Weir Minerals’ first-ever international internal screen training conference got underway in mid-July in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, with about 20 Weir delegates from the USA, Europe, Brazil, Peru, Chile, India, Australia and South Africa taking part in a training process to update themselves on the latest developments around the company’s screen range.
The two-week event involved presentations at the conference venue, as well as visits to customer sites to see Weir Minerals’ Linatex screens in action – and to the company’s design centre in Isando and factory in Alrode to watch the screen development and production process as it occurs. Interviewed at the training conference, Weir Minerals Africa’s sales and marketing director, Gavin Dyer said he is particularly excited about the new horizons the 2010 acquisition of the Linatex group of companies has opened up for the company.
“We have progressed from being a leading slurry pump company to being able to market a broad range of complementary equipment,” Dyer said. “This conference programme includes the launch of the innovative Linatex screens to the Weir Minerals business. We follow a model of supporting each region to become independently competent in all product categories, so that their teams are fully equipped to service customers within their geographies. This support includes at least one annual company conference in various parts of the world – the location dictated by regional market developments. Because we are a decentralised business, we need to pool our knowledge regularly and this is achieved through regional product conferences such as this, to discuss growth opportunities, market developments, trial results, etc across the commodity groups and industries we serve.”
He concluded: “Linatex has been an ideal fit with our business. There was minimal product overlap and no product conflict. Weir Minerals had the footprint and Linatex had the products, so it’s a win-win situation to be able to extend their product reach through our sales and service centre network, which is widespread across South Africa and in several other African countries. The acquisition has significantly boosted our offering into the market place and, more specifically, our ability to capture more of the mill circuit process. We are determined to provide the world market with the best possible equipment across a spectrum of applications in terms of the mill circuit. This strategy guides our corporate decision-making processes.”
