Capital Equipment News March 2019

RENTAL – COMPRESSORS AND GENERATORS

our fleet to ensure that the correct levels of support are in place,” she says. She, however, adds that the fleet expansion is also part of a continuous process driven by Rand-Air’s stringent standards of safety and quality, whereby the condition and age of equipment is constantly monitored and evaluated. New equipment is purchased and introduced into the fleet as required, and old equipment deemed no longer suitable for the fleet is sold. She also reasons that there is a demand in the industry for better service when it comes to the rental of generators. “Over the years we have done our best to assist all our customers, including those with high service expectations. For example, in the entertainment and events industry, where they rely on strong backup service and immediate response so that the show can go on,” says Coetzee. “As a result, we have seen an increased demand for our services in these service-conscious industries.” Growing rental culture Both Coetzee and Thorne allude to the fact that there has been a growing rental culture in the local capital equipment market, as customers are fast grasping the benefits of rental compared with outright purchase. Thorne says that the most important consideration for companies that need this equipment, is what works for them from a financial standpoint. With the unsteadiness of the market, affected by factors that fall outside the control of industry participants, businesses need flexible solutions, such as those offered by Rand-Air. Another consideration is the capital outlay required to purchase equipment such as a compressor. “Investing in equipment is a costly exercise and most businesses don’t realise that this is a long-term investment as it requires services, maintenance, insurance, and is impacted by fluctuating interest rates,” says Coetzee, adding that owning equipment also means that it now forms part of the company’s assets and the organisation would also carry the depreciation costs. Thorne concurs, saying that there are many challenges involved when procuring an asset that requires continuous maintenance and high upkeep costs. “Outsourcing eradicates these concerns, which in turn gives organisations peace of mind. By adding the responsibility to a rental company, companies are able to focus on their core businesses, which ultimately increases productivity and enhances cash flow,” concludes Thorne. b

Rand-Air reports increased demand for its smaller kVA generator range.

L-R: Byrone Thorne, marketing manager; Louwrens Erasmus; general manager; and Kim Coetzee, sales manager at Rand-Air.

Another new product of note is the 400 cfm high-pressure compressor model. A major reason for this is that typically smaller compressors in this size range operate a 7 bar, and this range operates at a higher pressure of 12 bar. The demand is largely driven by the telecoms industry where they are used in fibre installation application – the high-pressure compressors are used to blow the fibre into the pipelines. Why fleet expansion? Coetzee explains that in the past three years

Rand-Air has experienced a substantial increase in the demand for its generators and compressors across the many sectors which the company supplies, including the events and film industry, petrochemical, power generation and general construction, among others. “Rand-Air focuses on a positive outlook and exceeding customers' expectations regardless of macro-economic factors. We have definitely seen a more positive outlook and increased demand from our customers, and have therefore increased the size of

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