Capital Equipment News August 2017

BUSINESS

BACK TO BASICS

In a recent key structural change, Osborn Engineered Products SA has discontinued the dealership of non-core asphalt, paving and drilling products. At the centre of the new development is the company’s decision to refocus on its core Aggregate and Mining business. This is part of the local manufacturer’s new customer-centric approach that seeks to offer an upgraded and technologically-advanced product range to improve productivity, safety and, more importantly, profitability for its core aggregate and mining customers, writes Munesu Shoko .

O sborn Engineered Products SA, part of the Astec Group, recently an- nounced its decision to discontinue the representation of Astec Inc. and Road- tec’s asphalt and paving products in south- ern Africa, effective June 2017. In an ex- clusive interview with Capital Equipment News , Noel Bassler, sales director at Os- born Engineered Products SA, explained that the decision will allow the company to focus on its core Aggregate and Mining products. “Strategically, a decision to remain focused on the core products for the Aggregate and Mining industries has necessitated us to discontinue certain non-core product dealerships,” says Bessler. “The reason we have ended the representation of the non-core products is that we want to concentrate on our core Aggregate and Mining markets, which

we have been servicing for almost 100 years now,” says Martin Botha, product development director at Osborn. Understanding the background Osborn has been providing crushing, screening and related products to the mining and quarrying industries since 1919. In the past 10 years, the company took on board a range of asphalt and paving products from its sister companies that form part of the Astec Group. Astec had hoped to leverage Osborn’s existing footprint on the continent to develop these products in the local market. Osborn initially brought in Canadian-based Breaker Technology Industries’ (BTI) range of rock breakers, before taking on board Astec’s US-based KPI-JCI and AMS products, more crushing and screening oriented. The company later marketed Roadtec’s mobile

paving product range, and recorded most success with the Shuttle Buggy, a ground- breaking material transfer vehicle concept that revolutionised the road construction sector. In future, both Bessler and Botha reiterate that the respective principals will deal directly with customers when it comes to new equipment sales, but Osborn will continue to support all the products from an aftermarket point of view. “Osborn will take full responsibility of spare parts and aftersales service to ensure full customer satisfaction, but will forward any new equipment and plant enquiries received to the appropriate company representatives,” says Bessler. Meanwhile, Osborn will keep some of the Astec Inc. products that are in line with its aggregates and mining business. “We will continue distributing aggregate and mining-

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