Bomag machines make an impact in South Africa

It is a well-known fact that Bomag machines guarantee a high standard of quality and efficiency at every construction site. However, they can accomplish even more. In South Africa, they have proven that they can function as inspiration for discovering new fields of activity. The Kwa Mhlanga Group used the innovative Bomag technologies as an opportunity to look for gaps in the civil engineering market.

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The multipurpose compactor BMP 8500 was the first Bomag machine which the Kwa Mhlanga Group had imported to South Africa via the dealer Bell Equipment. Founded in 1997, the civil engineering company aims to deliver quality civil engineering work within improved lead times. In its main area of work – the development of the townships – the Group has relied on innovative mechanisation methods from the beginning, and in this, Bomag now also plays a significant role.

Due to its interest in technological advances, particularly on the European and British markets, the Kwa Mhlanga Group initially commissioned the dealer Bell Equipment to import the Bomag multipurpose compactor BMP 8500. Equipped with a remote control, it is eminently well-suited for work on trenches and sewer line constructions, or wherever high demands are placed on mobility, manoeuvrability and simple operation. Francois Bakkes, Director Operations of the Kwa Mhlanga Group, explains, “Working in deep trenches as our staff sometimes are forced to, we are always aware of possible cave-ins and this remote operated Bomag compactor allows the operator to stand above the trench out of possible harm’s way and have a much better view of where the machine works.”

The company now owns seven of these remote controlled machines which with their efficiency have contributed to the Group’s tamper fleet being reduced, with subsequent cost-savings as a bonus. Additionally, the multipurpose compactor prompted further development in the Group. “Innovations like using remotely controlled Bomag compactors inspired us to seek gaps in the civil engineering market where we were sure we could make a difference through mechanisation,” as Francois Bakkes puts it.

One such area was found in road construction, in particular in the work done between the kerbstones. Kerbstones are typically laid once the sub-base course of the road has been completed. The upper levels of the road are laid afterwards which can uproot or damage the kerbstones. To counteract this phenomenon, the Kwa Mhlanga Group acquired the Bomag paver BF 800 P and was completely satisfied with its performance. “With the Bomag paver and a mobile aggregate batching plant to feed it, we can now effectively lay over 1,000 tonnes of base material on a new road in under a day and do it efficiently without damaging the kerbstones at the edge,” as Bakkes reports.

A further advantage that made the BF 800 P valuable to the South African company was its versatility. The paver’s core competence after all is the laying of asphalt, a discipline the Kwa Mhlanga Group is planning to enter in the near future. Already, the abilities of the machine have been experimented on. The screed has for example been extended so that the material could be laid down over a width of 6.5 instead of 5 metres. This led to significant savings in time and material and thus serves as an impressive demonstration of the potential of the BF 800 P. The Bomag machines in use in South Africa once again prove that they measure up to any challenges laid before them and that they consistently contribute to the optimisation of processes as well as to the easing of working conditions.