In an attempt to address market gaps and enhance service offering in the African market, specialist drive and control technologies company SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa has begun construction of a new service and repair centre next to its Aeroton, Johannesburg headquarters.

Having invested R500-million in a new headquarters complex a few years ago, the company says its approximately R384-million investment in a new service and repair centre signals its commitment to servicing customers in Africa and reflects the company’s confidence in the future of South Africa and the African continent in general.

SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa MD Raymond Obermeyer says the new facility – to be built on a 27 935 m² site area with 17 000 m² under roof – represents the company’s largest investment post the Covid-19 pandemic and forms part of its €1-billion investment in the expansion of its service capabilities in various markets across the world in 2024 alone.

Obermeyer asserts that the company recognises the need to enhance its capabilities to service and repair millions of units in the region and to meet the growing demand for repair services in Africa. He says that, by establishing its own Service and Repair Centre, SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa can minimise reliance on external contractors, reducing risks associated with quality control and service delivery.

The new facility’s workshop will offer full service and repair capabilities such as sand blasting, spray painting and stripping of products. It will also contain a fabrication section to manufacture baseplates, guards and steelworks.

In addition, it will have a full motor repair department for motor rewinding, as well as offering assembly and repairs with burnout ovens and rotor balancing, complemented by new load test facilities.

Moreover, a storage facility and a fully operational 30-bay assembly area will have the capacity to assemble in excess of 300 repaired units a month.

SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa says it aims to offer a full suite of services, which it views as particularly important in the mining value chain where mines have a clear focus on reducing operating costs and total cost of ownership.

Obermeyer expects the new facility to create 80 to 100 job opportunities, adding to the 100 created as a result of the Phase 1 expansion. He, however, notes that these opportunities will be for highly-sought-after skills which are often in short supply. To bridge the technical skills gap, the new service and repair centre will house a larger DriveAcademy, upgrading the current training facility located at the headquarters’ complex. This will be complemented by SEW-EURODRIVE’s IT centre.