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Compressor company caters well to shutdowns

PRESSED FOR TIME Rand-Air's compressors are supplied to mines for unexpected shutdowns saving time and money

PRESSED FOR TIME Rand-Air's compressors are supplied to mines for unexpected shutdowns saving time and money

1st November 2019

By: Halima Frost

Senior Writer

     

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With the mining sector accounting for about 30% of its business, generator and compressor rental company Rand-Air notes that it has proven its ability to mitigate some of the challenges that local mines face during scheduled and unscheduled shutdowns.

Rand-Air supplies various equipment items to the mining sector, ranging from 7 bar diesel compressors and high-pressure compressors for exploration to electric compressors for long-term rental in underground operations. The company also supplies generators for mine shutdowns, and lighting towers for opencast operations.

Rand-Air system administrator Adele Matthee points out that the company’s team coordinates its rental after assessing a client’s requirements. This assessment determines the appropriate response time to site, air quality, volume flow and pressures required on site as well as the hosing and manifold requirements.

Rand-Air also facilitates risk assessments and the logistical arrangements for transporting equipment to site.

“One needs to consider that client requirements also encompass health and safety, credit control, service, logistics and sales.

“Overall, a mine shutdown involves many functions of the Rand-Air business operating as a team,” says Matthee, adding that some shutdowns can be as short as a week, while others can last for months.

Maintenance schedules for mines are often planned months in advance. However, in emergency situations, for example, where a mine’s compressor has broken down, Rand-Air is able to meet such emergencies and supply multiple portable diesel compressors to relieve the situation.

She notes that, with planned shutdowns, specialist contractors are brought to site to carry out service plans in line with certain specific contractual arrangements.

However, to avoid the ‘unwieldy’ situation of contractors hiring and rehiring equipment, mines tend to place one order for rental equipment, which they then put at the disposal of the contractors concerned.

Once the necessary hire equipment has been sourced, the next challenge is to transport it, often over great distances, to the mine. “We have years of experience of working with certain trusted logistics companies that we know will deliver safely and on time,” adds Matthee.

In this respect, Rand-Air’s knowledge of specific mines’ safety and permitting requirements is of great assistance. “Mines are required by law to be sticklers for safety. Subsequently, truck drivers carrying out Rand-Air’s deliveries need to be equipped with the correct personal protective equipment and have the correct paperwork before they will be permitted to drive to a mine site,” she continues.

Once the machines are on site and, should a mine hire more than a certain number of machines, and have a requirement for this service, Rand-Air will place a full-time technician on site, as well as a containerised mini-depot stocked with all the spares that the technician might need.

Usually, shutdown projects work 24/7 to ensure rapid completion, and Rand-Air subsequently ensures that technical support is available on a 24-hour basis.

Unplanned shutdowns require a different approach from Rand-Air, says Matthee.

She explains that the first notice the company often receives is a phone call asking for immediate help, after which she and the sales team immediately consult with Rand-Air’s logistics section to establish what equipment is available in-house.

Rand-Air boasts a computerised system, its so-called fleet board, which tracks the bookings and the availability of all its equipment.

“Mine shutdowns, albeit challenging, are also very exciting, as they enable us to show what Rand-Air is capable of,” she concludes.

Edited by Nadine James
Features Deputy Editor

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