Barloworld Power has moved its Durban facility to Maydon Wharf in the heart of the city’s port and right where it needs to be among its marine customers.
Garrick Steyn, Barloworld Power’s regional manager for KwaZulu-Natal, says the Power team decided to move out of the Equipment facility in Durban into a building belonging to Southern African Shipyards, the largest shipbuilder in Africa, to show that it is serious about the marine business.
“We are now interacting with our key customers on a daily basis and we are within a stone’s throw of them all with the ideal facilities to undertake their electrical repairs,” says Garrick.
The new premises takes up about a third of what was formerly a massive ship-builders shed and includes offices, a parts store, a wash bay for engines with paraffin bath for cleaning small parts, and storage racking for small engines.
The KZN Power team is currently very busy with engine overhauls for Smit Amandla, which supplies fuel to the ships in the Durban Port via bunker barges. Smit Amandla has three barges, between them using 14 Cat engines, operating between Durban and Richards Bay. Barloworld Power is also undertaking planned engine overhauls for the Mozambique fishing fleet, comprising 10 vessels powered by Cat 3512B and 3406 auxiliary power.
“Enquiries for new marine engines have also increased by about 40% since we moved into the harbour,” says Garrick.
CAPTIONS:
The KZN Power team in its new reception area (from left): Clifford Bartlett, marine sales and after sales professional; Garrick Steyn, regional manager; Thembela Ngcobo, EPG field service technician; Tim Peach, EPG sales professional; Mark Sonemann, EPG field service technician; Peter Wortmann, service supervisor; (seated): Candice Baumgart, receptionist/administrator. Not in the picture are Joseph Ntombela, marine field service technician; Colin Green, EPG after sales rep; Moses Msomi, sales administrator; Justin Goddard, industrial sales and after sales professional; Ishwar Ramnath, MaK parts professional; Tiger Chetty, on highway truck after sales professional; Mthandeki Matshoba, NQF2 marine learner; and Robyn Alldred, EPG Learner.
At the official opening of its new facility in October 2010, Barloworld Power handed a R10 000 donation to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in recognition of its excellent work helping to keep South Africa’s coastline safe. Dave Sievwright, head of the Durban NSRI (left), accepted the cheque from Garrick Steyn. Dave sadly passed away in late December and will be remembered with fondness by the whole Power team.
Barloworld Power’s new facility in the Durban port.
The new offices.