Long a household name in the Cape, Burma Plant Hire has emerged from a restructuring phase and is gearing up for growth with the renewal of its plant fleet. Part of the Raubex Group’s Materials Division, Burma Plant Hire has been an integral part of the construction and plant hire community in the Western Cape and beyond since it started in 2003 – and has expanded into mining contracting and other fields.
The company is a Level 2 contributor to BBBEE. Burma Plant Hire is an active player in landfill and rehabilitation work, and has also recently contributed to renewable energy projects in wind and solar power generation.
Izak van Niekerk, divisional head designate at Raumix Materials Division, says the investment in 30 new quality brand tractor-loader-backhoes (TLBs) was part of a broader revitalisation of Burma Plant Hire’s capital stock.
The fleet renewal programme also included the addition of large dozers, excavators, loaders and articulated dump trucks. “We have focused on strategic locations where we are building critical mass, investing in equipment that will boost our flexibility and responsiveness,” says Van Niekerk.
Burma Plant Hire managing director, Theuns Burger highlights that the company’s depth of expertise in plant management is enhanced by its sophisticated enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. This has been built up over the years to integrate and streamline the company’s operations.
“Having these systems in place allows us to respond quickly and effectively to customer requirements, and to maintain a very close working relationship with our original equipment manufacturers (OEMs),” says Burger.
He highlights that serving the construction sector today is not just about providing well-maintained, fitfor-purpose equipment; it is also about collaborating with customers to meet stringent compliance requirements in safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ).
“Our reputation for customer service is built on adding value to our customers’ operations, which includes working with them to manage and mitigate business risk,” he says.
Burma Plant Hire’s experiences in a number of sectors and its substantial equipment fleet have allowed the company to become a respected materials handling sub-contractor in sectors including construction, landfill and mining.
In recent years, it has conducted mining, earthmoving and rehabilitation projects for major mining companies in commodities including iron ore and manganese. According to Van Niekerk, the company is seeing an expansion of production at certain mines following rising commodity prices, and the company is well placed to continue providing the mining sector with contracting services.
