Pump hire specialist Integrated Pump Rental (IPR) exhibited at bauma CONEXPO AFRICA 2018 for the first time to increase visibility of its product offering to the construction sector in Africa.

With the major portion of the company’s customer base in the mining industry, according to IPR MD Lee Vine, the company decided to exhibit units from its rental fleet that are specifically suitable to construction dewatering applications. This included Sykes dewatering pumps, Grindex slurry and solids handling pumps and the newest addition, Faggiolati stainless steel pump. Also on exhibit were pump accessories, including hose flotation devices and pump flotation devices.

New Product

Vine says that staying abreast of the construction sector’s pump dewatering needs is essential and this requires a comprehensive understanding of dewatering applications in this sector. As a result, IPR recently bolstered its fleet with the inclusion of Faggiolati stainless steel slurry pumps.

Constructed from 316 stainless steel, the Faggiolati pumps can operate in acidic water and are capable of handling abrasive particles and a high solids content. This makes the units suitable for dewatering applications where there are high concentrations of solid materials or where the water is corrosive.

Commenting on the Sykes diesel-powered pumps on display, Vine says that the most typical application for these units is on building and construction sites, civil engineering projects, local municipality works, flood disaster recovery, load-out stabilisation, slurry transfer, ash handling, water boosting and pipeline filling and testing as well as general dewatering activities to lower the water table.

Sykes pumps are designed to offer robust and reliable performance and can handle high volumes of water with ease.

The Sykes Primax Contractors Range offers reliable dewatering, coupled with cost efficiency. Vine says these are fully automatic priming pumps and can run dry for extended periods due to the oil bath mechanical seal assembly. This allows priming with long suction hoses and suction lifts of up to 9 m. This is important for dewatering applications in the construction sector where water levels vary over time.

Vine says that IPR is achieving success across Africa with the Sykes brand and he attributes this to his team’s understanding of pumping application requirements and the Sykes pumps’ ability to meet the harsh operating conditions on the continent.

Vine says interest in the products on display was shown by existing customers as well as new potential customer, including con- struction companies and contractors. “Face-to-face discussions with end-users provide valuable insight into specific dewatering requirements, and enable us to stay ahead of the game.”