Several key factors, such as the impact of Operation Vulindlela, have seen the materials handling market in Southern Africa undergo a rapid change in recent years, to the extent that the market is expected to reach a value of nearly R29.6-billion ($1.8-billion) by 2030, according to crane rental services company Sarens Southern Africa regional director Tim Bieseman.

Operation Vulindlela is a joint initiative of the South African Presidency and National Treasury, launched in October 2020 to accelerate structural economic reforms. It aims to modernise network industries – specifically electricity, water, transport and digital communications – to drive growth, lower costs and create jobs by breaking through implementation bottlenecks.

To cater for renewed materials handling product demand, Sarens has opened a new branch in Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal, which will be fully operational by the end of June.

This branch is intended to provide a faster and more reliable response to any materials handling product needs that may arise in the materials handling sector in one of the country’s most important logistics hubs – the Port of Durban. Some of the big production items used in South Africa’s mines move through to the Port of Durban.

At this new site, Sarens will offer a wide range of modern materials handling products, including forklifts, high-reach telehandlers, reach stackers and access platforms.

“In recent years, South Africa has experienced the impact of ageing machinery in our ports. For the entire logistics operation at ports to be truly effective, every [machinery] part must fit together perfectly, and if a single component is delayed as a result of a breakdown or malfunction, the entire supply chain suffers,” he explains.

Sarens prioritises a proactive approach to preventative maintenance across all machinery and transport assets. By ensuring optimal equipment readiness, the company mitigates potential mechanical risks and safeguards clients’ operations against costly, unexpected downtime.

Similarly, Sarens is committed to renewing its cranes, lifting and materials handling fleet to include new units featuring the latest available technologies, thereby adapting to the sector’s requirements regarding electrification and emissions reduction.

The most important factor driving demand for materials handling equipment and services is Operation Vulindlela, which aims to optimise existing container terminals, involving an investment of over R9-billion by State-owned freight logistics group Transnet on freight logistics, energy, passenger rail fleets and cargo-handling cranes at ports, he explains.

In addition to this, with the mining sector being engaged in a transition towards a lower carbon emissions environment, the machinery used to handle materials needs to support this sustainability imperative.

“We believe there is a direct link between the machinery used and the efficiency of the supply chain, particularly when it comes to avoiding the all-too-frequent bottlenecks that end up leaving thousands of containers stranded in ports, causing significant economic damage,” states Bieseman.

With the addition of battery-electric products, Bieseman says Sarens will continue its transition toward more sustainable machinery.