CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NOV 2018

medium construction contractors full access to the Wirtgen Group’s full suite of leading equipment brands, as well as financing, training and logistics. “This is an important step in the broader national aim to transform the construction and engineering sectors and enable emerging black contractors, including enterprises owned by women and the youth, to participate more fully in major projects,” says Louw Kannemeyer, Engineering Executive at SANRAL. “Infrastructure development will be a major contributor to the efforts to attract investment to the country and was singled out at the recent Job Summit for its ability to create employment and stimulate economic activity. We are delighted that a global leader in construction such as Wirtgen is stepping up to fill major gaps in the industry that constrain the growth of smaller contractors and impose barriers on their ability to tender for major work packages,” adds Kannemeyer. Waylon Kukard, National Sales Manager at Wirtgen South Africa, says equipment is one of the major success factors for contractors in the execution of their projects. “If contractors are not well equipped, the country also faces the danger of sub-standard road infrastructure. The agreement will afford upcoming contractors greater access to all Wirtgen Group equipment brands, namely Wirtgen, Vögele, Hamm, Kleemann, Benninghoven and Ciber,” says Kukard. Through its leading brands, Wirtgen offers a wide range of equipment, all the way from rollers, bitumen spreaders, sweepers, milling machines, recyclers, slipform pavers, modular asphalt pavers, to mobile asphalt plants and crushers and screens. Emerging contractors will be able to purchase or lease the sophisticated machinery required to meet the high standards that are in place within the South African road construction environment. “This move will open new doors for Wirtgen to collaborate with small contractors by offering them access to finance, technical assistance, mentoring and logistical support. SANRAL and Wirtgen will also collaborate on issues such as training, supply chains and access to information about tendering processes,” says Kukard. “We are confident that these agreements will increase the number of participants across the value chain of the road construction sector and contribute to fair competition,” concludes Kannemeyer. b

Celebrating the Bell-SANRAL MoU are Skhumbuzo Macozoma, SANRAL CEO (left) and Duncan Mashika, MD of Bell Equipment Sales SA.

equipment, financing and training. “This will open up the industry to new participants and remove many of the barriers that prevent companies owned by black, women and youth entrepreneurs to compete effectively against the entrenched players in the construction sector,” says Macozoma. “Through our cooperation with Barloworld Equipment we are promoting the growth of black business and taking positive steps to support a sector with immense potential for growth and job creation,” adds Macozoma.” Emmy Leeka, CEO of Barloworld Equipment southern Africa, says this is an opportunity to contribute to the empowerment of emerging contractors in the construction industry. “We have built valuable partnerships with black-owned enterprises through the years and this initiative will take our activities to a higher level,” says Leeka. “This will enable us to deliver on our incubation and empowerment commitments and work with SANRAL towards the greater goal to transform the engineering and construction sectors,” says Vasco Santos, Executive Head: Construction, Rental & Used at Barloworld Equipment. Barloworld Equipment will set up structures which will enable contractors to benefit from options to lease or rent

equipment. The company will also offer training to owners, employees and maintenance staff. Together, SANRAL and Barloworld Equipment will promote partnerships in the fields of training, fleet management, marketing and communication. Macozoma says the partnership is proof that SANRAL’s efforts to transform the construction sector and promote fair competition are delivering results. “Lack of access to sophisticated machinery and equipment is a major barrier for small contractors and prevents them from participation in large construction tenders,” he says. “By working together with established companies and enterprises owned by women and the youth to participate on a level playing field,” adds Macozoma. “This step will, no doubt, have a ripple effect within the construction and engineering industries and also benefit job creation within local communities where smaller enterprises now become part of the supply chains on larger projects.” Enter Wirtgen On October 19, SANRAL signed a similar MoU with Wirtgen South Africa. The agreement will also afford small to companies, we can remove these barriers and enable black-owned

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS NOVEMBER 2018 19