Industrial Rental Equipment – Rand-Air Cape Town Hub
By Diane Silcock
WHEN it comes to specialised industrial rental equipment – from generators and air compressors to steam boilers, dryers, pumps or chillers – Rand-Air sets the benchmark in South Africa. The Cape Town depot, which has been operational since Rand-Air established its head office in Johannesburg 50 years ago, has cultivated a distinct culture that defines its operation.
Industrial rental equipment: Cape Town depot a strategic hub
Rand-Air forms part of Atlas Copco’s global Specialty Rental division. At the helm of the Cape Town depot is its highly capable and characterful area manager, Ashley Bailey. He has risen through the ranks of his 18-year tenure with the company, from internal and external sales, to his current role, which he has held for the past year.
Bailey’s passion for the business is evident in his hands-on leadership style, working closely with his team to ensure customers across the Western and Northern Cape receive not only top-quality rental equipment but also exceptional service and support.
“In Cape Town, we take great pride in our strong customer relationship culture – it’s fundamental to our success,” says Bailey. “Alongside this, we offer best-in-class Atlas Copco industrial equipment which position us well to continue expanding our customer base in the Western Cape.”
Rand-Air not only rents out and maintains air compressors, as the name implies, it supplies a diverse range of products under the banner of power, flow, air, and temperature.
Chiller rentals: A practical and cost saving alternative for winemakers
With the abundance of wineries in the Western Cape, the company is well positioned to offer chiller rentals to the wineries during the harvest season. Rental is a more cost-effective alternative to purchasing equipment that would otherwise stand idle in the off-season.
“When customers choose rental, they quickly see the feasibility of rental versus purchasing,” notes Bailey. “Companies need to recognise that buying new equipment not only involves a significant capital outlay, but also ongoing costs for maintenance, parts, and the manpower to manage it.
“Hiring equipment from Rand-Air is all inclusive, hence maintaining the equipment is no longer the customer’s responsibility nor a hassle. We follow a strict maintenance schedule and should a breakdown occur, this is swiftly dealt with to keep production downtime to a minimum, for instance,” says Bailey.
Key sectors and market presence
Rand-Air is strengthening its presence in the Western Cape, with the Cape Town depot serving vital sectors such as food and beverage, wineries, and breweries—all reliant on generators, steam boilers, chillers, air compressors, and pumps. The company’s pump rental division is gaining momentum following Atlas Copco’s acquisition of Integrated Pump Rental, opening doors to new markets.
“In summer, demand for generators peaks with regional events, while our renewable energy involvement recently saw the supply of 12 dryers and two chillers for a major project,” says Bailey. “We are also expanding into steam boilers, a new focus area already showing strong uptake.
“What keeps our customers happy,” he concludes, “is the reliability of our equipment, the consistency of our service, our availability, and the strong relationships we continue to build. This positions our Cape Town depot as a strategic hub, delivering innovative, dependable, and customer-focused rental solutions across the region.”
