Original-equipment manufacturer Barloworld Equipment Southern Africa has inaugurated a new dealership facility in Phakalane, Botswana.

Barloworld Equipment has had a presence in Botswana since 1964, supporting key industries and contributing to the development of the country’s infrastructure. The new facility is aimed at further enhancing its capacity to serve the Botswana mining, construction, energy and transportation sectors.

"This milestone underscores our commitment to Botswana. The Phakalane dealership empowers us to provide even greater value to our customers with optimised equipment, service and advisory capabilities,” Barloworld Equipment Southern Africa CEO Andronicca Masemola said on September 5.

The Phakalane facility is one of the first of its kind in Botswana to achieve Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (Edge) certification, owing to the built-in energy and water savings and incorporation of eco-friendly materials throughout.

Moreover, plans are under way to install a grid-tied solar PV system, expected to provide 30% to 50% of the site's power. The site also has a custom-designed hydrocarbon and water recycling system, as well as comprehensive waste sorting and storage facilities to promote recycling and minimise environmental impact.

The Phakalane facility employs 270 employees, of which 97% are Botswana nationals. Barloworld Equipment Botswana enables skills transfer by ensuring the appointment of local employees as understudies to all foreign nationals who occupy technical and critical positions within the business.

This entails increased cross-functional collaborations between departments to ensure adequate skills transfer, the company says. To achieve this, skills gaps within the team are identified and addressed, allowing for targeted training and development initiatives to enhance overall capabilities.

"Collaboration is key to progress. This facility strengthens our ability to partner with government, customers, and industries to drive sustainable growth and development in Botswana," Masemola said.

"For 60 years, we've worked hand-in-hand with Botswana, and this new facility represents our commitment to building an even brighter future, together,” Barloworld Group CEO Dominic Sewela said.

The new facility will provide customers with faster turnaround times on equipment repairs and maintenance, access to a wider range of Cat equipment and machinery and enhanced technical support from Barloworld experts.