Bearing technology and rotating equipment specialist, SKF South Africa, has been appointed exclusive distributor of the Ascorel product range in Sub Sahara Africa.
“SKF’s status as a global lubrication specialist made Ascorel’s decision to appoint us as sole distributor, easy,” explains SKF South Africa general manager – Lubrication Solutions, Ray Mullen. “Our technological know-how in bearings, seals and condition monitoring systems, made progression to automated lubrication systems a natural one. Through a couple of acquisitions over the past few years, lubrication has become such an important industry sector for SKF that it forms one of the company’s five global platforms. The Ascorel product range and lubrication share the same mobile equipment client base and definitely adds value to SKF’s full basket of product and service offerings”.
Based in Pont-Evêque, France, Ascorel has 20 years experience in the development, design, installation and maintenance of electronic systems in order to enhance control and safety in civil engineering as well as lifting and fire fighting equipment.
SKF’s Ben O’Neil, with over 18 years experience in both off- and on-road lubrication systems, is responsible for the Ascorel distributorship in Sub Sahara Africa. Ascorel on and off-road systems, including loader and axle weighing systems as well as crane safe load indicators, are available from SKF South Africa. O’Neil explains, “We have identified very clear market needs in mining, construction and quarry industries for on-board weighing systems. Ascorel’s systems are ideal for after-market fitment to both front end loaders and dumper trucks to ensure optimum operation and performance. This controlled system utilises pressure sensors on the hydraulic rams, to indicate the weight of each bucket load to within 1% accuracy in-cab to the operator. As the weight of each load is monitored, the site manager can predict the number of loads necessary to fill each truck as well as when trucks reach maximum load capacity.
“The positive on-site impact is phenomenal,” says O’Neil. “Benefits can literally be detected from the very first load, queues are eliminated and trucks remain on the road improving productivity. The Ascorel off-road system so streamlines the operation and improves turnaround times that site managers are finding time to attend to activities that were not previously possible”.
The highly effective Ascorel on-road axle weighing system consists of pressure sensors on the air suspensions and is targeted at haulier and transport companies where axle load indicators are considered necessary requirements, especially with renewed traffic enforcement legislation on our national roads. Overloading will be a thing of the past making our roads that much safer.
SKF South Africa also makes a third Ascorel product, crane safe load indicators, aimed at the local mobile and gantry cranes refurbishing market, available.
According to O’Neil, SKF and Ascorel will be responsible for necessary training and SKF’s existing highly experienced lubrication partners will take care of installation service on the Ascorel product range through its nationwide distribution network.
O’Neil concludes: “Ascorel invests substantially in R&D to ensure cutting edge technology and to offer excellent support to its world-wide partners. “We are confident of the quality of the Ascorel product range which is compliant to international metrology standards OIML R51-1, as well as being an ISO 9001 certified company. We are particularly proud of our status as sole distributor of this globally respected product range.”
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