Electrical engineering group Actom announced that it had made further investments to increase the capacity and capability at the motor repair facility, in Kitwe, Zambia, of its subsidiary company, manufacturer and repairer of electric motors and components Marthinusen & Coutts (M&C), in July.

Actom states that the additional investment – the exact amount of which it is not disclosing – has created the “ideal platform” for the company to expand its market share in Zambia, particularly in the country’s large mining sector.

“The upgrade, which was completed at the end of February, has further extended our capabilities in the region. Therefore, we can now offer customers a full electromechanical repair facility,” says M&C marketing executive Mike Chamberlain, speaking in his capacity as operations executive for Zambia.

He asserts that, prior to the recent investment, the facility was already recognised for its high-quality workmanship and “considered the top facility of its kind in the Copperbelt region”.

“The latest improvements make this a world-class facility, in terms of both its scope of work capabilities to repair small to medium-sized motors and the ability to meet required international quality standards that have become the norm with all work undertaken by M&C.”

Chamberlain explains that the facility now conforms to provider of standards, management systems, business improvement and regulatory approval information the South African Bureau of Standards’ stringent SANS 1561 and SANS 10242 low-voltage motor repair standards, as well as the occupational health and safety assessment standards, and global insurance broking and risk management company Marsh Africa’s insurance risks rating protocol.

“In terms of health, safety and environ-mental (HSE) standards, factories in Zambia are required to conform to the provisions of the country’s Factories Act, which sets lower standards than those that now apply at our Kitwe facility,” he points out.

Therefore, Chamberlain highlights that these higher HSE standards underpin M&C’s commitment to the Central African region, thereby ensuring that the company’s customer base receives the highest level of support at all times.

Meanwhile, M&C Zambia facility workshop manager Eugene Lottering explains that the objective of the upgrade was to extend the in-house capabilities of the Zambian operation and to improve the facility’s quality standards using the latest technologies.

“There will also be improved efficiencies and less mechanical work that will need to be outsourced, thus ensuring better-quality control and faster turnaround times,” he points out.

Lottering says that the increase in capacity was enabled through the purchase of additional equipment, including a burn-off oven, a 17 t crane, two lathes, a submerged arc welding machine, a milling machine, balancing machines, vibration analysis equipment, measuring equipment, two test-bay beds, a Watt-loss core tester and inter-turn testers.

“Other improvements included the installation of a high-pressure wash bay and overhead lighting, as well as the complete reorganisation of the facility to improve workflow and, thereby, efficiency,” he adds.

Coinciding with the completion of the capacity and capability upgrade, a distribution agreement was concluded with Actom’s Electrical Machines unit appointing M&C Zambia as its authorised distributor in Zambia for both its low-voltage and medium-voltage motors.