Ensuring that income-generation capacity is not reduced by ill-maintained equipment is important for companies to stay competitive in the market, states Cape Town-based specialised equipment hire company Burma Plant Hire Group (BPH) MD Theuns Burger.

“Amid difficult economic times, the current state of ill-maintained equipment calls for a proactive approach, involving maintaining company equipment, which is of utmost importance, as this is where a company derives its revenue from.”

He adds that plant rotation and removal of high-maintenance equipment from the fleet are necessary to provide the best possible service and is, therefore, why BPH encourages investment in new equipment with new technology in the earthmoving industry.

“Investing in equipment and not cutting back on it, assists in getting a project completed on time and within budget for customers,” he notes.

However, he mentions that having a fleet of equipment is no longer simple and, therefore, companies need to have experience in hiring equipment.

“The proper experience in maintaining the equipment is highly important, as proper maintenance leads to more uptime, better equipment use and a reduction in running costs, as well as providing the best machine for the required application,” Burger states.

In addition, he enthuses that BPH specialises in the noncore business activities of clients – such as the rehabilitation of completed construction, landfill and road-building sites – and can subsequently provide support where required, with outsourcing of noncore activities continuing to expand, owing to legislative environments, as well as capital expenditure constraints in the mining and construction industries.

“By outsourcing noncore activities to specialised equipment rental companies, customers will be able to focus their attention on their core activities on an ongoing basis.”

Burger explains that this, in turn, will provide additional business opportunities, as clients will start requesting smaller and specialised equipment, such as mini loaders, sit on rollers, skid steers and wheeled excavators, as well as telehandlers that can adapt to special tooling quickly.

“Using our expertise, knowledge and equipment, as well as supervision on the sites where our equipment is being used, will lead to optimal use of the equipment.”

Through strong relationships with original- equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Burger adds that BPH has structured deals to keep its fleet current and relevant to its needs, with the company having procured 30 new tractor- loader backhoes, known as TLBs, for construction applications.

The addition of quality-brand dozers, loaders, excavators and articulated dump trucks for mining operations also forms part of BPH’s fleet revitalisation.

Meanwhile, using technology, such as telematics and product-link, Burger highlights that the company’s depth of expertise in plant management and customer satisfaction is further enhanced by its sophisticated enterprise resource planning (ERP) system – which went live in 2015.

The ERP system, he explains, is custom built for equipment rental companies and provides best practice solutions for BPH’s specific industry – earthmoving and construction – as the system provides visibility for management.

“Having these systems in place enables us to have improved visibility and maintenance, respond quickly and effectively to customer requirements and maintain a very close working relationship with our OEMs, as understanding the application requirements and those of industry is of utmost importance,” says Burger.

He emphasises that serving clients is not just about providing well-maintained, fit-for-purpose equipment, it is also about collaborating with them to meet stringent compliance requirements in safety, health, environment and quality.

“Our reputation for customer service is built on adding value to their operations, which includes working with them to manage and mitigate business risk,” he concludes.