Unmatched Spillage Prevention Solution Service
Throughout its 30 years of being in business, one thing is clear – conveyor belt cleaning equipment designer and manufacturing company Brelko Conveyor Products has never lost sight of the importance of customer service excellence.
Brelko has maintained this through the delivery of innovative locally manufactured products, supported by uncompromised aftersales service, which together have ensured its successful business history and will continue to ensure its future success.
With a client base comprising of mining and minerals industry players, Brelko’s business has mostly grown on the back of the platinum mining sector in particular, which is a significant end user of our products. The company has however, also diversified into the energy sector as an extremely important market for Brelko. “We have supplied many of Eskom’s existing power stations – as well as its new
Kusile power station, for which Brelko is currently supplying belt washing systems for 13 conveyor systems at the power station, says Brelko MD Kenny Padayachee.
QUALITY, LOCAL MANUFACTURING AT ITS CORE
Brelko also attributes a large part of its success to its world-class showroom – like manufacturing facility located in Booysens, south of Johannesburg. The purpose-built manufacturing facility is modern, spacious, well-equipped and provides 6 000 m² of under roof work space. The facility boasts state-of-the-art machinery, including the latest generation Leadwell V-80L Machining Centre (VNC) – a highly-sophisticated CNC milling machine; as well as polyurethane moulding machinery that has used 12 tons of polyurethane a month to produce the components for its patented preventative spillage control and conveyor belt cleaning equipment solutions.
CONTINUAL PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT?
Innovation and ongoing research and development by its in-house engineering & design department ensure that Brelko continually improves on the design and features of its product.
Every single Brelko product that is manufactured undergoes rigorous in-house and field testing enabling the company to dispatch quality assured components to its customers. “This in-house capability enables us to supply one of the most versatile and comprehensive ranges of bulk materials’ handling equipment available on the market,” says Padayachee,
DISTRIBUTION NETWORK?
Brelko’s innovative products are sought after globally, prompting the company to establish branches in the UK and USA to service these regions. The company has also appointed master distributors in Australia, Chile and Greece as well as ABM TECHNA in Europe, with agents located in more than 40 countries globally.
Closer to home on the African continent, Brelko has experienced significant growth in the demand for its products in virtually all of the Southern African countries, with Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland showing particular interest.
“We also have penetration further north in Africa, with exports to Ghana, Mali, Sierra Leone and Egypt,” says Padayachee, noting his optimism in Africa. “We see the continent becoming an extremely important growth area for us over the next several years,” he adds.
TRAINING IMPERATIVE
As principal manufacturer of its solutions, Brelko understands the need to empower the people who use and service its products on site. In doing so Brelko providing effective training to all users of its products to ensure that once installed, staff are able to use and service the products effectively. Training is provided at the newly built Brelko ‘campus’ located on the same property as its manufacturing facility. Trainees are taken through several workshops and shown how to maintain ISO standards while working with and on Brelko products. The 4-6-week training course covers the basics theoretical and practical skills needed. The training offered to clients outside of South Africa is provided by a team of Brelko representatives who go to site to train the various personnel responsible for operating and maintaining equipment.
AFTERSALES SERVICE EXCELLENCE 
Brelko has 42 service teams providing an around-the-clock installation and maintenance service. Each team normally consists of two service technicians although more people are deployed per team when necessary.
These teams constitute by far the biggest proportion of Brelko’s staff compliment.
Looking at Brelko’s success over the years, we have identified customer service as being possibly the biggest contributor to the company’s growth, says Padayachee.
Although not directly responsible for servicing on African installations, Brelko makes recommendations through routine visual inspections and monthly shutdowns on work to be carried out and keeps a close eye to ensure standards are being upheld.
“We consider ourselves more than a just a supplier to the industry because we continually consult with our customers, no matter how remote the site, on ways to provide repair and installation service that reflects Brelko’s ‘customers first’ commitment.
Mining Elites in Africa
2018