Lifting and access solutions provider Concord Access Solutions (CAS) has officially opened its new remanufacturing facility in Chloorkop, Kempton Park, as part of its after-sales support and product offering across Southern Africa.

The new “Reman” facility restores a range of mobile access machines and lifting equipment – including boom lifts, scissor lifts, cherry pickers, light towers, telehandlers, spider cranes and Terex cranes – to like-new condition.

Through precision disassembly, inspection, reconditioning and testing, including nondestructive testing, the new CAS facility enables the company to rebuild machines to meet and exceed original specifications, giving equipment a second life at about 60% of the cost of buying new machinery.

The launch of the remanufacturing facility also reinforces CAS as the official dealer for Terex Franna cranes in Southern Africa, alongside a new parts distribution centre designed to strengthen after-sales support by improving availability and turnaround times.

The facility supports the company’s technical expertise in brands such as Genie, Terex RT, UNIC, Palazzani and Pramac. 

“I think it's a sign of the times today to prolong fleets, to make fleets last longer and give customers more options, rather than just purchasing new machines, or instead of scrapping the unit, refurb the unit. The idea is to try and refurb that unit at around 60% [of the cost] of new [equipment].

“Of course, if it's around 60% [of the cost] of new, it gives you a positive business case. When you start going higher than 60% you've got to start asking the question whether it would be better to rather take a new unit with a warranty,” CAS technical director Neil Kendrick explained to Engineering News.

The new parts distribution centre supports faster access to genuine parts, improved stock availability, and reduced downtime for customers across Southern Africa.

“I think we've reached a point where you need more than one option. You can’t always be buying new machines. In some cases, contracts don’t last as long as they used to, so it doesn’t make sense to buy a new machine for a four-year contract. Sometimes, if you already have a contract extension, a refurbishment makes more sense.

“End-user customers are starting to look for more flexibility. Instead of simply replacing or scrapping machines, they’re focusing on extending the life of their fleets. Ultimately, it comes down to your business philosophy, and having more options makes it easier to make the right decision,” Kendrick explained.

CAS also announced the local launch of the Terex Franna range of pick-and-carry cranes.

“We believe it could be a game changer in our industry. Pick-and-carry is already used in South Africa, as well as across Africa. A pick-and-carry machine simply picks up a load, moves it and places it where needed, eliminating the need for secondary or third loading into a truck or onto another vehicle for transport,” Kendrick said.

As the sole distributor in Southern Africa, he said CAS had to ensure it was able to also support its customers through robust remanufacturing capabilities and parts supply capacity.

The launch of the Reman facility also served to coincide with CAS’s July introduction of Genie’s next-generation slab scissor lifts to Africa.