Rema Tip Top South Africa, a leading conveyor belt maintenance provider, is linking up with Dunlop Belting, a manufacturer of heavy duty conveyor belts, to form a strategic alliance. This co-operation, according to Thorsten Wach, the company’s Managing Director, will “bring together two power houses within the rubber industry, where both partners are able to offer the best quality in service and technologies in the supply, installation, operation and maintenance of belting operations. Our customers have, in the past, expressed a need for a one-stop-shop system for the management of their requirements on site, essentially requesting one point of contact for an entire project.” The expertise and resources of both companies will, according to Rema, be used in order to implement new systems and best practices in the total cost of ownership (TCO) in South and Sub Saharan Africa.
Negotiations for this alliance commenced some 12 months ago, with the requirements of industry and customers, along with the sufficient benefits to both parties, driving the two companies together. This alliance, according to Rema, will not only enhance the activities of both groups and their employees but also improve the service and optimisation of production for current and future customers.
Trevor Howard-Trip, Sales and Marketing Director of Dunlop Belting Products, says “This alliance will [be of] benefit because of the fact that capital investment is protected by prolonging the life of the conveyor belt.”
Dries van Coller, General Manager of the company, says “Our main objective is to ensure that the TCO model optimises the added value as well as the production for the customer. We minimise downtime dramatically during maintenance cycles and thereby ensure lower overhead costs for the customer which is a crucial element of the service we offer.”
Employees from both Rema and Dunlop Belting are currently undergoing products, services and technologies training. While the brands remain independent, this union requires that both workforces are up to speed on the product and service offering standards expected by the customers of both brands. Rema’s Brakpan facility will function as a splicing school and is open to all wishing to gain further knowledge about rubber applications. The company believes that in view of current skill shortages in South Africa, this high tech training centre will assist in the boosting of skills and professionalism within the industry.
Rema South Africa is part of the global Rema Tip Top group with its head office in Poing near Munich, Germany. It has subsidiaries and agents in over 200 countries and over 5,000 employees. The company has expertise in rubber technologies, and particularly in conveyor belt maintenance.
Dunlop Belting Products manufactures a complete range of heavy duty conveyor belts in Benoni, Gauteng and Howick Kwa Zulu Natal in South Africa. Its products are particularly suited to tough mining conditions and surpass many international standards.