Global engineering company FLSmidth is constructing the first Supercenter on the African continent and the eighth of its kind in the world. Essentially a major aftermarket hub, the facility in Delmas, Mpumalanga will house a concentrated stockholding and become the South African construction base service and repair facility for all FLSmidth activities. “FLSmidth Supercenters in other parts of the world have been strategically located close to customer operations in order to provide localised services that ensure timely delivery and support,” Dave Reid, FLSmidth consultant : Supercenter Project, says.“The Delmas Supercenter will be tailored to meet customer needs not only related to warehousing, rebuild and repair capabilities, but especially in the areas of plant efficiency and safety. The facility will boost our customers’ competitive advantage and also contribute to their safety records, since repairs and rebuilds will take place in the controlled environment of the Supercenter and away from their sites.”The establishment of the Supercenter effectively enhances our local presence and advances our commitment to fostering customer intimacy by supporting customers through the life cycle of our equipment in the field.”
The geotechnical survey of the site was completed at the end of 2011 and bulk earthworks, conducted by Advance Projects, were completed in April 2012. The main building contractor, Gridline Construction, is now on site and construction is advancing on schedule for completion by the end of the year. Service, construction, workshop and administrative staff will be relocated from FLSmidth’s existing centres to staff the new facility.
The recent sod-turning ceremony was attended by the Executive Mayor of the Victor Khanye Local Municipality, the local authority in which the town of Delmas is located. Reid says the development of the Supercenter will make an important contribution to the local municipality, both in terms of rate contributions and local employment, wherever possible.
The Delmas Supercenter will comprise a 750 m2 office and training centre complex, workshop, stores and tool store facilities of over 2,900 m2 and a mobile plant workshop and service facility of 635 m2. A canteen and changerooms are also being provided. In addition, the property -which is owned by FLSmidth -will provide a storage yard for all FLSmidth Roymec equipment not being used on construction sites.
The training centre will be used to instruct customers on the safe and efficient use of the company’s products, to train site staff in the specialist construction skills needed in the field and to maintain skills levels among across the rest of the staff complement.
Other FLSmidth Supercenters are in Tucson, Arizona, USA; Brisbane and Perth, Australia; Arequipa, Peru, South America; Antofagasta and Santiago, Chile, South America; and Khanbogd, Mongolia.