25 September 2020
Rand-Air has been the established leader in the local portable air compressor and generator rental market for 47 years, recently also introducing pumps to its popular rental range. With a central ethos of exceptional customer service – coupled with the regular training and development of its people – the company’s dedication to excellence has paid off once again: this time, in the form of valuable repeat business from a long-standing customer in the gold mining sector.
Recently, Rand-Air secured a repeat hire with a long-standing customer in the mining industry – based on a relationship dating back to 2014 – when the need arose for underground compressors for the mine, and Rand-Air was able to meet their very specific requirements.
In fact, Rand-Air was the only company then – and still is now – able to supply the customer with underground compressors modified to their particular specifications.
This is according to Rand-Air sales consultant Marinda Enslin, who collaborated closely with the customer to ensure that their very specific requirements were met.
“Our most recent hire to this customer was two Atlas Copco GA110 electric compressors, for use in underground drilling and secondary support for expansion mining in high productivity areas,” she advises.
Enslin explains that the excellent one-day turnaround time for delivery was based on the close relationship that Rand-Air enjoys with its customer base:
“We develop strong and intuitive relationships with our customer base, anticipating as far as possible what – and when – they will have a requirement. So when it came to this latest hire, when the customer requested the compressors, we had them in stock and were able to deliver to the mine on the same day.
We learn everything there is to about our customers; and furthermore, we encourage their input and feedback to us. This in turn ensures that we have anticipated their needs before they even realise that they may require a specific piece of equipment. This makes for an extremely quick and efficient turnaround time, preventing downtime and a loss of productivity – all very advantageous from the customer’s perspective,” she observes.
“Currently, this customer has a total of nine underground compressors on hire from us, all varying in size from GA75s to GA110s, depending on the various requirements.”
Enslin says that each of the Atlas Copco GA110 electric compressors supplies a free air delivery of 710CFM at a working pressure of 7 Bar. “The compressors are fitted with a 525V 110kW electric motor and are specifically modified to operate underground, with all conversions done as per mine specifications,” she adds.
“We collaborated with the customer throughout the compressor selection process, to ensure that their operations run the minimal number of compressors, in the most efficient way. Rand-Air offers a total solution concept, tailored to each specific customer site’s requirements; and thereby ensuring that our customers can focus on their core business, while we take care of their equipment rental requirements,” she adds.
The compressor designs are compact, with a reduced footprint to fit into the spaces where they need to work. They are manufactured with a robust steel canopy and are on a skid-mounted frame, which is designed for a forklift to fit into, so that the customer can easily move the compressor to their next level of production.
In addition, the machines are fitted with steel roof panels and steel grating panels, with all components assembled on the manufactured frame. They also have a standard 525V power supply.
“For optimised visibility underground, the frame structure is lined with red and yellow demarcation tape,” Enslin adds.
“The customer was highly impressed with our service all round, including having technicians on site to assist them when we delivered the compressors; along with the fact that their machines were delivered on time and are now running smoothly.”
Enslin points out that as the demand for gold increases, Rand-Air will be concluding many more hires in this sector:
“We look forward to providing our underground compressors to many more customers in the mining sector, ‘striking gold’ with our service and technology excellence,” she concludes.
