Success in exporting – facilitated in part by a strong relationship with industry association South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC) – contributes to South Africa’s economic growth by increasing export revenue, creating jobs and fostering innovation, says JSE-listed original-equipment manufacturer Bell Equipment.

Bell dealer development manager Philip Nel says that SACEEC serves as a vital conduit of export information for Bell Equipment, which enables it to gain deeper insights into market trends and diverse opportunities.

This connection also allows Bell Equipment to engage with the council in an advisory capacity, collaboratively discussing and shaping strategic decisions.

“Bell fully supports the efforts of SACEEC and with regular interactions, we are working to understand and make use of various export opportunities,” Nel notes.

He adds that Bell Equipment would also like SACEEC to focus on taking a more active role in supporting local manufacturing by engaging with stakeholders to protect and promote the local manufacturing sector.

Risk Management, Innovative Focus

In terms of managing the risks associated with the capital equipment sector, Nel highlights that Bell Equipment has established a cross-functional risk committee that identifies vulnerabilities and predefines contingency plans to address adverse economic events.

To mitigate currency exchange risks, Bell Equipment uses forward cover and operates manufacturing facilities in both Germany and South Africa to serve local markets with locally sourced suppliers, thereby enhancing cost predictability and flexibility.

Additionally, Bell Equipment has diversified its product portfolio, enabling it to capitalise on opportunities across various markets, thereby reducing the impact of economic downturns.

Nel also stresses the importance of incorporating technological advancements such as automation, digitalisation and data analytics into the company’s capital equipment products and services.

He adds that Bell Equipment has a dedicated digital transformation team that focuses on the digitalisation of processes and products across its factories, dealers and end-users.

“Complementing this, the company’s engineering team drives innovation and automation within its product lineup and modern technologies, such as steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire, have laid the foundation for Bell Equipment to offer autonomous digital technologies that are ready for full autonomy. By integrating a range of approved third-party products, our machines can be equipped with a Level 9 proximity detection system – or even configured to operate entirely autonomously,” Nel explains. Autonomous technology is primarily focused on export markets.

Product Innovation

With an increased focus on local manufacturing and advanced technology, the launch of the OEM’s new motor grader range represents significant progress in the company’s expansion into the global construction and mining equipment market.

The launch of four models – the G140 Eco, G140, G160, and G200 – took place on July 17, at the Huddle Park Golf and Recreation Club in Linksfield, Johannesburg and signifies the SACEEC-affiliated company’s response to the evolving needs of the construction and mining industries, particularly around motor graders, where it has identified a gap in the market.

These new machines aim to deliver “high productivity; precise, accurate control with superior operator station ergonomics and visibility from a spacious cab; a sealed slew ring for enhanced blade control and longevity; and a robust parallelogram ripper for efficient ground penetration”.

The G140 motor grader boasts 179 kW of power from a Cummins engine, a ZF transmission and is designed for light to medium construction, while the G160 is designed for heavy construction, and the G200 is for bulk earthworks and mining.

Other features include a keyless start on each of these machines and the ability of each to articulate 22° on both sides.

At the launch, Bell Equipment product manager Jeremiah Mokhomo noted that these motor graders would be coming off the production line in August and that the company looked forward to capitalising on key motor grader markets around the world, as it had done within the global articulated dump truck (ADT) market.

“We decided to embark on the journey of designing and manufacturing our own motor graders; we thoroughly analysed the global market for motor graders and looked at our dealer network to see where opportunities lay,” Mokhomo highlighted.

He noted that technology and innovation played an important role in helping the company understand the inherent complexity of each of the motor graders, given that there are up to 15 different hydraulic functions that have to be controlled and activated.

“We know that, with motor graders, operator experience is key and so we have been testing several machines, prototypes and pre-production machines with various customers in diverse applications, getting operator input and feedback. Simultaneously we have been working with grader specialists from the US and Australia to ensure that the operator interface is the industry-leading benchmark,” Mokhomo said.

Bell plans to leverage its established network of ADT dealers to distribute the new motor graders and ensure a seamless and efficient market introduction with proven Bell support.