be able to support these sophisticated machines in the field,” Smit says, adding that being able to maintain and service the unit while in use on site, as well as ensuring compliance with all legislative requirements, is key.

A Potain MDT 128 tower crane was selected for the project, primarily because of its 1.6 t lifting capacity at a 55 m radius, which enables optimum materials movement on a fast-tracked project.

The company boasts a fleet of seven tower cranes suitable for medium-sized and small projects, where 5 t to 8 t lifting capacity is required with 50 m to 60 m jib lengths.

Crous concludes that Crane & Hoist Equipment SA has access to Potain’s full technical offering, which enables it to make adjustments to Potain cranes to achieve better results, or to better meet clients’ requirements.