Dewatering pump and dredging specialist IPR (Integrated Pump Rental) has extended its rapid-response dewatering services into the rest of Southern Africa to take advantage of new opportunities enabled through its acquisition by Swedish multinational industrial company Atlas Copco Group last year.

There is increased demand for IPR’s dewatering pump and dredging solutions from mining operations in the region since the acquisition, especially with the wet season upon them.

“Nothing really limited us in South Africa, per se, but in the rest of Africa, being part of an original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) allows us to be one step closer to the end-user.

“The more we grow and the more the Southern African market becomes aware of our services and of the capabilities of the Atlas Copco range of products, the greater the demand for our dewatering pumps solutions becomes,” says IPR sales manager Steve du Toit.

Previously, IPR serviced the Southern African market through local networks and relied on resellers to further the company’s reach in the African market. However, as part of the Specialty Rental division within Atlas Copco’s Power Technique Business Area, IPR can leverage the group’s established network to expand its services in the region, particularly in remote areas.

“They’ve already built their name and brand in the various regions in Africa, with each region having specific Atlas Copco products that are suitable for its operating conditions,” elaborates Du Toit.

Consequently, IPR has a more direct route to market under the Atlas Copco network and can build on these channels using its expertise and experience in the pump rental business to further promote the brand in the market.

IPR is focused on establishing a solid network in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini, as well as Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Demand for dewatering pump solutions from IPR is growing as the mining industry deals with the challenges associated with the wet season.

“There is a shift in demand at this time of year from both underground and surface mining operations. This is evidence that our customers trust the IPR name and rely on our dewatering experience and expertise, especially when on-site conditions become a concern, to mitigate their challenges and reduce the financial impact of potential production stoppages,” says Du Toit.

Having access to the entire range of Atlas Copco dewatering pump products enables IPR to address the specific needs of each site, while its new and expanded network provides for a faster turnaround time to assist end-users as and when they need help. In addition, the company is the official distributor in the region for the Toyo range of heavy-duty slurry pumps.

Further, as it is not always feasible to buy a large dewatering pump setup for intermittent use, if a solution is needed urgently to deal with the impact of flash floods, for example, IPR’s rental offering is the answer, adds Du Toit.

“During the rainy season, rental is always an option when a rapid emergency contingency dewatering pump solution is needed. Thereafter, a mine can consider investing in a more permanent dewatering solution.

“We offer around-the-clock dewatering assistance. Our rental fleet is readily available on the floor, and everything that is on the floor can be collected immediately.”

Du Toit says IPR generally approaches customers operating in hard-to-reach areas ahead of rainy seasons, arranging for rental equipment to be left at a customer’s site on a contract basis. Thereby, this assists customers with making provision for incidents such as flooding, helping to limit downtime and improving productivity on site.

Ensuring product availability, especially during emergencies, has always been a priority for IPR.

“You need to have the equipment to assist people. Being a part of the Atlas Copco group really helps to better support our product availability. It’s a huge OEM and player in the pumps market and reinforces our ability to hold the right stock and the right quantities.”

IPR’s acquisition by Atlas Copco has also helped to broaden the company’s technical expertise to enhance its customer assistance.

“We have full, direct access to Atlas Copco engineers. We’re able to communicate any engineering or design concerns from a customer to them, and they are really accommodating. The whole team collaborates to assist with and address any problems being experienced in the field,” highlights Du Toit.