Remote diagnostics and on-site interventions have become the standard for South African earthmoving equipment manufacturer and supplier Bell Equipment, as these technologies are used to predict and, consequently, implement preventative measures.

This, coupled with real-time-data telematics analytics and a well-versed crew of service employees, enables Bell Equipment to offer service forecasting and preventative measures to ensure reduced downtime of machines on site.

Consequently, the company is well positioned to maintain equipment fleets in the mining sector.

Telematics is used to monitor equipment’s speed, weight and temperature remotely, with data analytics highlighting exceptions for dealers.

Every piece of equipment manufactured by Bell has a recommended service guide, which is provided for new clients and details the set intervals at which clients must initiate interventions.

These interventions are not only simple services but also include design specific adjustments and enhancements a client must undertake to ensure that the machine runs optimally, says Bell Equipment aftermarket and product support group director Meltus Badenhorst.

Further adjustments are then made to that schedule based on contributing factors, such as adverse working conditions, including dust and heat, fuel cleanliness and operator productivity and skills.

In addition to its standard one-year unlimited hours warranty, as an original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) that Badenhorst says is “the benchmark in the yellow metal industry”, the company offers four coverage options or packages as part of its aftersales offering.

Clients can choose from four flexible and customisable options.

All packages are adaptable; for example, clients can buy a set number of hours over a month-based period or, if they anticipate working more hours in fewer months, they can shorten the monthly duration and increase the allotted hours accordingly.

The first extended warranty package covers the wet drivetrain only, the second package covers the wet drivetrain and hydraulics, while the third package is more comprehensive, including all aspects of the second package plus more.

These packages do, however, include some exclusions.

The fourth package – full machine cover – was introduced in the fourth quarter of 2024 and provides coverage similar to that of the standard warranty.

This enables customers to buy coverage for up to five years or 12 000 hours, whichever limit is reached first.

Clients in South Africa prefer the two more basic packages, with almost half of Bell’s clients choosing some form of an extended warranty programme.

Further, Bell Equipment Sales South Africa (BESSA), the Bell OEM’s dealership in South Africa, offers comprehensive aftermarket support, focusing on preventative and predictive maintenance programmes, as well as on-site equipment testing and maintenance, says BESSA aftermarket head Edwin Silas.

BESSA employs over 300 technical support staff, including 130 technicians, with a 24-hour response time for breakdowns and a two-week window for scheduled maintenance.

The option to employ a personnel-on-site contractor is also an alternative, where dedicated technicians are available throughout the work shift for clients with more machines and larger operations.

BESSA also maintains a comprehensive spare parts inventory, with 24 outlets in South Africa, which draw stock from the OEM’s global logistics centre based in Johannesburg, Gauteng.